Did anyone see the rebroadcast of Modern Masters on the Fine Living network this morning? They did a segment on Texas woodworker, Robert Hensarling.
We’ve had discussions about copying design on Knots before, and his rocking chair design was basically Sam Maloof’s. A little less locking in his joinery. (Basically all dowelled)
Should this really be considered a Modern Master? Excellent quality, to be sure, but still basically a copy.
Replies
C,
I consider you a "Modern Master". Why shouldn't Mr Hensarling be considered a Mondern Master. I went to McDonald's yesterday, and told them I am a Modern Master and asked if that get's me a discount. They said no. I told them that I am 64, so can I get a senior coffee. They said "Yes, that will be 40 cents."
The term "Modern Master" is a hollow term. I have never used it. You don't have to pass any tests to be called one. I just called you a Modern Master, and I don't even know if you have ever made any furniture. It is best not to worry about such things. It is best just to go to the shop and make furniture, the best you can. My wife and kids think I make good furniture. That is what matters to me. If Sam Maloof said that my furniture is too rectangular, I would thank him for his opinion, and ask him if he'd like another cup of coffee.
I love to get together with other woodworkers. I want to see their stuff, and I want to hear what they have to say about mine. I take what they say with a grain of salt. I am in charge of what I do,not them. But some of them turn out to have very interesting things to say, about a more useful joint to use, a technique that is easier and faster,etc. Some don't have much useful to say.
I took a wood carving to show four other woodworkers last week. Here were their comments from each of the four people:
1) How many chipouts did you have? I can see one.
2) How long did it take you to do this? It looks like it takes a lot of patience.
3) You wrote your name and "2007-2" on the back. You should never number your pieces. Why did you ever do a dumb thing like that?"
4) Very nice.
I didn't find those comments very useful. I did learn a lot about those four people. Oftentimes, a persons comments about your work tell you more about them than they do about your work.
There are some woodworkers who are "Better" than others on many woodworking and toolmaking fronts. That's nice. I look to many people for help here on Knots. I am indebted to many of them for their kind and generous advice. But if one of them said to me "I am a Modern Master", or something like that, I would say "Pleased to meet you. I am sorry that I can't stay."
I don't like uppity people. I like people who do good work. I like people who are kind and generous. I have found two well known woodworkers to be very nice and very helpful. I wrote to Rob Cosman, and he gave me an excellent answer overnight. I wrote to Glen Huey and asked a question, and got a great answer overnight. I have written to other "well known woodworkers" and have gotten either nothing or some nastiness.
To me, the modern woodworking and toolmaking "greats" include a lot of folks on Knots. Think about who we have here: Rob Millard, Richard Jones, Ray Pine, Philip Marcou, Derek Cohen, Mike Wenzloff, and the list goes on and on. These are phenomenal craftsmen and artists (although some of them have refused to acknowledge that they are artists), and they are all very nice folks. If I could spend an hour with any of them, or anyone you would consider a "Modern Master", the Modern Master would lose out.
Wow. I guess I didn't know how strongly I felt about this. Glad I got it out of my system. In any case, life was made to be enjoyed. We all like to be acknowledged. So If you will refer to me as a Modern Master in the future, I will do the same for you. We can print up some cards which say Modern Master, and sell them for a modest price.
As you can tell, I am not much on "hero worship". I have never met Mr. Hensarling, but I am sure that he is qualified to be a Modern Master. If he sends me $25, I will send him a "Modern Master" card that he can carry in his wallet.
Have fun. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Now I gotta go make some furniture.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Hey You!
You charged me $50 for my Modern Master (at nothing) card! Now you're offering 'em for $25!
Should I call Grizzly?
<:G>Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Master Bob,
you don't need a card to prove you are a Modern Master. We all recognize you as such. When my kids were young, they played with "Masters of the Universe" action-figures. They would hold up the figure and say the magic words "I have the power." So in my quest to make money in woodworking, I am now thinking of making a set of poseable action-figures of the regulars on Knots, and we'll put them on the market. I think that Master Lataxe will be one of the big sellers. Master Bob will be close. Master Ray will come with a little tape recorder inside that spouts woodworking humor. People will be able to buy accessories for their favorite "Masters of Woodworking" figures. Right now, I am having quality control problems with the folks who do the manufacturing in China. The little plane that goes with Master Philip is actually a miniature version of the Lie Nielsen #5 1/2, and that just won't do. Master Derek comes with an instruction book for making miniature hand tools and sharpening them well. The prototype of the Master Lataxe action figure needs further work. It is too aggressive. When turned on, it collects all nearby tools, and it has actually started fights with some of the other action figures. The Master Cherubini action figure comes with its own time machine. It can return to previous centuries and bring back miniature tools from from those times. Most problematic is the Master Forestgirl action figure. Whenever she comes near the other action figures, they stop whatever they are doing and just look at her. I believe these action figures will really sell. I am having problems with the cost, thought. I can't get the price down to less than the cost of an average Festool.Sincerely,
Master Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
Did you get into some of Metods hydraulic brake fluid?
