I should write a movie script, ‘Being Roy Underhill, Barrel Rider’. I’ll never be Roy but I can sure try to learn his skills.
I have a lathe, tablesaw, eight inch jointer, thickness planner. I even had drum sander of all things. They are just out back, nine thousands miles away.
Rather than shipping them to the other side of the earth with me, like a normal person would. My thought was that since I’m here for at least three years, I should take those hand planes that I collect and do my best to learn to use them.
Do I miss them? You bet! I wish I had brought my lathe and ripsawing is not always that fun. Still, I’m getting by without… for now.
Please Subscribe here and over on my Youtube page to follow on my journey. I’m open to idea’s and changes. Just let me know!
My Tenkara box made it onto troutrageous.com!!! Check it out here! That’s just wild!
I just wanted to make videos to get myself back into what I use to do as a graphic designer and to make myself break out of self impose aspergers that I got when I started only doing development. (NOT taking the disease lightly. That’s just how it works out when you are surrounded by folks who do have it it 8-12 hours a day).
BUT Wow!
I do agree it’s a bit long as they noted but I’m new to all this and finding my style so we’ll get there!
I’m the one who sat on a bench at epcot and just watched people and thier reactions to everything rather than explorering deep into every corner. I love watching peoples reactions. So, my wife and I spent the weekend with two Australians in Queenstown,NZ. The two Aussies had never seen or touched real snow so it was a bit too much to pass up.
That said I really rushed last weeks project which I shouldn’t have. When I rush I’m the guy who measures six times and cuts wrong once… So today I’m re-making this weeks project which is forcing me to rush again. I do believe there is a difference, I usually thrive on stress like a good graphic designer but only if it’s stress from an outside source and not from me. This difference being me getting a ‘decent’ video out to you in time vs. me trying to get ahead of the game when I should still be pondering or packing.
So today took Ned to the beach to burn off the extra energy he has and off the garage we go!
I tried to keep it simple. I did add a few elements, like the curved arms, not really for esthetics as much as for more space. It was a simple project but I was rushing myself so I did get a bit frustrated with it. It probably didn’t help that, even though I drew it out 15+ times, I didn’t really work out sizing on paper or in sketchup. So I stood around a bit at the beginning pondering how I was going to make this happen.
My earlier sketches were around making it so it could be knocked down. I was concerned about the slates staying in place with all the designs that I was thinking of. So, with time running short I went for just getting the thing done!
I’ve used it two nights now and man I really can’t suggest this project enough! I know I’m getting old and all but this really does help a cold back on a cold night. It doesn’t hurt that it also looks half decent without being over done.
I do really wish now that I would have taken more time to do carving on it and to make it collapsible so I’m sure I’ll revisit this in the future. But I’ll have to work on the second part of it first, the wood carrier.
That project will be next week and will be a lot of sewing on a sewing machine. Don’t run in fear, sewing machines aren’t that bad and no they aren’t ‘girlie’. Using one is an extremely useful skill and when matched up with woodworking you can start to think about making cushons for chairs or pouches for your tools, covers for your workbox and fixing the holes you may have put in your pants with the back few teeth of a saw!
The video is rendering now and should be up Thursday afternoon so please check it and my other projects out on my youtube channel!
I have a list of projects I want to get done before I have to buckle down and get a real job. This is being short-circuited this weekend by the radical change in temperature.
I’ve already made my way to the fabric and wood stores though I’ll need to back I’m sure. Drawings are being worked up in sketchup and the notebook. This project probably won’t be all ‘hand tools’ as I will need to use our sewing machine.
The house we rent is heated by one stove in the kitchen. The firewood is piled up next to it by hand, splinters all over you coat or shirts for the evening since the wood is stored outside. The plan is for a firewood holder and carrier. I wish I could make it out of pieces of firewood but some elements will be longer than I can figure out how to use just yet.
I will also probably break this into multiple videos for the different parts of the puzzle. I want to focus a little more on the content and slow the videos down while not surpassing the 4.5 minute attention span that most youtube viewers, myself include, have. I need to get stats on my demographic, I can’t believe DIY/weekend warriors have that short of an attention span.
I love to fish, most any type of fishing. I think it’s because I like standing in streams. I grew up next to a stream, not one that supported fish but crayfish and salamanders. My sister and I were in it daily provided the weather was ok.
Nick and Todd got me into fly fishing and Nick was the one who brought up Tenkara rods when he saw a guy using one on, I believe it was Yellow Creek in Pennsylvania. I really like the thought of it, simple as you can get. Since, chest bags had always gave me a headache from resting on my neck and so I had moved to just a lanyard. The next thing was to get the simple rod set up too!
It’ll take about 10 clicks into researching Tenkara before you read the name, Dr. Ishigaki. He’s world renowned for this style of fishing and thus everyone who knows of Tenkara knows his fly box. I’ve always wanted to make one and this is a good time to do it in New Zealand as it is winter here.
Well this one was never meant for the stream, my wife tends to leave earings around the house in places that make me nervous. I can’t take myself out of this since I have a few rings, including my wedding ring, which I tend to forget here or there. This box will be the place lost items go, hopefully. Either way it’s a prototype for when I attempt a ‘good’ fly box.
I wanted to add this image in since it is without a doubt the best end grain work I’ve ever done. Granted, I used a shooting board so 90 degrees is no issue (*cough). What this does show is that I made that plane blade super sharp. I really do believe the best kept secret to loving woodworking with hand tools is loving to sharping metal. Otherwise frustration will break you quickly.
I used a coping saw with zona blades, a brace and auger bit (5/16ths), some rasps and files as well as sand paper to shape the insides of the top and bottom. It took less than 50 minutes to do this so this is easy and anyone could easily try this. I would just warn that stock coping saw blades will make you pull you’re hair out. In this day and age good blades are two days away via the internet and not anywhere near as expensive as you think. Boy do they make a huge difference.
I book matched the top and bottoms and glued them on. I still have issues with hinges but I’m much better. I also used a neo. magnet as the clasp. This wasn’t enough. If you do intend to make this a fly box you’ll need at least 6 like Dr.I’s has or some physical latch on it. This is the part I need to figure out before I make my real fly box like this. Also, Three coats of shellac is good for my purpose. If this was going to used on the water I’d probably go with a poly instead.
I’m pretty pleased with this, I could really stare at the end grain all day. Since I moved to New Zealand last fall, I really haven’t fly fished in almost a full year. This really gives me cabin fever.
It’s time to plan the next fly fishing related project for sure!
Please check out the video on my youtube channel, subscribe, like and comment!
