Curvy Fun

Apologies for non-blogging. I've been busy (Honest!) ;)
My curvy veneered project is back on line, with a few hours spent on it this week. Laminated up the final two component, cut all parts to final dimensions, applied veneer to all exposed edges and started on the solid cherry top. You know, the fun bit!
I decided to go with a curved top-the boards are 25mm thick and I've swooped them down to 19mm thick over the main body of the top. With a little bevel on the outer edges it has a pleasing oriental flavour that really adds to the piece. A result! You'd almost think I actually design these pieces before I build them ;)
Well the fun started when I got to use my new Lie-Nielsen 100 1/2 curved sole block plane. This is an hilarious tool to use-part way between a scrub plane and a model makers mini plane. It has the sole curve from side to side but also from front to back. Kinda like a curved sole spoke shave but in both directions! Sounds awkward but it is so much fun to use, especially with its built in palm handle. It leaves a furrowed pattern in the wood (like a scrub) and I was really tempted to leave it as is. Maybe for a future project.
So the table is coming along well. Just the drawer to make and the much hated glue up. And I think the spray gun is coming out to play, too.
Enjoy the weekend,
Philly

More Fun

Spent a useful morning in the shop cleaning up-and getting my tools back out...... Interesting which tools you need as a "minimum toolkit". Also made more veneer on the new bandsaw (some ovangkol this time). I like this saw!!
Sophie was over the moon with her "first real saw"-she could'nt wait to get in the workshop with me to try it out. I had to have a conversation with her first on the difference between "real" tools and the "toy" ones she currently has. Nearly caught her trying out her new saw on my saw till. And yes, a few more grey hairs have appeared ;)

Have a good weekend,
Philly

He Came, He Saw.

O.k. I admit, things are getting silly in the saw department. Not only do I get my wonderful Wenzloff saw, my massive bandsaw turns up. Now, to add insult to injury I find two smashing Disston panel saws in very good condition. A D7 and D8. How much? "£8 Sir, and I'll throw in the little baby saw for your daughter to play with." Yeah, I suckuth ;)
Put a new 25mm blade on the bandsaw this afternoon. That is a BIG blade! Blade change was surprisingly easy on the new saw and setting the guides pretty simple. I think I like this one! Cut a bunch of 2mm slices off a 6 inch piece of London Plane-I LIKE THIS SAW! I'll try for maximum
capacity over the weekend.
Oh, and I kept blowing fuses on start up (soft start on a bandsaw??) So now it's wired directly into my 32 amp supply.....no problem!
Have a great weekend,
Philly

Another Saw

Hah, I seem to have a run on saws at the moment. A shiny new Axminster bandsaw arrived today (and yes, I know what you're thinking-he's moving house, why the heck would he get a new saw now?) Well I got fed up waiting for the move to happen (hopefully the end of the month/or your guess is as good as mine) Also April was the end of my financial year and the more money I could spend the better my tax bill. Me being sorta kinda a professional woodworker. Henceforth the bandsaw. i was going to make Axminster hold onto it until the move but as the weeks slip by I thought "what the heck!".
First impressions (after the hilarious "it's too tall to fit through the door" moment) are good. It is very well built with serious steel in the frame, a lovely polished cast iron table (that is flat!!), big cast iron wheels, decent fence and a laser so you can see where to cut. No, that's not a joke, they supplied a little lazer to fit so you know where the blade will cut. Just in case you don't notice the flipping great blade flying round and round in front of you ;) Needless to say, the laser has not been fitted. Maybe I could it to a hand plane..........;)

Saw Point

Well I still haven't moved-please, don't ask. I have given up guessing at dates so am going to get back on with life instead of "waiting for a phone call". Yes, it's been pretty frustrating...
On a positive note my Wenzloff saw arrived! It is a beauty and cuts amazingly well. Many thanks, Mike! You have excelled yourself :)
Went to the Yandles Woodworking show yesterday (doesn't time fly-seems like the last one was only a few weeks ago). It was a lot of fun with a very relaxed atmosphere. It was busy but not so busy as to be painful. Spent a few quid at the Classic Hand Tools store and met up Martyn and Martin from the UK Workshop team. There was also some beautiful English Walnut planks for sale. If I had a little more storage (and no impending house move) I would of gone mad on that lot. Sigh......next time.
Cheers
Philly

Useful Site

Came across an interesting site for you Woodies out there. It is http://lumberjocks.com/ and the site is to showcase your completed projects. There are some very pretty pieces to see and you can post your own, complete with photo's and a short description. It is obviously early days for the site but it is professionally put together and looks very smart. As a bonus it is free to sign up! What more could you ask?
Cheers
Philly