I'm having a hard time typing this cause I'm still LAUGHING!
You're giving that Pine man a run for his money.
<!----><!----> Regards,<!---->Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Mel, are you inferring the subjects of your text are a lot of poseurs? The sort of action resulting from that may exceed all expectations.
Master Mufti,
You are a master of words as well as wood. No poseurs here, just posers. So what should the Mufti action-figure be doing?
Master MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Sttting around being told "your all wind and water" by his wife, if truth be known.
David,
I am not even master in me own hoose, where the Ladywife rules (with permission of Korky the cat). Rather I am the entity that is "all mouth and trousers" (or so She allegeth).
But you should see the trousers! They shout in the face of Marks & Spencers' fawn cotton twill stuff, reserved for the pensioners. "Yah-boo!" they holler and the assistants hurry to hide the trifles away in case the trousers want to get even more colourful.
As you can see, then, I am just a boy myself (aged 15 & 3/4) so perhaps I am master lataxe after all?
Lataxe,
who will never grow up nor get a prize for being good at owt (as Dr Skillin says on my old school reports).
Sir,
But you are a Master! Let the ladywife have her wish. Believe me, it is the best course, as I have a few years on ya.
Now, on to more important/mundane things.
It seems to me that if you maintain your present level of humor and wit, perhaps elevating it a bit, you'll give Master Mel a run for his money in the 2008 Cartouche Award for Knots Humor. However doing so might cause us all laughing fits, the fix of which is not known.
But might I suggest a change in your trousers? Lace trimmed trousers draw rather strange looks from female passers by, as does men of the woods and feline frequenters to the shed. No trousers are another matter.
A drab tawney shade of knickers with bright white shirt, ala Master Cherebini works quite well, along with some white socks up around the knees. Black garters to hold all in place works and looks quite nice.
As to hair color, blued white adds a nice touch.
Fond Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 8/26/2007 9:44 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Edited 8/26/2007 9:47 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Now I used to think it was "faun cotton twill" when young, so when told I should wear them thought they were trying to make me look a right fairy. I couldn't even sing!
I have an aversion to being thought competent, it can lead to a nasty rash of assumptions, all of which will be wrong and take a long time to heal. Better by far to sit at the feet of a master, (provided he has changed his socks), and shout "cobblers" whenever you notice a hole in his premise.
Mephistophellian Mufti.
"I went to McDonald's yesterday, and told them I am a Modern Master and asked if that get's me a discount. They said no. I told them that I am 64, so can I get a senior coffee. They said "Yes, that will be 40 cents.""
Hilarious. A classic post.
Master Mel,
It seems that you have forgotten one of the most important action figures---you--with a laptop computer for your essays of great wit and humor.
Forget about the modesty stuff, I believe you have enough presence of self to avoid overindulging in yourself. Besides, the Masters Ray, Bob, Lataxe, et al, would be rather lonely without a Master Mel action figure to pal around with. Plus your action figure could join the others looking at the Master ForestGirl action figure without your wife bopping you over the head with a frying pan. :-)
Chris; jack of all trades, master of none.
Master Chris,
Glad you liked my response. I had fun writing it.By the way, I just came up from my shop. I am doing a chip carving of the most difficult design I could find. Now I am paying the price. Almost all of the cuts are long and curved and they all have grain crossings. EEEEEHHHHAAAAAAA! Oh well. I could have picked something easier. After a few more of these chip carvins, I am going back to good ol relief carvings, where I am more comfortable. I wanted to try the chip carving just to see what it is like. My respect for Wayne Barton has gone way up. His pieces look like they were cut by a laser.Have fun.
Master Mel
PS Ain't it more fun now that we are all Masters?Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Master Mel,
I always enjoy reading your posts. The wit and wisdom of a true southern gentleman.
Chip carving can sure be a bugger can't it. There's a guy in our carving club who is really good at it. I haven't tried it yet, but I will someday. Once I get myself set up to making furniture and other like items, my intentions are to incorporate chip and/or relief carvings to them as my own uh 'unique' touch to a more or less standard item.
Right now I'm trying to perfect characature and life-like carvings since carving in the round appeals to me.
Pfeils are nice, so are Stubai (Austria), you can actually bore a hole with their #11 veiners.
Ya know, someday we should do coffee, we only live 1.45 hrs from each other.
Me hat's off to you, Master Mel,
Chris.
Chris,
I agree with you and all who have contributed to this discussion.
But, you must understand that in order for Mr. Cohen (AKA Mel) to have bestowed this improbable honor on us we secretly bestowed the Knots Cartouche Award for Humor upon him.
