I Can't believe that it's been almost 3 months since I last posted here

But it’s true, so here I am back on my blog with some new pieces just listed in my store. Mostly bowls but also an Ebony Pen and Pencil set and another pen. I have been very busy at work, going away for several days of training in Cary, North Carolina for work. Am about to finish up a class at the Woodturning School in Damarascotta. I have also been busy in my studio, turning out bowls. So I’m back and promise that I won’t wait as long before posting again.

In the Shop today

Well I’m getting a little tired of fighting with “Herbie” Elm, and turned to my old favorit Chery.  Just did a bowl 8” X 2” it was a dream to turn.  Much more fun than that nasty to work Elm.  I’ll post a photo of the bowl and put it in my store by the end of the week. 

Got a busy week out of the shop this coming week.  End of the month stuff at work and I have to take Belle, our 8yo Black Labrador Retriever up to Norway Maine for an orthopaedic evaluation of her right front shoulder.  She has been favoring it off and on for about six months.  After several trips to our regular Vet, she suggested that we take her to an ortho specialist an hour away.  She has to be there at 0700 on Wedneday morning so we are going to leave at 0545 to make sure that we are there on time. 

Depending on what they find she may have surgery on Wednesday, which will mean another trip to Norway either Thursday or Friday

Wednesday evening I have a meeting of the Southern Maine Woodturners at the Rockler store in South Portland.  We have been on hiatus for the summer so it’ll be good to see some old friends after a long beautiful summer.

So that’s it for today.  Keep an eye out for the new bowl.

Solving a shop problem

Sandy continually tells me that there is a lot of dust in the house that eminates from my shop. She is right.

So I have been looking for inexpensive ways to cut down on the dust. I saw these mini ShopVacs on sale at Sprawl*Mart for $19.90 so I bought one along with a DWV Fitting and modified the fitting by turning Plugs for each end, much as the way that Dave did his. I then mounted the altered fitting on the lower door to the band saw compartment. My bandsaw is a 1949 Delta Milwaukee that I bought several years ago at a yardsale.  Once that was done I mounted the Hanging Mini ShopVac on the front of the saw. I then attached a duplex outlet to the saw and wired it between the switch and the motor thus giving me a way to automatically turn on the Vac whenever the machine was turned. The vac can easily be lifted out of the hanging hardware and carried where ever there is dust that needs to be removed. 

It's August

and I’m still turning “Herbie Elm”.  Today I delivered three “Herbie” Letter openers to a customer, and delivered some Pens, Letter Openers and Sewing needle holders to Yarmouth Community Services for sale in their little store.  I recieved a bunch of pen parts today so I guess that I’ll be producing some pens this weekend.  I also plan on turning a bowl or two.  So if there is anything that you would like custom made just let me know.

This is the last entry for July 2010

This month has just shot right by.  I’ve spent a lot of time in the shop and also at the Yarmouth Clam Festival, working in the “Herbie” Booth.  It was a blast.  Almost 100% of the items for sale in the “Herbie” both that had been made by turners was sold, contributing a good deal of money to the Yarmouth Tree trust. 

Last week I went back to the Wood Turning School in Damariscotta, ME for their first annual Turnaround.  A great time was had by all, with demonstrations, contests, good food, good company and a raffel of great woodturning products. 

Today I went to my favorite Rockler Store to participate in the Patriot Pen Project where the goal was to produce 100 pens to be sent to men and women serving in the military overseas.  I’m happy to say that I yurned 5 pens for the project.  Rockler provided all of the materials to make the pens as well as the lathes to turn them.  We had novices as well as seasoned turners turning out pens. 

The high point of July for me was my appearence on “207” WCSH6’s Entertainment magazine.  All in all a pretty great month.