It seems like forever since I actually made something. Work has been (continues to be?) especially hectic lately, and it’s not like I can chop mortises at 1am, so its been mostly shop admin at very odd hours. Cleaning, honing, sharpening, planning; all great and necessary, but not exactly the most fulfilling, activities. Only a few of projects remain on my current to-do list (one more footstool, a pedestal plant stand and a behind-the-couch console table), but each has been on the to-do list for some time.

I have a couple different chisels in various stages of obsessive lapping.

What’s the point of perfectly flat, mirror polished chisel backs without mortises to chop or tenons to pare? Who cares about refining saw sets if there is no rough stock to rip down? Sharp and well set tools are their own virtue, but the making of things with those tools is still the most important part to me.

So here is my plan for the weekend.  I have some leftover home center Douglas Fir and a bunch of other scraps of ash, oak and maple.  I will hopefully find a few hours this weekend in between work stuff to rip down a good portion of my remaining rough stock.  That way, when I finally get the time to make something, I’ll be ready to rock.  Er, join wood.  I hope.  My tools are certainly ready.

JPG