He doesn't know it yet but Mr. Grindinger (AKA Sarge) and that mysterious forestgirl, who can't seem to get the forest out of her, are currently enroute to Mels modest woodshop to anoint him with this prestigious medal. Hopefully they left their cast iron frying pans behind.
Now, I must also inform you that the eloquent Mr. Lataxe is very upset that Lee Valley has somehow managed to bring to market a new plough plane that he only had a snikkering of a hint that it existed. There are undercover agents investigating as we speak.
Also be aware that Master Marcou is scurrying about his shop to make a better one! The other Mr. Cohen (Derek) has been hiding out in back of Lataxe's shed devising some new sharpening methods for said new LV plough plane.
AND, that pineman, who shall remain, well you know what I'm getting at, HUH? We had an extremely difficult time deciding who shoud be the recipient of the Knots Cartouche Award for Humor, but with Mr. Cohens post, he won it hand down by a wide margin. Sorry Ray.!?,*()&^$%&^*
Now, don't tell Mel but there is going to be an extravagant party at the headquarters of NASA so we can officially present the award to him.
Sorry Ray, I voted for you but Mel also knows Ted Kennedy. You figure.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,
Too much!!! :-) You out did yourself on that one.
I just got through posting to Mel and ssshhh...mum's the word...we don't want to spoil the surprise for him (nonchalantly whistling).
I'm sure Ray will understand your decision, BUT, I'd be ready to duck in case a granite flake mudball comes hurtling your way...
Still chuckling at your post,
Chris.
Hey Chris,
I saw your "jack of all trades, master of none" moniker.
My granddad, who was a master carpenter and a master woodworker told me that he thought that particular moniker was one set in either failure, or set in lack of self confidence. It meant that someone was not particularly accomplished at anything.
He said that one should be, and I kid you not -- a Master Jack-of-all-trades. He said a jack of all trades was a specialty in and of itself.
I agree.
Alan - planesaw
By the way -- how are things down your way? When does the carving group get together. I'd love to come visit.
Edited 8/24/2007 9:10 pm ET by Planesaw
Alan,
Hello friend. I agree with you and your Grandfather pertaining to the second paragraph. Well, the first, too. It's one of those 'double-edged' sword things.
I was rather unguided starting out in life, in fact it wasn't til 14yrs out of school that I finally found a trade to settle into. Until that time I did a lot of different things, and I do mean alot! Since I'm only 17yrs in my present trade, I don't consider myself a Master--just a Journeyman. BUT, since I started working for my 'own' money since I was 13yrs, doing whatever I could do, maybe I fit into the Master Jack of all trades like your Granddad said. Well, Mel at least labeled me as a 'Master' :-).
Things are going quite well in my neck of the woods. I trust they're doing the same up your way. I've been quite busy this summer and haven't been to any carving sessions for quite a while. Much of my time is spent working on the ballfield in York. When I'm home, I'm either too pooped out or pushing myself to get things done around the house, my biggest project is a 147' stone wall I've been tinkering away at.
I still plan on visiting your club at Woodcraft, just not sure when. I'll email ya when I'm coming up. The Conewago Woodcarvers Club meets every Tuesday evening @ 6:30 pm at the East Berlin Community Center. There is also a club meeting the 3rd Sunday of the month @2:00 pm +/-, same place. We have our annual show coming up on the 27-28th of October.
We shall have to get together sometime in the not too distant future, take care,
Chris.
Mel,
That was an outstanding post. I could not agree more with what was said and the approach to life it represents. I think it would be very interesting to have a cup of coffee with you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Master Burl,
Let's get together for coffee as soon as possible. If we do it at McDonald's, I am buying. Yuk, Yuk. I am in Northern Virginia, about 19 miles southwest of Washington, DC. Where do you hail from? Do you ever get down this way?
Master MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
I am in southcentral PA, just outside Harrisburg. Another thing we have in common, to close to state, in your case federal, politicians. All that hot air can effect wood movement and in some case induce rust on good tools.
Mickey D coffee is just fine, I even drank it before they upgraded, wasn't great but was available. I agree with your wife though, the upgrade is better coffee. Since we both qualify we can spring for the "Senior coffee".
I have been know to wonder south of the Mason-Dixon so the coffee might happen one of theses days. Thanks for the invite.
Dan
Dan,
You are from Harrisburg. I have some ties to PA. My wife was born in York. We met at Penn State. Her sister lives in Bath. My good friend, Alan (PLanesaw) lives up there near you.Next time you decide to come down here, let me know. I will do same for you. Within the next few years, we may just get together.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Hey all you Masters,
It's me with the hydraulic brake fluid, not Mel. And you guys just better leave it alone. It's good. Damn good. A damn sight better than some of the coffee at that Scottish place...
Zolton* Some people say I have a problem because I drink hydraulic brake fluid. But I can stop any time I want.
