"Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account. "— Anne Wilson Schaef
Drivel Starved Nation; A couple of months ago, I broke the news about a new dust collector technology that we are employing in our prototype shop – the Gyro Air. Before I get into the details of this collection system, it is important to understand why I want to ditch my standard cyclone collector — which likely looks just like yours. Continue reading
"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." — John Milton
Drivel Starved Nation;
It was an exciting time to be a furniture designer/maker back in the 1970’s. I can still remember the excitement of my first commission —it’s such an honor when others want your work in their home. I was so lucky.
But this luck came with a caveat. All of the people who were ordering furniture from me had money. Lots of money. Continue reading
"Of all the possible utensils that could have been invented to eat rice with, how did TWO STICKS win out?"— Unknown
Drivel Starved Nation-
Today we have some cool things to share.
A while back, I shared how the grids for my sculpture “Fog of War” were made and you can see the pics here.
It is much harder to do accurate work in small scale but it can be made easier with an approach that yields consistent results. In the case of the grids mentioned above, the components all had to be the exact same thickness. This was surprisingly easy because all of our small planes accept depth skids which makes thickness planing thin stock a breeze. Without depth skids, there would be no Chopstick Master.
"I asked God for a bike but I know God does not work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness."— Emo Phillips
Drivel Starved Nation;
Someday I am really going to have to do a thorough search of all the stuff tucked away around here. Yesterday I found something that really gave me pause for thought…
Residing at the bottom of a box full of other boxes of old stuff, I found this; Continue reading
"There can be no intelligent control of the lead danger in industry unless it is based on the principle of keeping the air clear from dust and fumes." — Alice Hamilton
Drivel Starved Nation;
I am pleased to share that my Gyro Air™ arrived yesterday. Before I share my progress, here are the latest tools headed for the auction block this week…
I probably should have kept this for myself, but I already have 3. That is how cool this tool is. AND, it is the most requested discontinued Commemorative Tool according to the all-knowing Consuelo! Continue reading
"A thousand years ago the Chinese had an entirely codified kitchen while the French were still gnawing on bones. Chopsticks have been around since the fourth century B.C. Forks didn't show up in England until 1611, and even then they weren't meant for eating but just to hold the meat still while you hacked at it with your knife." — Ruth Reichl
Drivel Starved Nation,
As always, you are the first to learn what is happening behind the scenes here at BCTW via this Totally Awesome and Worthless Blog!
I have great news to share regarding our Chopstick Master. Version 2 of the CSM is going to be announced real soon and the details are below. But first, a pic; Continue reading
Drivel Starved Nation!
A long, long time ago, in a woodshop far away, I started Bridge City Tool Works. 1983 to be exact. Continue reading
Dear Drivel Starved Nation-
I have been crazy busy the past two months. I went to China to finalize version 2 of the Chopstick Master and I am pleased to announce that when this version hits the streets this fall, it will sell for $195 buckaroos. That by-the-way, is $50 LESS than our HP-8 with depth skids ALONE. This is a screaming cool value. And our pledge to you; even though this is made in China, the quality is as good—or better—than what you have come to expect from Bridge City over the past 33 years.
Three weeks ago we attended a media event in NYC regarding the Chopstick Master v2 and I will share the results of that jaunt as they come in. A couple of fashionistas made chopsticks for their… hair!
Drivel Starved Nation!
This week I head back to China to attend a trade show featuring the Chopstick Master and while I am there we will be developing version 2. I am looking forward to this trip, my fourth to China in the past 12 months. Continue reading
Drivel Starved Nation-
I created this blog as a space where I can act like an idiot, insult our customers, shamelessly plug new product ideas, embarrass my grown children, create mayhem for the staff here, and occasionally share information that is actually interesting. That said, I sadly announce that we have some good news to share. Continue reading