Website Changes

Video of October's monthly meeting featuring 

Coopering Curved Furniture Elements - by Matt Wajda - October 8, 2022

The FPoTM archive found under Resources was corrupted.  I converted the entries into 3 content gadgets with the hope that the formatting will stick.  For all rows to be properly aligned, data in all columns are set to Tahoma typeface, 14 font size, Auto height, and Delete space before paragraph.

Posted pictures for the November 2022 Meeting with Will Neptune discussing "Cutting Coves on a Table Saw"

by Steve McKenna and LexMedia

Finishing Frustrations Part II

by Andrew Davis

Last month Andrew was not finished with Finishing Frustrations.  Apparently, the frustrations are overflowing.  I stand by what I said last month.

There is no argument for many woodworkers, their woodworking Achilles' heel is finishing.  I always thought this last stage was ill named because you have to ask yourself, how many times does it take to restart "finishing" and fix problems before you are satisfied?  Only the last attempt should be called Finishing, i.e., when you are FINISHED!...

...Relax and enjoy more laughs while commiserating with Andrew, this time with his sequel article Finishing Frustrations Part II.

Preparation is More

than Half the Battle

 by Rob Carver

Reading Rob's article this month, I realize preparation lasts longer than I expected.  In fact, it's probably a lot more than half the battle.  For me and especially for a new project, preparation starts with the first inkling of wanting to make a piece. I design cognitively for a while before putting anything down on paper or screen.  I guess my thought about preparation was the first step immediately followed by the last step. Yep, two serial steps and you're done.  Seems simple and efficient.  Right?  The concept here is that if you prepare well, the intended outcome is successful - don't skimp on preparation.  But now I'm thinking, preparation continues until you say "Done".

What is your take on Preparation is More than Half the Battle?

Bandsaw Setup - by Ellen Kaspern - September 10, 2022

Meeting was held at Lincoln-Sudbury H.S. with the presentation title " Bricking Curved Furniture Element."

Pay Attention to Proportion

Rob Carver

When thinking about proportions...wait, let's stop there.  Maybe you don't go around thinking about proportions.  But it's in your face (literally, as per Leonardo) and figuratively around the world.  It's not a thing you can touch but you can touch what has proportion.  It's a characteristic for some, it's a relationship for some, it's a ratio for some.  But, moreover, it's a principle. While it may be all Greek to some (ha, it's symbolized with the Greek letter phi), it's as ubiquitous as common sense and uncommon sense combined.  It forms beauty, stability, moderation, balance.  I'll leave it there.  Rob has more to say.  Read Pay Attention to Proportion.

You can reach Rob for comments and additional information, by clicking Rob Carver.

Finishing Frustrations

by Andrew Davis

There is no argument for many woodworkers, their woodworking Achilles' heel is finishing.  I always thought this last stage was ill named because you have to ask yourself, how many times does it take to restart "finishing" and fix problems before you are satisfied?  Only the last attempt should be called Finishing, i.e., when you are FINISHED!

When something goes wrong with finishing, the result can be a double whammy.  Not only is the piece visually unappealing, sometimes it ruins the piece after laboring ever so carefully during it's construction.  It seems that within the skill set of woodworking, such as cutting, drilling, carving, hand planing, dry assembly, gluing, measuring, and so on, finishing is one that is the black sheep in that family.  So relax and enjoy some laughs while commiserating with Andrew in his latest article Finishing Frustrations.