Zolton,
I worry about you drinking brake fluid! A friend of mine also used to, and he said he could stop on a dime. But soon he was buying brake pads, and as he chewed those pads, his teeth would break. So he switched to dusting them for the asbestos, which he said, was a best way to slow down his addiction, but it wasn’t long before he was into the sintered metal pads. He told us to stop meddling--it wasn’t a sin. Soon he couldn’t stop on a dime as he had none, and none of his former friends would give him a break. So, Zolton, you see it’s a long skid with brake fluid. Get a few tool catalogs, Normite, Neander, doesn’t matter, you won’t be able to stop, even if you were standing still. I offer ForestGirl as an example. She was happy to have a lathe. At first, she was content following the directions on the bottle: Lathe. Rinse. Repeat. But now, she wants a live center, wouldn’t settle for a guard or tackle. She wants a spanner wrench. Next, it will be a spinner wench to tell us the current news out of Mel’s DC. Where will it all end? This must stop!
Maybe we should all drink brake fluid, and wait for the gossamer shavings to take us to a higher plane!
Warped, but not cupped, a bit twisted, think I’d better clamp down and adhere to my remaining 2 cents. Stopping now.
Bob
You deserve a brake today!
Bob,
You wrote, "So, Zolton, you see it’s a long skid with brake fluid."
Unfortunately, this has already begun. I'm near a complete breakdown. Right now I'm so broke I can't even pay attention.
I brake for rehab, Zolton* Some people say I have a problem because I drink hydraulic brake fluid. But I can stop any time I want.
MASTER MEL, I think it was Alan Bates who said he hated the thouhht of going to a British Public School because all the pupils were cslled Master, and with his surname he found it kind of embarressing.
But as we all seem to have user names in knots I kind of like the idea of being called Master Boysie sometime in the future.Once again you've come up thrumps and and lit up the days.
Next time your in Macs. have a coffee for me .
Ps I qualify for the age reduction as well ,Regds. Boysie Slan Leat.I'm never always right but i'm always never wrong. Boysie
Master Boysie,
It is always good to hear from you. Especially now that we are all Masters. Someday we will have a coffee together. First I have to enter retirement, and that is coming soon.
Glad you enjoyed my post. I had a good time with it too.
Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Never introduce myself as a Master...my last name is Bates...
NLT Jimmy,
The American term "Master" translates to the Japanese "National Living Treasure". So we will refer to you as "NLT Jimmy". These titles are all equivalent, and equally uselss, but we had some fun with this thread. And as long as we are having fun, what else matters?If you want, you can print out a certificate on your computer, which confers on you the title of "National Living Treasure." Be sure to tell your parents, family and friends. They will be very proud of you, but they will also be jealous, until you tell them that whenever the title is bestowed on anyone, it also conveys to all members of their family. Be proud! You deserve this honor as much as the rest of us do.
NLT MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I enjoy reading your posts Mel. :) I feel I should add a name to the short list of generous, well known woodworkers. Perhaps you've heard of Lee Grindinger. I emailed him last summer about beginner carving questions and he promptly returned some very helpful information and well wishes. Hard to forget that. Any idea why someone would tell you *not* to number your pieces? I am planning to get one of those branding machines and add a number to each piece. Obviously in hopes that some day I'll get good and have a history of how I got there. :) Andy
Master Andy,
Thank you for the good words. Good to meet another carver. I share your feelings about Lee Grindinger. I knew I would get in trouble for leaving off many of our great friends on Knots. It was a big mistake to leave Lee off. He got me started on inner bevels on my gouges. He is a gentleman, a scholar, a great carver, and a friend to all on Knots. What kind of carving do you do, Andy? I am eclectic. Have been trying my hand at chip carving lately. While I enjoy it, I like my Pfeil Swiss Made gouges better. Do you ever get near Washington, DC? If so, let me know and we will get together and talk carving. (and more importantly, we'll do some carving.)
Have fun.
Master MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Master Mel, I *really* joined the thread in hopes of being called 'Master', though *she* would probably say Master Spender so far... I started doing relief carving for the purpose of patterns on furniture. I'd be embarassed to admit how little I've accomplished in the first year or two I've been woodworking but I've spent most of my time acquiring tools and techniques and being distracted building things like playstructures and *small* furniture lately. :) We all have to prioritize. I've applied carving to some picture frames that turned out well. I live in Ottawa. Haven't been to DC for a few years. Travel for now is to places like cottages and Disney. ;) Andy
Master Andy,
They say that life is what occurs when planning is interrupted.I love that thought. It rings true.You are a carver like the rest of us. We all go through the exact same sequence. The details are all that are different. We have ideas of what we want to do. We try to figure out the "Best" tools to get. Later we really there is no "best". We try. We are alternately thrilled and disappointed with out results. THen in the middle of it all one of our kids goes and had a kid and we make playthings. LIFE - it is much better than the alternative. Sounds like you are living it to its fullest. We are far away in miles but close in spirit. We will be friends at a distance. It is good to be connected with someone who is as much a Master as I am, and probably moreso. You go to Disney. I go to Washington DC. So what is the difference? I see more funny people.
