Nice to Meet You

Since I moved to Sterling, Massachusetts, I've been swamped with projects and traveling and had little time to get to know my community or let them know me. That changed when I talked to Dave Gibbs at the Sterling Historical Society about combining our efforts and interests. The Society has a lovely collection of Windsors that were made here in town as well as a barn full of the old tools from its workshops. The first floor of the barn is relatively empty, and I thought it would be a great location to host some 6 person classes. So, next summer, I hope to schedule three classes there, but I'll post more on that once we work out the details.
To help introduce me to the community, the Sterling Historical Society hosted a demonstration at the local American Legion post and Ross Jones of Harvard Video Productions filmed it for us. Here is the video of the demonstration.
If it doesn't appear on your screen, click here to go to the original site.



As you can see, I am elated to be starting this project. I think 6 is a great number of students for a class. Plenty enough for a group energy and atmosphere but few enough for lots of personal attention.

And if I got you interested in my talk with Dudley Hershbach, here is a great interview with him that I found every bit as engaging as sitting next to him on the plane.



and once again, the link if you don't see the video here.

Weighing In

There are mysteries in the world, and then there are mysteries to me. I admit that I still have to think twice and speak slowly when I correlate temperature and humidity. I recall looking at the charts that show the relationship between the two and feeling a slight dizzying effect and vision blurring. Maybe I just didn't want to put in the effort. For general green woodworking I get it, wood loses or takes on moisture as it reaches equilibrium with it's environment. If you want wood to dry, put it in a drier environment.

The best way that I came to understand the concept was that when the wood stops losing or gaining weight, it is "air dry", or equal to the moisture in the environment. This got the concept through my skull, and I've even rigged a scale that didn't give me numbers, but let me know when the weight was stable.
But all that has changed thanks to my friend Nick Clayton, who has graciously loaned me a scientific scale. Now I can accurately track the way that my parts lose weight. Of course, my usual rules of thumb still work fine, but it is fun and fascinating to watch the wood adjust. I also plan to do some test with my steamer to see if the wood picks up more weight or loses it through the steaming process and whether my auxiliary water tank affects it. This will tell me if passing the steam through water is adding moisture to the process and aiding in softening the fibers and conducting the heat.

So with my nerd hat firmly in place, I will be looking at the same old processes through a more accurate lens.

I have an exciting announcement! Tim Manney, the fantastic chair and tool maker, has started a blog. Tim is one of the brightest and most talented woodworkers that I know. He has a remarkably broad experience with different types of woodworking and makers and I am very excited that he has started sharing his thoughts. Check him out and leave a message welcoming him, I know you will enjoy it.

Oh Snap!

My pal Ray Duffy sent me this link to a blog posting.

For some reason he thinks it has something to do with me!?

 In case you missed it, I am on the back and inside cover of Fine Woodworkings Shops and Tools issues. Jon Binzen also made this video slideshow of my work that my mother simply adores!

Here is the link to the video.


 Thanks Jon, sorry to have led you so terribly astray with the shavehorse!

Cool Links

Here are a couple of cool links that you might enjoy.
First, a video showing the results of tests concerning the effects of chipbreakers on planing. This is the kind of nerdy stuff that I love, not only is the information fascinating, but the visuals are hypnotic. If you are stuck in front of your computer, it will definitely give you a woodworking fix. Thanks to Pat Tipton for sending me this link!

Next, you might like to check out the blog that Caleb James is writing. He was a student of mine and during our time together, I was inspired by his talent and attitude. He is definitely one to watch.
His blog is http://kapeldesigns.blogspot.com

I have loads happening around here, especially getting prepared to teach next week at Marc Adams School in Indiana, I hope Greg remembers the Scotch this time.

Worth a Look

These days in the shop are long and a bit scattered. Pieces waiting to be finished, shipped, designed or cataloged seem to be everywhere. Beyond all the physical work going on, I am fascinated, as usual, by the geometry and physics involved in chairs and sitting. The more that I explore the possibilities for chair design, the more that I realize it is still an open question.

After spending time with Galen Cranz, I have had a nagging need to get more out of my chairs. She challenged my notions of comfort and the way that we use chairs. (thanks to her I'm sitting on a perch as I type this) To her, the notions of aesthetics, materials and durability take a back seat to the simple idea that chairs must fit a body in motion to be healthy, not just a body at rest. Much observations has shown me that any seated position must afford the sitter the ability to shift their weight and balance easily to be comfortable for any considerable length of time.

Recently I've been spending a lot of time at the web site of Peter Opsvik. Simpy put, it's amazing. You may know Opsvik as the designer of the kneeling chair. His web site has an astounding amount of works, ideas and information on it. Unlike me, who is largely driven by the materials and techniques that I enjoy working, Opsvik is a free floating thinker willing the employ whatever it takes to engage the human body in motion and rest.

While I am still bound by my joy in woodworking, Opsviks work challenges me to ask for more from my efforts, and lucky for me, his ideas are out there to help.

A Link Worth Following

I first met Brian Boggs about nine years ago at a 2 day seminar that he taught at Purchase College. I was still working in cabinet shops in NYC and was trying to make my way to chairmaking. I had John Alexanders book and plenty of woodworking experience, but the leap to green wood was still daunting. So I jumped at the opportunity to watch and listen to Brian.

The other day, I came across this 63 minute lecture that Brian gave recently at the Woodworking in America conference. I poured myself a cup of coffee and tuned out the rest of the world for a while.

As usual, Brian's intense pursuit of quality and understanding was an inspiration.
So do yourself a favor, check it out.

Brian Boggs at the Woodworking in America Conference

Eyeballing

Anyone who's read through my blog is aware of two facts about me, I'm a tightwad when it comes to buying tools, and I firmly believe in measuring by eye. Refining the ability to measure by eye is actually less about seeing and more about questioning. For instance,when determining whether to surfaces are square, if I look at it and try to make it square, I will quickly convince myself that it is square, or worse, square enough! But if I ask myself, how is it not square? I am on the road to accuracy. It takes a bit of energy, and honesty, but the assumption that you are off will reward you with keener vision and results. My lovely bride sent me this link the other day

http://www.woodgears.ca/eyeball/

This site is fantastic. It is a series of visual tests where you determine by eye certain geometric tasks, and are graded on your accuracy. I have only done it once, and plan to do it again (my score was 2.90). It was interesting using my "shop brain" while at the computer. Take a couple minutes and visit the site, it's a must for shop monkeys!