Behind the scenes at Bridge City Tool Works!
"“The crazy creatives are the creatives who never go completely mad. They aren't so easily disheartened by the seemingly endless amounts of scrutiny that creative individuals tend to receive because they, like insanity, are the ones who feed off of opposition and negative feedback and manage to continue along with a healthy ambition. It is the crazy that teaches us to use our gifts wisely and own all the attackers.” — Criss Jami
Drivel Starved Nation-
Before I begin a rage filled diatribe, I must first share a Grandpa report…
Last week, 4-year old grandson “Speedy” (aka William) and family came over for dinner. Behind the house are several kiddie gardening tools including a little kiddie hoe, and the popular bird feeders.
“Grandpa, I think the birds are hungry.”
“Do you want to help me fill the bird feeders Speedy?”
“No” he says. “I need to pound dirt with this hoe, but I will watch you do it.” Continue reading
"The people dancing are considered crazy by those that can't hear the music."— George Carlin
Drivel Starved Nation;
Lots of drivel to report today!
As mentioned in my previous post, I am in receipt of the first article HP-12 Dual Angle Bench Plane which will hit the shelves later this year. Here are my initial reactions to this new tool with pics; Continue reading
"The difficult is what takes a little time. The impossible is what takes a little longer."— Fridtjof Nansen
Drivel Starved Nation!
Last Friday I received a package containing the new HP-9v2 Dual Angle Block Plane and the new HP-12 Dual Angle Bench Plane. These are first article versions for my inspection. The changes I recommend will be implemented before I arrive in Nanjing next week.
This is the first time I have seen the new packaging and obviously the tools. But before I begin, do you remember all the internet crap slung my way when we first introduced this tool? I do, and I wish I could forget it, but I cannot.
There, I feel better already. Continue reading
"Whatever you go into, you have to go in there to be the best. There's no formulas. It's all about passion and honesty and hard work. It might look glamorous, but it takes a lot of hard work. The blessing with the arts is that you can do it forever." — Hugh Masekela
Drivel Starved Nation!
I have some new drivel for you today. But first, an update regarding this Totally Awesome and Worthless Blog…
As you likely know, Bridge City has a new website. When the old site was ported to the new site, including this blog, some functionality disappeared. I have heard from several Drivel Starved Nation members regarding the difficulty in searching old posts and that is now on a list to get fixed. In addition, the ability to subscribe to this blog (which sends you a notice whenever I post something worthless) has also disappeared. Thanks for making me aware and I have passed this info on to head honchos Mark and Karen. Worthlessness is a precious commodity, and it must never be stopped! Any more complaints? john@bridgecitytools.com is where the answer man is napping….
As mentioned in my previous post about the new HP-9 Dual Angle Block Plane, I am headed to Nanjing at the end of May to supervise the production of several new tools. In addition to our new block plane, I am sharing with you a sneak peak of our new HP-12 Dual Angle Smoothing Plane;
Continue reading
When looking back doesn't interest you anymore, you are doing something right.— Unknown
Drivel Starved Nation!
In a couple of weeks I will head over to Nanjing to supervise the initial production run of several new tools, including the new HP-9 Dual Angle Block Plane. If all goes well, it, and the others, will be shipped later this year. I have seen the early prototypes and I am excited for this plane to be available for the first time outside of North America… and North America too!
"One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries."— A.A. Milne
Drivel Starved Nation!
Last weekend we babysat grandsons “Speedy” and “Happy” (William and Henry) while their parents attended a conference in Florida.
It was… exhausting! Now I know why you have children when you are young.
While they were napping I went down to the shop for a couple of hours to survey the work ahead of me when I shutter my playroom sometime this fall. In one corner I found a box marked “John’s Stuff”. Since I am John, I assumed it was my stuff and it was, but I had no idea what was inside. Continue reading
"Happiness is a matter of one's most ordinary and everyday mode of consciousness being busy and lively and unconcerned with self." — Iris Murdoch
Drivel Starved Nation!
It’s been awhile since my last post and you need to know why. I’ve been incarcerated buried with work. Continue reading
"It seems older people maximize their well-being more - they start to realize that life is short." — Robert J. Waldinger
Drivel Starved Nation!
About 10 days ago I went down to Laser Marking Services in Mulino, Oregon to approve the first article on the long overdue Universal Gage. Here is a pic of the first burn;
Continue reading
"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."— Thomas Jefferson
Drivel Starved Nation;
I have experienced several crazy and memorable years here at the helm of Bridge City Tool Works, but this year tops them all. After 35 years, I have found a part of life that is way more fun than tool making, and that is being a Grandpa. It is just the coolest thing.
"We become what we behold. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us."— Marshall McLuhan
Drivel Starved Nation,
After spending almost six weeks in Dallas helping my son, and surviving the turkey holiday, I am relieved to be back in the shop.
It just occurred to me today that the last Bridge City tools made in the United States are the Universal Gages. It is also fitting that I am assembling and calibrating each and every one of them as I am enjoying the process for the most part. (I am really struggling with the arthritis in my right hand so things are not moving as fast as I would have hoped.) Here are some in-progress pics; Continue reading