Have fun. Keep carvin, and Please, keep in touch.
Master MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Master Mel, I do not want to become an imposter so I will clarify: the toddler is mine. :) That's why the demand on my time. This morning, I built a few train tracks with my new router. Good practise for furniture? Andy
Mel and all,
I have had some shop time today (way too rare) and I was thinking about this thread, while restoring a small old woodworking bench, and remembered ----
Hey, we DO have a Living Treasure among us. Really! Mel, with your permission, may I add Larry Williams to your list?
As in Clark and Williams http://www.planemaker.com/
Being Ozark-American by birth, and having grown up next to the M&NA RR, which began in Eureka Springs, I am mindful of good things that come out of Arkansas.
The Arkansas Arts Council selects Arkansas Living Treasures each year. There are truly some talented people in them thar hills.
2006
Larry Williams
Eureka Springs
Woodworking Planes
2005
Leon Niehues
Huntsville
Basket Maker
2004
Violet Hensley
Yellville
Fiddle Making
2003
Irma Gail Hatcher
Conway
Quilts
2002
Beatrice Stebbing
Siloam Springs
Stained Glass
Alan - planesaw
Here is some info on him from the Arts Council.
Williams is self-taught in woodworking, metal working and historic trades. While restoring an 1890 house in Denver with his wife, he developed a passion for history and historic preservation, especially traditional trades, techniques and tools. He and his wife moved to Eureka Springs in 1980 where he pursued a career as a restoration carpenter and cabinetmaker. He eventually formed a partnership with Bill Clark, a Eureka Springs contractor and cabinet maker, and focused on fine custom cabinetry and high-end finish carpentry.Because of the difficulty in finding usable antique tools for their work, they began making their own. Williams began to research and design “floats,” the specialty tools needed to make hand woodworking planes. This became the first product of Clark & Williams. This quickly evolved into the production and sale of hand woodworking planes, for which Williams conducted much of the research and design. He not only worked to revive the traditional trade of making wooden molding hand planes, he created the means to revive the trade, since the tools and supplies available to traditional plane makers are no longer available. Williams taught himself machine shop metal working to duplicate old parts and to make the tooling necessary to produce the planes. Basically, learning plane making has involved learning several trades. Often there was no place to turn for needed information except the old planes themselves. There is little information written about traditional wooden plane making and few who know much at all about the techniques of the trade. “I had to experiment, make mistakes and interpret the old tools for myself,” explains Williams.Thanks in part to Larry Williams, Clark & Williams is re-creating a whole industry that vanished in the U.S. in 1929 with the closing of the Sandusky Tool Company. They are largely responsible for the reintroduction of varied bed angles in bench planes, a technology that is at least 300 years old, which had been abandoned to the compromises of mass production. Their planes look, feel and function very much like one would expect available for purchase at a mid-18th-century London plane maker’s. “I prefer 18th century planes,” Williams said. “They were essentially completely evolved and the purest form of the genre. Our planes clearly represent those from the 18th century to anyone with knowledge of the woodworking of the period. They also function as well as they look, and rival planes from any period when it comes to performance.”While the planes are in the traditional 18th-century form, their principal value is in enabling other artisans and crafts people to efficiently control and complete their work. Williams has appeared in notable publications such as Popular Woodworking, Woodwork magazine, Fine Tool Journal, and A Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes, a historic survey of American wooden plane makers that date as far back as the early 1700s and the primary reference on the history of American wooden plane makers. Williams shares his enthusiasm and expertise by teaching plane making classes and workshops and speaking and giving demonstrations at woodworking symposiums and meetings throughout the United States.
Alan,
Thank you for that very nice introduction to Larry Williams. I have an immense amount to learn in woodworking. As you know, I am just moving into hand tools after decades of acting like Norm (but not performing as well). I am very happy to learn about Larry. I am in awe of what he has done. Congratulations to Larry on being selected as a Living Treasure of 2006.Alan, what is Larry's name on Knots? I will look for his posts, and hope to meet him here in Knotsland. Again, thank you.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
You will find him as lwilliams.
And, Mel, you will find Larry to be someone who is on Knots to learn, to teach, and to exchange information. The thing I like about Larry on Knots, like a few other manufacturers, is that they participate as "fellow" woodworkers. They aren't on here just to promote their products.
Larry, like Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen, and a few others, has a great reputation for service and sharing their knowledge.
Lie-Nielsen now carries the plane maker's floats designed by Larry that are used to make wooden planes.
