Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Dunked!


Hi Folks
Took some more pics of the smoothing plane today - what do you think of the sapwood? Thumbs up or down?? I kinda like the way it echoes the colour of the brass. Bulb blew on my "studio light" so I'll take some better ones once I get a replacement.

Next, as promised, visual evidence on my haircut. No, there's none hiding on the back out of sight - I really do have a "sensible" haircut. What is the world coming to.............. ;)


And finally, todays big excitement. We have a large fishpond in the back garden with 18 Koi carp. Shopcat is very interested in said fish, especially around feeding time. I glanced out the workshop window and saw the cat excitedly trying hook some lunch. I ran outside to shoo her away and she had disappeared. Luckily I checked in the pond - one wet and scared little cat clinging to the underside of the bird nets! I hauled her out and dried her off, but she stank! So off for a cat bath........my forearms are scratched to hell!! She's spent some time drying off and sleeping under the radiator and is a little happier now. Hopefully she's learned her lesson - dont mess with the Koi!

Cheers

Philly

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

The plane looks very nice - but I think I'd avoid the use of sapwood on a quality plane as it could be susceptible to attacks by bugs.

Great haircut but not so sure about the stuff under the nose and on the chin ;-)

Shopcat looks a bit of a mess....

Cheers ;-)

Paul Chapman

Unknown said...

Love the sapwood. Thumbs up.

I like the haircut paired with the clean white apron. I feel like I should be ordering up some short ribs and steaks. Where's the cleaver? :-)

Dean Jansa said...

Nice to know shop cats the world over get into trouble! I've had to pluck mine hanging from the rafters after a missjudged jump!

And -- nice haircut!

Dean J.

Anonymous said...

I think I will vote Yes to the sap wood. Adds both contrast and interest.

Bob A

Unknown said...

My thoughts on the sapwood are pretty neutral.

If you like it, I like it.

It shouldn't affect the plane and does add visual interest.

Anonymous said...

I like the sapwood. I like color and variation in wood, leave the monochrome to the metal bits. Craig

Philly said...

Thanks to all for your input - much appreciated. Even the haircut jibes..... ;)
Cheers
Phil

Kari Hultman said...

Philly, the sapwood is cool--I love asymetry, the haircut is dashing, but the kitty looks a bit ker*fluff*led.

Philly said...

Thanks Kari! Dashing.......like that ;)
Cheers
Phil

Anonymous said...

Phil,
The plane is beautiful. I have always admired the use of sapwood, especially when the color is in such contrast to the heartwood. Very tastefully done!

- Pete (the hafwit)

DaveL said...

Well the hair cut is OK but the beard needs more effort!

Shop cats are good at catching things, Daisy my shop cat brought me another mouse.

Anonymous said...

Sorry but I'm with Paul on the sapwood Phil, I love clearly defined juxtaposition contrast woods but seeing a piece like that says "he didn't have a big enough piece of timber" to me I'm afraid.

Might change my opinion though if I was forced to have it as a user :))

Chas.

Ethan said...

As long as it is done artfully, I think using sapwood is perfectly fine. The argument to NOT use sapwood always reminds me of the Sneetches story from Dr. Seuss. (Planes with sapwood and planes without and all that...)

I can imagine a smoothing plane out of Blackwood with a sapwood strip at the top making a nice contrast to the brass sole, as well.

It also reminds me of a Guinness. Mmmmm....

I bet Cupcake was just indignant when you took a picture of her in such a compromising position of cleaning her dirty self! She was most likely pouting, rather than drying off, as she sat under the radiator (my cat is the queen of pouting; I see it all the time).

Anonymous said...

I usually like sapwood. Don't particularly like the look of it on that plane. Not subtle enough, looks like a big blotch. This is all subjective of course.

Swanz

Anonymous said...

Hi Philly, Joints here from UKW.

Personally I think the use of the sapwood looks fantastic. I am not a big critic on using it, it looks interesting and its not going to make a difference to "bug attack" blahdy blah.

Much prefer it to if you had made it from one single block of the rosewood which to my eye is a fairly standard timber.

Good work on fishing the cat out!

Chris Knight said...

Haircut is a heck of an improvement - I don't mind admitting I know you now!

Undecided about the sapwood but purely commercially, I think it will detract from what you can ask for a plane.

Cheers,
Chris

Anonymous said...

Like the sapwood not sure about the hair myself!

Mike R

Philly said...

Ethan
Hmm.....the Guiness ltd edition. Like it!!

Thanks everyone for your comments - about the sapwood as well as the hairdo!! ;)

Cheers

Phil