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“Beware the barrenness of a busy life..” –Socrates
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Recently I came across an article indicating that a successful blog features “at minimum” three posts per week. Really?
If I am blogging three times a week this place will curl up and become extinct so fast you won’t have time to say “Mongolian Death Worm”. So here is this months drivel;
What is the CT-18 Going to Be Dept:
Sometime in the very near future, we will begin our annual ritual of posting “clues” as to what the CT-18 may be. We will start tomorrow.
Going, Going, …Almost Gone:
We have two of these left, boxed and ready to ship, editions; 39 and 43. Contact Natasha, 1-800-253-3332 or Natasha@bridgecitytools.com. This tool is one of the coolest things we have ever made.
The 2012 WIA Dream Team Members Dept:
We will be attending both the Cincinnati and Pasadena Woodworking in America venues. Dream Teams are lined up for both and I will share with you their names as soon as we receive their $10,000 entry fees. So far, nobody has paid, but that should change–ya think?
The Next Bridge City Essential Dept:
One of the most popular tools we have ever made (did I mention BCTW will be 30 years old next year?) was the AS-24 Adjustable Angle Square. The first version was made of rosewood and brass. The second had a brass head with a rosewood infill. The LAST version is pictured below;
Milled from aircraft aluminum, it is the best version yet from my perspective. It will be available this summer.
Annual Teaching Report:
There are a couple of openings in both my “Creative Thinking” class and in the “Tool Making” class. Both will be in May at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking. This is my favorite corn field institution!
Pure Drivel Department:
I was born in Waterloo, Iowa–which, as you likely now know, is one of the four places in America where “pink slime” beef is concocted. Make of this what you will.
On a Closing Personal Note:
Unfortunately, it is much easier to find an available deck chair at our house-Louie Dog is no longer affected by the confines of gravity. He is profoundly missed.
His last wish was a rather poignant proclamation directed specifically at all dog owners;
“Every day should be an extra treat day.”
Louie and Jitter, Summer 2009
–John
My condolences.
Hi John,
I made the first comment. WOW.
Sorry about Louie.
Masood
PS: As always check is in the mail….
Masood-
Thanks for the kind thoughts.
Regarding the check–did you forget the stamp? 🙂
Isn’t it amazing how the pooches can piss you off to no end with all the chewing digging, jumping on you when you are wearing your best suit, slobbering all over the place but when they are gone your heart is broken….
Sorry about Louie, best cure for the aching heart is to go get another one… 🙂
Jorge-
Great minds think alike.
“Shelby” will join Jitter in late April. I need new shoes anyway. 🙂
Thanks for writing.
John
John, I’m so sorry to hear about Louie. I know you loved him and both his neurons, and I’m sure that you and your three neurons went through a lot together. Glad to hear that Shelby (Cobra?) will be joining the family. Have you had her checked for intelligence?
Pretty awesome adjustable square! What led you to do the linear ribs, rather than some circles like in the CT-17? Or perhaps two different patterns that made a new pattern when at 0 or 45 degrees?
It’s notable that both you and the pink slime left Waterloo, Iowa. One for the betterment of mankind…
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And the other to make tools.
— Peter
P.S. Maybe you need some guest bloggers. Just sayin’…
Me with three neurons? You are so generous… And Louie had at least eight, that much poop, for that many years deserves eight neurons. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
-John
I didn’t know the AS-24 was on its THIRD life. Could you post a pic of the “second version”?
Got ‘ol number 33 last night. really cool John. I thought I would never use it, but that seems really dumb once I picked it up. I want to try this thing out. I find the throat to be an interesting (and different) component on the plane.
I’m curious about using it – it seems when planing facets left from the block plane it will push easy, but as soon as you reach the “radius ribbon” it will push a lot harder due to the geometry of the ribbon?
Too bad about your friend. I lost my Molly a few years ago only I had to take her to the vet. It was a really difficult thing to do.
DJ
To quote Stephen King, Louie has “moved into the clearing at the end of the path.”
Dennis,
Use the enclosed guide to help remove the bulk of the profile with a block plane. Next, Take light shavings and yes, as the profile emerges, the overall width of the shaving increases, which of course adds incremental resistance.
You may want to open the mouth a bit–with a bevel up profile, all the shaving is forced to curl towards the center of the iron.
That plane works fantastic and creates a really sensual crown. If it doesn’t, call me!
–John
Got it! I haven’t tried it yet, but will soon! I actually read through the instructions before I allowed myself to look at the plane. I wanted to take my time and enjoy the first “unvailing” so to speak… I have used the HP-6 crowning Sole and really love the result. I made a custom shelf unit. Crowning the faces adds a huge visual impact, especially if you offset the edges and change the widths of the vertical from the horizontal pieces. Thanks again for making this jewel!
DJ