Alan - planesaw
Edited 8/26/2007 12:07 am ET by Planesaw
My Great Grandfather was called a Master Cabinet/Furniture Maker in a large shop (Over 200 woodworkers) in the 1st half of the 1900's. I always thought it just allowed him to boss around the new guys. Thanks for helping me understand.
I just wanted to be part of this thread in hopes of being called a Master too. That way I can justify raising my shop rates :)...Sign me up for 500 of those business cards. I need to go change my resume now.. Later..Thanks.
Master GRW,
It is my pleasure to be the first to refer to you as "Master GRW". I am sure that by now, you have come to accept the adulation and hero worship that comes with being a fine woodworker. Be sure to get on your computer and make up a nice certificate that says that you are a Master. If "Fine Woodworker" seems too common in its wording, you can substitute the term "Ebanista". I guess that means your workshop is an "Ebanisteria". It would be good to have a nicely carved sign for your workshop which says,Ebanisteria Extrordinaire
Proprietor - Master GRWSuch a sign will give you a boost on those days when the rest of the world fails to treat you with the worship and esteem that you are entitled by means of your station in life as a Master.Your grandfather understood the importance of being a Master. So maybe you should occasionally make utterances such as, "So it is written. So let it be." It worked for Yul Brenner. Maybe it will work for you.This is a wonderful fraternity of woodworkers that we belong to. Every one of us is a Master (in our own minds).Always remember the motto of our woodworking brotherhood:
"Liberty, Equality, Good Tools".
Enjoy.
Master MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Bless you Master Mel.
I take great pride in my new title. I'm sitting up much straighter, and my nose is aimed straight up into the air. The world is my workshop..
I must go and find a new apprentice to attend to my glue pots, sweep the floors, and do all my sharpening.. After, I'll be signing autographs, then leading a fox hunt on horseback, and working on my witty phrases.
It has been written..(how's that one?)
Master GRW
Master Mel -
Always a pleasure to read your posts, and this series of them brought quite a few smiles. Totally in agreement with your philosophy on this. You reminded me of a plaque I made for my oldest sister a long time ago when after many years she finally got her Master's degree. I routed (freehand no less!! .... I was too cheap to buy a template) her name, Masters in Education, the date, and then added the following in Latin:
Magister Mundi sum! Me oportet propter praeceptum te nocere.
which means:
I am Master of the Universe! I am going to have to hurt you on principle.
Just getting my shop going...I'm almost at the point of transferring the table saw, bandsaw, jointer/planer, etc from the garage to the shop where I can actually USE them once in a while. And I'm much looking forward to submitting more questions and posts to you and the other fine people here on Knots when I'm making something worth talking about.
Have a cup 'o coffee on me. Until the next time we cross paths, I remain
Master<!----><!----><!---->charlie -- "Count your blessings....it could always be worse!"
Master Charlie,
Great post. I love to see folks who are fluent in Latin. I studied it for three years in High School. I loved your Latin phrase and will use it often. I hope your sister still has the sign. I would have to bet that you went to Catholic school.Non illegitimi carborundum.
Don't let the bas***** get you down.Quid me vexare?
What, me worry?You said that you'd write again when you are making something worth talking about. Now that you are the Master, everything you make is worth talking about. The apprentices will watch your every move, and copy your designs. Actually, I enjoy seeing what other woodworkers make on an everyday basis even more than the once in a lifetime things that they do. I do chip carving, real carving, antique restoration, and case pieces. My kids take them all, which is fine with me. Glad they like the stuff. Please keep in touch. When you see someone write somthing you disagree with, write a response, and give your thinking about it. I use humor to blunt the sting of it. I never want to make anyone feel bad. Woodworking and the discussion of it should be fun. Now that we are Masters, it is even more fun.
Enjoy.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
The only place I know of where such a term has important "legal" meaning is in Japan. There the government identifies certain individuals as "National Living Treasures". These are people who exemplify the best maintenance of classical techniques in almost any field including woodworking, tool making, preparation of traditional dishes, etc. Otherwise it is all in the eye of the beholder.
Master Winemane,
Sorry you stopped going to the Scottish place.
This year they changed their coffee, and now they only offer a more upscale coffee. My wife is very particular about coffee, and she really likes the new McDonalds coffee. Me too.
I agree with you. Stay away from the greasy stuff at that place. But try their coffee, and if you are 60, ask for the senior coffee. It is, like Knots, one of the great bargains that remain in this world.
You said that I look at the person before I judge their work. You are right. But I have run into some VERY good woodworkers who I could learn a lot from, but with whom I would not want to become friends. I try not to antagonize anyone, even self-centered idiots. I am willing to put up with self-centered behaviors for the time it takes to learn some skills from them. Then I like to hang around with people who life my spirits rather than drag them down. Quality of life is paramount. This isn't practice. It is the real thing.
