Why Wood ? Wood Chip Art

I am going to collect a series of photos from my email and re-post them into this blog.  I have decided not to try and link from email, to email, to email post etc.   The photos are from a friend of mine that collects and sends interesting stuff.

Wood Chips.......

This man takes wood chips, soaks them in water for many days, using a tree from Russia (Red Cedar).Then he starts building his pieces which takes him about 6 months, 10 hours a day to finish. He was offered a lot of money for 1 piece but will not sell any.

Enjoy the pictures. What wonderful work....

  

 

    Pretty amazing stuff.

   On another track entirely.

   I follow insidetheworkshop.blogspot.ca, and though I have never met Derek I feel that I know him a little bit because of his Blog and website I've learned many new things from him and watched as his shop life has developed.  If you are interested in the emotional/philosophical side of woodworking you may want to look in and read what Derek has to say about his take on woodworking. 

   He is moving ever closer to the "Hand Tool Only", ( Royite) woodworking club.  Dan at Dan's Shop  also has joined the "Royite" hand tool world.  I am not a dedicated  "Normite" (all power all the time) but there are aspects of what I do in my shop that requires power tools.  For example, I make and sell cutting boards. 

 I can make cutting boards by hand, but.....no body would pay what they cost to make.  Table saws, jointers, and planers make cutting boards cost effective.  Power tools also make it fast and easy to make those practical, functional, none art items like flower boxes and shelving in the basement etc.  For Arts and Crafts or High Art furniture  I can see hand tools only.  I guess like in so many things I have one foot on the dock and one foot in the boat. (Lets hope I can keep my balance).

     

An Inspired Portable Sharpening System

  As I have said many times many ways, Merry Christmas to you, no no, that is not what I said, that is what the radio just said in the back ground. 

   It is after supper, I have spent the day in the shop, mostly making small repairs to kids toys and working on a big Christmas gift.  Now it is time to relax, do a blog or two and have a cool beverage.  My policy is absolutely no sharp tools, or motorcycles mixed with cool beverage time. It is safer to blog and beverage, I can edit out the errors and the keyboard almost never cuts my fingers.

Portable Sharpening System

   Dan's Shop is a blog that I follow regularly because it has shown me good ideas and I like and respect what he has to say.  His most recent blog entry relates to sharpening.  Dan uses the Scary Sharp System, a system that I have used in the past and found very effective. I also use my Worksharp and have found it great for chisels.

   Regardless of what system you use, sharp tools are vital to success and having sharp tools on a work site can be a challenge so a portable system like Dan's Scary Sharp is a good idea.

  The availabily of  Quality fine grit sandpaper  makes a portable Scary Sharp system a very good idea.