The Technology Department

A few pictures of the latest shop tools. Following yet another schizophrenic PC meltdown and system recovery, it was time to jump ship and implement a sturdier platform. As head of the IT department, I had to shut the shop doors for a few days to manage the transition project. I also set up a 1 terrabyte file server so I can access photos and drawings from the shop or office without storing everything on the laptop's small hard drive.

To get internet out to the shop (wireless signal couldn't reach) I used these handy 'power/ethernet adaptors' which meant I didn't need to run ethernet cable (something I've been putting off for years). The adaptor picks up the wireless signal from the office through the house power. Then it was just a case of throwing a wireless router into the shop.

After many hours of deliberation I decided what to change on Easy Rider verison 1. So now, patterns are scattered on the bench as I play with parts to find version 2.  Explore some lines...cut a pattern..think some more...cut another pattern...

Chair #3 - Karen's Rocker

The Plug Job

More new territory, I haven't had to make plugs before. After a bit of research I went with the veritas system; tapered plug cutter and a flush-cut hand saw that has no set in the teeth, so it doesn't mar the finished surface. They did a perfectly good plug job.

Here's the legs getting fared into the rockers. Many hours of final shaping and sanding later, the first coat of Tung oil hit the Walnut.

Switching Gears

With the final rocker glue-up done, I made a railing for a neighbor. Here's some of the tubing getting a scrub down. It turned out pretty sweet, in-situ picture to come.

Getya Rockers on bitch

After the spindles and headrest glue-ups, it was clearly time to delve into the lower depths of the Maloof rabbit hole. I was awfully thankful that I had glued the skids up at the school, so I didn't have to go make a form.

Nevertheless, fitting these things drove me to the edge of insanity, which was just as well, because this last step requires a healthy dose of Maloof Madness. I'm not sure exactly what went down, but it involves scribing and cutting the legs, followed by rasping and test fitting, and rasping and test fitting, for maybe days. Then there's the matter of free-handing the 1/2" dowel mortises. I was a nervous wreck after all this. Shaking like a leaf.

There she is in the clamps for the final glue-up, hopefully all is well and I can sneak a ride in her tomorrow. Still have to fair the leg joints, give her a full sanding, make plugs, oil, etc,etc, but damn.

Arms, Head and Ears

After gluing up the arms, I was able to tackle the final fairing into the legs. Then it's time to cast my eyes further up the back leg and assess the massive chunk of wood there...further fairing of the headrest into the back legs in preparation for the spindle and headrest glue-up. And yes we have a set of ears.

It's about as back-breaking as you would think; very carefully removing unfathomable amounts of walnut while crouched over the chair. No idea how Sam made these for a living. I'm declaring Sam the strongest man to have ever lived.

Taking things one step further

Sonofabitch. That's definitely a Surform in my hand. That can only mean one thing, the rocker is back. Yes, the rocker was tormenting me from it's corner again, and I couldn't take the mental anguish. So I pulled it out and continued slowly removing more material. It actually almost feels like progress has been made with the rocker. The end is still nowhere in sight, but a milestone perhaps...or perhaps just another false summit.

The legs have been shaped into the seat, and the arm rest has been glued on and shaped into the legs. I had to whip up a stepped dowel for the armrest/front leg joint; we drilled the holes in the front legs on a drill press and manky jig at the school (they don't have a horizontal mortiser), the resulting holes were oversize, but the stepped dowel came to the rescue. How I didn't unearth the 3" screw while shaping the armrest to the back leg only Sam will know.

I admit to quite liking the old Stanley Surform. I inherited it from a friend, it was her dads. I threw on a sweet micro-plane blade. When you have epic amounts of material to remove you're grateful for anything that works.

Any hint of progress will slow down as I clean up all these surfaces in preparation for gluing in the spindles and headrest. Perhaps it's just as well this project moves from one season to the next, it's been a real treat working in my outdoor space lately. No shop is complete without a covered outdoor work space.