A final thought - "Master" is a reference to the past. It is sort of a "Lifetime achievement award" for a lot of past accomplishments. I find that I enjoy people who focus on the present and on the future, much more than those who like to talk about what they used to do back when they actually did things. People who have been "adulated" for too long tend to become enamored with themselves. It is like they start to believe their press clippings. I believe that in all of woodworking, there is too much of a push to adulate the "big names". People who have been to a week-long class tend to proudly tell me the "big name" of the person who runs the school they went to, rather than to tell me about what they learned.
Glad to make your acquaintance.
With whatever problems it has, "woodworking" is a wonderful place. By far, most woodworkers are wonderful folks. Indeed, there has never been a serial killer who is a woodworker.
Master Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Winemane,
I must correct you here, first of all it's "nessun dorma" with an N.
Puccini didn't create "nessun dorma", he created "Tourandot" ... "Nessun dorma" are the first words of the most known aria in that opera !
Since I am an opera "aficionado", I couldn't let that one go.
C.
To pare a phrase from Master Shakespeare:
"A Puccini aria by any other name would still sound as sweet."
But I don't understand why Puccini's parents named him to honor an avocado dip, and mis-spelled it, to boot.
;>) <mandatory flame-proofing icon>
Wineman,
You need to keep tuned in.. This is a Knots thread after all..
I'll try to catch you up... It goes like this.
There's a Texas show on the "Living Network" called Masters of the Universe. The characters wear twill pants, read Shakespeare, and drink break fluid. It must be a popular show because they're making action figures in China of the main characters. All the actors are Masters of something. (except Mr. Bates)
That's it in a nutshell. If I say more it might ruin the ending for you..
"This was my futile attempt to get the wheels back on the rails and I don't think it will work."
I think not, this one is spinning wildly out of control, I just hope it doesn't crash on the Marcou Plain, which I believe is somewheres near someplace called Lee Valley--I'm still trying to find it on the map.
Then there's Master Mel's Chinese action figures that wear twill pants and spout out Shakesperian quotes after drinkin excessive amounts of brake fluid that they stole from Zolton's--I guess this is some kind of department store.
I'm trying to stay tuned to find the outcome to Universal Network's "Living Texas Masters" I think its' some kind of a fishing show which seeks to find the best fish hook baiter in Texas. The winning baiter gets bestowed on him the 'Master' title and either a $25 or $50 giftcard, compliments of Master Mel's Chinese Action Figure Company.
So sit back and enjoy my friend Winemane, There will be plenty of time for woodwork talk once everyone has fun with this one.
Chris...always quick with a comeback, if given enough time to think about it.
Wineman,
I think you're in the wrong discussion. Threads are in the other Taunton publication, right next to the cooking one, I thunk. Have you noticed that the i is right bect to the u. It's Mavis Bacons fault!
But then again I can't remember what this post is about either!
Oh yeah, it's about Mels tribute to all the Masters here on Knots. You know, he's one of the finest Masters in here. He's resurrecting a masterpiece from very long ago.
Word on the street has it that he has come up with a revolutionary way to employ all the hot air out of Washington, DC into an environmentally friendly new dust collection system! I heard this from a Polish man who assembles bicycles in India, part time.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
WOW, ALL the hot air in Washington into one dust collector? Is THAT possible? That must be one HUGE dust collector. Or maybe one really big compressor to compact all that gas. I was thinkin that maybe he could exhaust all that gas into space, but, no, wait, that might not be a good idea...all that gas could amount to a huge cosmic fart which would no doubt upset any aliens that might be passin through our part of the solar system.
The other possibility is that we might end up shooting around the galaxy like a balloon letting its' air out, and we could possibly crash into Mars. Granted, this could save us some money on space exploration...ya know, sending folks to other planets so they can carve their initials in the rocks...but actually crashing into Mars might make a bad day for woodworking.
Besides, I thought the DC after Washington stood for dust collection.
Hey Mel, think you could post a picture of your Chippendale Celtic Love Spoon??
Chris...always on top of things...provided nothings on top of me.
Most Master Mel,
I must apologize. I may have let the cat outa the bag so to speak.
Chris replied with: I thought the DC after Washington stood for dust collection
Hah, if he only knew!
Chris: The DC stands for Dust Creation! You know, cover it up with dust and then they'll just sweep it under the rug.
Mel has come up with a way to ......... Oh Geeesh, I almost did it again! Shut up Bob. I promise not to say another word. Your pursuit of the 2008 Cartouche Award for Knots Humor will not henceforth be compromised by my heresay.
Perhaps Sarge or forestgirl can chime in here and clarify the details of how your magnificent invention will harness all the hot air coming out of Washington into all the Modern Masters woodshops.
