Please excuse the following rambling post.. I’ve had quite a bit to write about, but can’t seem to find the time. So here are some pictures of the activity (or lack there-of) in my shop.
First, some purchases I’m quite excited about. I received a reamer from Tim Manny (by way of Pete Galbert). You can read about / order them here. I actually had quite a bit of a mixup with Tim about my shipping address, but he was super-patient with me and it eventually made its way here. Thanks Tim!
What a great looking tool. I love the set-screw to adjust depth of cut, and how it’s tipped in brass.
I haven’t really had a chance to use it yet, but I did make a quick block to store the reamer in.. Tim recommends using a block of wood with a hole reamed in it to keep the tool nice and tight during storage. Drill a hole, ream it, and voila! Beautiful and functional (the reamer, not the block of wood).
Tim actually just started blogging, his site is at: timmanneychairmaker.blogspot.com. Just looking at his first few posts, I can tell it’s a site I’ll revisit often.
The *other* thing I received was the hardware for benchcrafted’s carvers vise. I’m really excited about this one.
Benchcrated always does a quality packing job.. 
I don’t have wood for it yet, but I’ve got a line on some 16/4 mahogany. Although that really won’t match my bench; I may build it in ash or maple.
It will probably be late summer before I get a chance to get started on this one.. I’ve got a long list of projects I was supposed to finish months ago.
Speaking of which.. I finally finished that 5 drawer table I started almost a year ago.
The design was inspired (or copied completely) from an article written by Garrett Hack in FWW. I’m sure this is one of many, many versions of this particular piece that have been built over the years. Cherry / maple (with poplar drawer bottoms, I ran out of maple), most of which came from my Uncle Mike’s sawmill.
I turned the knobs myself, which I’m quite proud of. To say I’m a novice turner is an understatement.
Nice grain on the drawers and the top..
One of the projects I’m getting caught up in is a new room for our son, Porter. We wanted to put up barnwood on a wall, so we went out and found some (and paid through the nose for it). Then we realized it was covered in lead paint, so now it’s just sitting in my garage awaiting an unknown fate. I ended up applying a steel wool / vinegar mix to rough sawn poplar, then rabbeting all the boards and nailing them up. Came out looking pretty spiffy, I think.
I’m starting on some bookshelves for our living room next, here’s the first glue-up of many to come..
And of course, the driving force behind most of these projects..
(at the beach a few weeks ago..)
Happy Fathers Day everyone!
– Matt
Very nice table. Great execution.