cutting board build

Tell Me And I Will Forget

Tell me and I will forget, show me and I will remember, let me do it and I will understand. I have been having some fun with the video camera. Being a visual thinker the written word always takes a backseat to a picture or a drawing, in fact my lists of things to do are simply a series of subtitles accompanied by "how to" drawings. One of my intentions in purchasing the video camera was to be able to answer questions that may arise after a seminar or a private instruction session. This recent video (cutting small pieces on the tablesaw) is exactly what I had intended, instead of writing an email or scanning some sketches I could set up the camera and do the operation in question and post it on Youtube. The hardest part of this idea was filming the introduction, I'm not sure wether looking at a camera makes you stumble over words or is it a case of being unaware of what we say as it vanishes into thin air. It is all a learning experience, and I am looking forward to future films getting even better. I have also been working on a few pieces for the Maclaren Gallery gift shop, and I decided to make a video that gave an overview of the process that is involved in building my cutting boards. I was especially pleased that Mose Stephenson gave me permission to use one of his songs as a soundtrack. Mose is a true artist (creating and crafting)

Cutting Small Pieces On The Tablesaw

Things and my jig

I built a new sanding jig for the drill press. This is part of my initiative to stop doing emergency woodworking and build jigs that will last, or at least look half decent. The jig (auxillary table) works well. When hooked up to the dust collector there is no sawdust whilst shaping parts.

I have also been working on utilizing some of the parts that are made during seminars.
I made a couple of oval carriers once and have been using the forms in the steam bending seminar. The result of this activity is a bunch of bent parts taking up valuable workshop space, so I cleaned up by putting some of the parts together.

Along with building a bakers half dozen cutting boards this month I filmed the process which I hope to have up on Youtube soon.

On April 7th I conducted a table saw seminar at the Scarborough Lee Valley with a group that I believe set the new benchmark in fun and enthusiasm. Thanks to Ross who took some great photos.

Lee Valley Waterloo