I do like the shed feature for that spry old man across the big pond. You know, the bloke who likes Greene & Greene. Damn, I'm going to have to go on vacation.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 8/28/2007 8:37 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Edited 8/28/2007 8:39 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
I actually have my Grandfathers Indenture Papers from England from 1905 or so. Amazing document. He was a Joiner (though they used the term Sloyd (sp?) Maybe our friends from across the Pond will know this term. Anyway, He was referred to as a Master Cabinetmaker...(and he really was) Jimmy
Sloyd, manual training by means of carpentry and other trades, (Swedish, Slojd meaning skill).
Bob,
DC can stand for lots of things in Washington:
-Dust creation
-Dippy Cretins
-Dumb Cr*p
-Dancing candidates
-Desperate Cretins
-Dark CloudsThe Democrats and the Republicans have a lot in common. The problems of both are between the sheets. Democrat problems tend to be between the bed sheets, and Republican problems tend to be between the spread sheets.I like your idea of dust creation (DC).
The reason is that we need to find ways of making BIG money through woodworking. We do create dust. If we could harness that dust, which is highly combustible, we may have found the key. Cars that run on dust would do big damage to the oil industry, and essentially put woodworkers into the drivers seat, so to speak. Heck, all we have to do is to develop a dust engine and we just use the output of the table saw as the input for the table saw power. Woodworking becomes free (except for the tools). I'll keep working on it.
I really would like to make money through woodworking.
Maybe I could do stand up comedy at night clubs that are oriented to woodworkers. I'm still looking for one. Just as others are getting into dust creation, you and I are going dustless (well, almost). Can't win for losin'. Let me know if you want to get rid of any of those transitional planes. I have some transitional wood that they may work well on.
Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Any body remember what this thread was about?
Winemane,
What does that have to do with anything?
As you know from designing furniture, sometimes things don't go as first planned. One must always be ready to take advantage of unforseen opportunities. As Yogi Berra, the great Yankee Philosopher once said, "If you see a fork in the road, take it." To me, that is what Knots is all about - "continual redefinition of needs and goals based on unforseen opportunities".
I know I started off making a Chippendale highboy, but based on feedback from 27 people on Knots, (and I took all of their feedback), it now looks more like a Celtic love spoon.
What fun would life be if we knew where each of these roads would lead?
Enjoy the enroute time and energy. It often surpasses the joy of arrival at a preplaned destination.
Music, Art, Woodworking, Love -- they all merge into Life. And Life is much better than the alternative, especially if you have good tools, and interesting things to read.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Modern Master? Excellent quality, to be sure, but still basically a copy.
Gee, I wish somebody copied my stuff! I think I make 'nice' stuff, and I have been known to look around for design ideas on the net.. Don't we all? Is using 'part' or 'all' of a design any different? I do not think so.
Hell, if anybody gets rich on what I have done.. Go for it and I hope everybody likes it!
Edit..
I just thought of something..
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of skilled crafts.. Did they not copy what was done before them?
If a actual copyright (law) then a different story!
Edited 9/3/2007 11:09 am by WillGeorge
Dang! Will George- where have you been ?Philip Marcou
Philip.. HI!Actually very little woodworking for awhile.Most of my time spent baby sitting my two adopted granddaughters (girls from china) One is now in school so I only watch one now.I just found out my youngest daughter is going to have a baby later this year. Guess I'll be back in baby sitting mode again!Anyway, nice to hear from you..
Excellent. I had thought that you may have been detained in China for loitering around some of those huge wooden carved doors that I have only seen pictures of-or even floated off to heaven.....Philip Marcou
Philip.. I had thought that you may have been detained in China for loitering around some of those huge wooden carved doors.. I almost did because I crossed a fence and took out my measuring tape, paper and pen and tried to measure some OLD OLD OLD chairs! Good thing it was a young woman guard that came.. She started talking to me (I would think she was telling me to GO AWAY!) I pointed at my daughter that was trying to hide with the new China baby.. The woman guard chased everyone out of the place and let me finish what I was doing.China women are Cool!Now I have two! They are my sweethearts. Love then like my own!
I have never figured out why some folks do not like folks with different eyes or color.. As I see it, some God made us all and he/she liked different things! I guess we are just like WOOD!
Will,
I only like people who are exactly like me, including the brain state! (No I don't). :-)
Lataxe, a mongrel of uncertain geneology, variable skin colour and indeterminate brain state.
Congratulations. But say, why bother with measuring tape?I just pick up the Lu Ban jing today (Chinese building code from early 1400's, that includes guidelines on proportions of furniture and construction of furniture). In the introduction the translator (Klaas Ruitenbeek) states: "[...] detailed illustrated technical treatises on the construction of such buildings [i.e. imperials palaces] have been transmitted, dating from 1103 [...]. In these, both the measurements of each part of a building and the number of man-hours needed for its completion are given, so that the architect-official [...] knew exactly what amounts of material and number of labourers (sic) were needed." I know, the Chinese foot (roughly the same size as an foot in the US) has 10 inches...
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