Saturday Morning Mess!

[Thor]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Hey Susan,

My bed project is still just in my head. I have two other projects going, but they are "go back and finish them projects" that I'm not happy with. One is a 6" X 6" X 24" piece of basswood that I started and don't like, and the other is the acanthus leaf design I worked on for a long time, and set aside. I don't like it either. I'm also carving on a greenman spoon that I do like, but I save work time on him when I need a pick me up from the other two.
This is the busiest month in the gallery (leaf peepers up from Atlanta), so my carving time is less. I'll have to go back to carving more of my boxes, because the tree series is all still here except for one. Christmas presents I guess.

I have designed a huge leaning plywood support that I'm going to build this week so that I can glue up and carve the headboard. It has to be here in the office since it will be the only warm place this winter. I'll post pictures of it when it's done.
Thor

[Paul_Guraedy]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

I like to work on one of the portable and adjustable equipment tables. You can see that it gets pretty cluttered whether carving or painting. There is a second table adjacent to the one shown that holds more tools, brushes, paints and such.

[Irish]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

AH! Excuse me Good Sir! But ladders around my house don't have rungs thinner than tooth picks! And you can tell me all afternoon the pieces are tiny but until you lay the toodthpick down next to it and the toothpick looks like a log ... I won't understand!

... Understanding the proportions by reference items ...

This reminds me of my first 'professional' art competion way way back when. I had created a painting of dried sunflower pods, there were three of them. I did it as a blow up so that the biggest pod in the painting showed only about one half of the whole pod and was 30" reaching from one side of the canvas to the other. The total canvas size was 30" wide by 42" long with a deep barn red background then these three white-gray-black sunflower pods with the twine string handing between them. The twine on the painting was thicker than my thumb. It was a hard edge painting so there were huge blocks of gray-white stripes or dried leaves. So I go and enter this competion, right!

Well, the evening came for the opening of the show and as I walked into the room I was just blown away. There is my huge red painting right in the center of the main wall surrounded by all these tiny (9" x 12") pale toned washy watercolor paintings.

I know I stole first place in that show ... the judges just couldn't ignore that huge, monsterous red thing in the middle of all those soft watercolors.

Reference items for comparision can really make a difference in understanding exactly where you or someone else is working.

Susan

[squbrigg]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

LOL....Susan, sorry, I thought I mentioned that I had been working on building ladders! Yes, they are rather small. The treads are all cut , as you see in the close up shot, and the side supports cut and marked to take the treads. Now comes the hard part.....notching the supports to take the treads! Smile Even assembled, a good puff of breath could make them dissappear forever! Now you can see why a neat and tidy work surface is essential for me. "Is that a ladder part or a woodchip.....where's the microscope?"

My wife says, "You don't have to be crazy to do that, but it helps!" Just kidding, she's my biggest supporter.

Bob

[Irish]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Bob,

I was showing Mike your work area and carving set up and boy was he impressed. Then he pointed out something that really caught me ... you know those moments when you "know" something but you don't know it. He noted your finished carved parts and pieces in reference to the other items on your work table. And I suddenly realized that what you are creating ... aplank, a railing ... are probably 1/4 the size of my average waste chip. Whoa!

If you wiped your hand across your table to get rid of the chp pile that way I do you would probably destroy two or three days work in an instant!

I knew you were working small - in miniature - but had no reference understanding until you posted those photos.

I am very impressed.

Susan

[Irish]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

I'm with you Gary, things are meant to be used. Around my house if it still untouched for three months I never really needed it and it's time to give it a "Peter's Principle Promotion" and move it to the basement!

Mike worked for a while in the Industrial hardware sector selling tools and equipment to construction companies and manufacturers. He has a love and appreciation for tools that is based on their design, their different applications and their unusualness (is that a good word?) ... In fact half our work shop is devoted to his Tool Collection.

He loves to collect tool but me, I love to use them. We have a small collection, as I expect everyone here on the forum does, of older tools. Some antique planes, saws, and some real nice old marking and measuring tools. I am not unabashed to grapping the anitque "bit n brace" when that's the tool that I think I need to do the job. Poor Mike just shutters when I do.

He wants that hand drill to have patina ... I want it to drill a hole ...

Now, if it were me .... I would add a couple of scrap boards under the bottom of the desk edge so those C clamps don't eventually damage the table top lip ... just a thought.

Susan

[GaryMc]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Hehe, I love my roll top carving desk!! It belonged to my Dad and sat useless for years, I think he might approve of it being used, cause he was practical like me! Talking

GaryMc

[Kenny_S]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Wade,Nonethe less, the little bride would slit my throat if I use her roll top for a work bench. But I would bet GaryMC would care if I gave it to you!

GaryMC,
You are a bigger man than I for sure, braver also!Wink

[wade clark]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Kenny,
That was GaryMc's roll top, but I've wanted one for a long time, so thanks for giving it to me!
Somebody start a thread on "the Ultimate Carving Shop"! Let's dream up a good one together! Mine, the walls would have shutters and huge fans...open the shutters, turn on the fans and all the dust and chips would land on the garden outside!
Wade
p.s. Gary, sorry about the loss of your desk!

[Kenny_S]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Time cleaning the shop is carving time wasted.


Table? You mean I might have a table under all that mess?

The little bride and the 8 year old GD cleaned up my carving area once. I couldn't find a darn think. Now in all of the caos and clutter, I can find my tools. Pluse the little pup likes chewing on the chips. With all the chips he chews I am hope he craps a 2 x 4.
Nah, Once a year cleaning the shop, but then, why waste the time!
I understand staged clean shop. Walked in to my father in laws shop and clean as a whisle. But then, The blades on his saws looked like they haven't been used. Guess what, Thousands of $$$$$ on woodworking equipment and never have they been touch to wood. Wastefull.
Bob, my admiration to you sir.
Wade, To nice of a roll top to be used as a work table, The little bride would hunt me down if I used something like that.
Catch y'll next week if I get back in time.
Toddles

[Bartster]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

okay i just wanna thank everyone for this thread i felt bad about my work area and just had to go and clean it up. {lol} but when i cleaned it up i found a desk.

bart

[wade clark]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Oh, My Gosh! Those WERE woodchips! I noticed they weren't as sweet as usual! Maybe it's time to turn on the lights, now that I know it's "normal" for most of us to carve in a mess of chips and tools!
Bob, I admire how organized you are...are you sure that cute little helper doesn't keep it that way for you?
I dream of my next shop, when I find that Farm! I'm determined everything will have its' own place, and that it'll be in easy reach!
Wade

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Now Wade, if you look closely at the second picture Bob posted he does have a mess ... it's just an extremely well organized mess laid out in front of that ship. And, with his nifty tilted table I am betting there's a small pile of chips somewhere around his feet, so again organized caosis.

Bob, your helper is delightful and I bet she has you wrapped around her finger! I have been watching your progress with your latest ship and am so very impressed.

Oh Wade ... do Frosted Flakes taste different when eaten in the sunshine as compared to being eaten in the darkness of a closet???

Susan

Actually, the question should be....."Do Frosted Flakes taste different with wood chips in them?"

[Bartster]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

i dont even wanna get started on my saturday mourning mess i think i will just make a spot and sit down and carve.

bart

[DiamondWillow]

Re: Saturday Morning Mess!

Susan

Your table looks just fine to me, the only problem might be that you must be left handed. At least your tools are pointing that way. )

My table looks worse than that, and that is before I start carving....

Have a wonderful weekend.

Gene