swt61

One of my young coworkers has had a very hard time of late. His Father just quit as a parent and moved back to Ireland, where he's originally from. His son Arlo just graduated high school. He's a phenomenal worker, especially for one so young. He's just the kind of young man that's always positive and always very well mannered. We bonded over fishing at first. He loves my stories of commercial fishing in the Bering Sea. More recently he was told about my woodworking. He's seen several pictures and is fascinated and is wanting to learn. His former principal is Al and Claire's Sister in law, which Al and I have done many projects for. If you want to befriend me, showing an interest in woodworking is a surefire way to be successful. Almost a year ago, I made my own macaroni recipe and took it in for the Saturday crew. When Arlo took his first bite he had the biggest grin on his face. He has hinted several times that more macaroni would be appreciated. I've made it 5 or 6 times now. I think he may actually like it more than myself even. A few months back his Sister started working for Fairfax Lumber too. She's in the Nursery. She's as well mannered and as pleasant as her Brother, and adorable too. About a week ago Arlo asked if he could sit with me at lunch and get some advice. That's when he told me that his Father abandoned the family. I'm a good talker. I can talk your ear off. But this time I just listened. He just needed to vent, so that's what I let him do. I did give some advice, but mainly I just let him talk and let him express his anger. Something I've never seen out of him. There's not much I can actually do to ease his pain or make the situation better. He's going to go through several stages of grief and anger. ATM he's focusing on helping his Mother. She's shocked and in a financial crisis. He's working full time and taking fire fighter training (His dream for many years). So he's overwhelmed, but still focusing on helping Mom. He said she's been working all of the overtime she can get. So, one small thing that I could do was save her a night of cooking, and make Arlo's favorite meal. I told his Mom that I'd be cooking and delivering Saturday dinner. I made a giant batch of Macaroni, enough salad ingredients to last a week, two loafs of fresh baguette and a giant apple/berry pie from Costco. And topped it off with enough disposable dishes and lids to freeze/refrigerate all of the leftovers. He didn't know anything about it, but was very surprised when I dropped it all off. His ear to ear grin was worth any laborious prepping tasks. I've had several texts from Mom, Arlo and Sister Nina. Very sweet family and I'm feeling like I did a good deed. The pic is not the macaroni I took them, it's the leftover ingredients that I cooked up today. Lunches for the future.

Happy Birthday!

That depends entirely on which wood is being worked.

Woodworker: An official title that one earns from buying clamps.

Good god, they're gonna bruise that banana!

Hey, hey. The Greeks led the way. The were the first to find the "back door".

All kidding aside, even rainbows can't do anything for that fuggly truck. It looks like an ice maker at Motel 6. "We'll leave the stank on for ya."

See! Here you fuckers go again! You find an object so hideous that even straight people can't stand to look at it, then you decide "oh, let's paint a rainbow on it and make it homo-chic." Even rainbows and fairy dust have their limits! Stop misusing my culture!

This is a disgusting theft of my people's cultural traditions! We open the door just a little bit and you people start hijacking my proud people's heritage! What's next? Double headed dildos adapted as toys for your children? Nipple rings and Prince Alberts at the mall kiosk? You people have been raping our customs far too long, without even fully understanding what my people went through to carve out these beautiful and affirming ceremonies. Shame on you! How can you possibly understand the delicate nuances of these traditions? Oh sure, your high school dances almost always consist of some bone head sports star wrapped in a Black rubber gimp suit, complete with zippers at the mouth hole and bung hole, but do you really understand the proud history of such attire? You're making a mockery of our way of life! Do we walk around in your traditional straight garb of jean shorts, wife beater tanks, sandles and Black socks? No, we don't! We understand that these traditions don't belong to us. Not to mention we're far too fabulous to stoop so low. I'll end with one final insult to my culture... Never, ever ever should fish be within 100 feet of a glory hole! OMG!

The newer vaccines are two part, with a month in between shots. I'm told this is superior to the one shot vaccine. I too had no reaction. However, I've never had any reaction to any vaccine. As someone who while in his 40s spent 30 minutes looking for my cell phone, while it was in my hand the whole time, I cannot confirm this lower dementia risk factor.

My Mother had shingles 3 times. She said it was absolutely miserable. And the vaccine is not as strong once you've already had shingles I'm told. I got my shingles vaccine a few years back, as well as RSV.

Tuna melts for dinner.

That Facon looks quite suspect.

Orange glazed, pan seared salmon. Scalloped potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Got a good start today. I laminated the parts that needed laminating. I got the channel section that rides over the existing table saw fence built. The plans didn't call for the insides of the channel section to be laminated on the inside, but I knew that it would slide on the existing fence so much better, so I made that improvement. The channel has no slop whatsoever, but slides absolutely perfectly over the fence. It's also put together with screws alone, should I ever need to micro-adjust it. Tomorrow I hope to dado the slots for all of the T-track, put a water based poly on all of the raw plywood parts and assemble said T-tracks. Possibly even route the arch for the adjustable angle arm. After that it's just building accessories. A splining jig, a slide rail that has several functions, including a tapering jig etc...

Happy Birthday!

Happy belated birthday Antonio!

I should have more than enough left over Baltic Birch plywood for a splining jig accessorie and even more. T tracks, hold downs (another set of hold downs packaged with the long T track), knobs and a stop. All of this will make more sense once the jig is completed. Plenty of leftover Black laminate (I assume from the chop saw station), and some Ipe to build the bridge part of the jig, that will overlay the existing SawStop fence.

Something I saw recently on YouTube. Bourbon Moth Woodworking. It also has several accessories to build for it as well. It'd take a while to explain everything it does, but cutting raised panels easily and safely is just one. I think I'll also build a splining accessorie too. Al built a basic one, but this should be a little easier and safer. There's a mortising attachment as well, but we built one years back for the router table. Might get a start on it tomorrow. More to come. Now I think I'll go eat at Red Robin, since I'm in Concord, CA. Yes, I bought the prettier Blue T tracks!

Well it's earlier than I expected. I'll miss all of you! But I'm here at the pearly gates, talking to St. Peter. I've had a good life! What's that? Oh, just Peter? Peter Johnson? What? I have to leave now? I can't stay here for eternity? You say that you close at 5:00? Oh, OK. Can I come back sometime? Oh cool, thanks. See you next time Peter! Well everyone has their own idea of heaven I suppose. I'm gathering supplies to build a multi-function table saw jig.

First Cousin to music legends Jerry Lee Lewis and Micky Gilly.

I'm in love with the color. It looks good in pics, but even better in person. And Al's door design is stunning IMO. I will build new door jambs out of the same White Oak, as well as mill up new casing. These doors are heavy, and will require 3 hinges per side. I'm excited about seeing it all in place, but that will be a bit in the future.

The slatted door style has a lot of intricacies and places for failure. It looks simpler than the actual design. Many dados and places where parts have to fit exactly. But they went together easier than either of us expected. Not an accident, but Al's planning and forthought. Absolutely worth the effort, as they'll be an eye catcher for sure. This has been a rewarding project in several ways. Now that I'm no longer working as a carpenter, it's my much needed release for creativity. And Al and I are really enjoying the woodworking and smashburgers.

No, but now that I'm safe again, I'm going to compare cost. $395 at Cain's. I believe Costco was $700 for 4 tires.

Getting a used tire as I type this. Ordered two more Michelin tires for the front. Rear Michelins are still in good condition. Will get those mounted Saturday.