Project working

Today was a thrilling day in the wood shop. You wouldnt believe the incredible time I had building stuff out of wood!

[cliched cricket sounds]

Gophers and ants

What did I do? Well, I mowed the jungle that I call a lawn. Discovered several new gopher mounds. Rather than doing something with those mounds of dirt, I decided to just mow over them.

Naturally, the lawn mower objects to this practice and makes horrendous sounds while throwing clouds of dirt throughout the atmosphere. I looked at the biggest pile, or what remained of it, and noticed it was moving...or pulsating.

About 33 billion ants had determined that a gopher mound was a perfect place to raise a family and were now frantically darting every which way carrying little white bundles of baby ants. In a strange way, I really felt guilty. Ants are cool. Just as long as they stay outside. Once they march into my house and discover the cats food, I have no regrets using the most non-environmentally-friendly ant poison. I believe doing so builds up immunity.

We pay for dirt! Dirt! Its everywhere!

Wait, Im getting off track. But it still involves dirt, just not the gopher or ant variety. Dirt that people actually have to purchase and move from place to place. Why on earth we buy earth is a puzzle.

Strawberries!

We have four raised flower beds that I built ten years ago. They have held all sorts of plants, but this Fall my wife decided we need onions in two of them. Its a good winter plant to grow, and I really shouldnt complain because I do most of the cooking around this dump and I and use lots of onions. And as if I havent mentioned it before, I hate spending money. So growing your own food is awesome.

But the dirt levels in those planters was down about two feet from the top. Yep...the mysterious disappearing dirt. I understand that it can compact, but that doesnt account for this volume of lost dirt. It just simply vanished. I think dirt evaporates and rains back into places that sell it.

Trip to Colored Gravel.

"Colored Gravel". Thats the name of a place here in Novato that sells all sorts or rocks, dirt, and rock-and-dirt-related products. I had them dump two loads of topsoil into my truck: one cubic yard. That pretty much fills the bed of a full-size truck. Its daunting to look at and know that youll have to unload it.

Yeah, it was way more than we needed to fill the raised beds. We filled them to their brims and had to find places to put the remainder. I avoided the vegetable garden option. I have no doubt Ill need to repeat this process next spring for my tomatoes. Just where does the dirt go?!

Moving dirt sucks.

Look! Its...dirt!

There is no way around it. I have nothing but admiration for guys that have to shovel stuff for a living. Seriously. Its hard work and they deserve better pay than whatever they get. Two hours of that nearly kills me.

Got the planters filled. Marveled at (outdoor) ants. Spent no time in the shop. I almost completed my Halloween video though. Im still trying to figure out an ending. Video editing is hard, but its total weenie work compared to moving crap around.


****

Mere Minutes
I actually have a tip here. Not woodworking, though.

My likes:

• The blade seems to hold an edge forever, even though 100% of its wear is limited to the half inch in the middle.

• It is comfortable to use as the tote is the same one used on the No. 3, a size that seems to be just perfect for my hands.

• It also does an excellent job at producing a very true and even chamfer, for miles, if need be.

• The wood has a beautifully patina.

• I think it is one of Stanleys better designed tools, an excellent example of design following function.

My dislikes:

• Registering it properly at the beginning of the stroke is next to impossible (On a power planer, the problem is always at the end of the board and its called "snipe". What do you call the same issue at the beginning of a board when using a hand plane).

• It lacks a blade adjuster, something I truly hate in any plane (now there is a statement you dont want to hear from someone who collects wood molding planes).

• It sells for a ridiculous price.

So all that said, what bugs me to no end with it?

Its condition.

The japanning on the main casting is just...well...sad.


The V-Sole has some lumps and craters that came with the plane from the factory, I believe.


The japanning on the adjustable sole is almost none-existent.



The blade cap isnt too bad, but it has its issues.


Its a "B" casting.



I paid another $225 for the beading attachment, but Im still looking for the bullnose.

The question is, what do I do with it?


I sent my Miller Falls eggbeater off to Wiktor Kuc, over at WKTools.com three months ago. Mr. Kuc broke his wrist just after that, and that put him out of commission for a while, so the return of it is understandably delayed. One of my requests when I set it to him, though, was he not make it look like a brand new drill. That look is impressive, but not the look I like in a vintage tool and remember, to me, looks are half the battle.

So how do you deal with missing japanning without having it come back looking like a repainted plane?

I found a guy who restores planes on eBay and I really like what he does with these old planes, but the problem I have is that they do not look like old planes any more. I emailed him with my thoughts, and Steve assures me he is well equipped and experienced to deal with it within my requested limitations.

If the plane can be redone without looking like a remake, I then have to be concerned about the value of the tool. Will refurbishing it increase its value, or decrease it?

Oh, what do you do with an old seventy-two (sorry, I like that rhyme).

Peace,

Mitchell