More texture in the RWC

Today was varied with a range of tasks completed. The new vises came in from Veritas and so Tom and Gary were able to get on with two days of fitting vises. The outside of the workshop continues with siding and trim and of course we still have to tie in the porch rafters to the roof and clad the roof yet. The inside is very near done or it seems that way. Lighting and ceiling fans work and the bathroom is all hooked up too, so we have running water to the various sinks and toilets. We have a couple of doors to make yet and also Nick is making a huge timber-framed truss to span the whole front of the front porch that will crown off the final appearance of building.

I continued working on my tool cupboards. The frames are all done now and so too the door frames ready to receive the panels. These I plan on painting so that too is a couple of days after completing the general construction of the cabinets. In a week they should be loaded with tools and the equipment I need for classes so that will be a relief. Looking around everywhere makes me feel very contented as I see the final ingredients coming together. I imagine that soon we will see new genre woodworkers leaving this workshop inspired to new levels and this is just the beginning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talking yesterday of spruce being imported as “whitewood”, whatever that is, from Sweden and pine from New Zealand, Tom Mark and I took a short drive to Drumms sawmill a few very short miles from the school. Barney Drumm met us and showed us around. Barney has supplied us with much of the beam stock for the new workshop timberframing and also the Maple for the workbenches, at least some of it. As I walked around with Barney and he talked of the work he had done establishing his business I couldn’t help but admire the workmanship he had put into making his business. In fifteen years he has established a sawmill that is viable and successful. His knowledge of heavy equipment and machinery enables him to meld old and new together to create an efficient system for milling his wood and supplying a wide range of users like myself with good wood kiln dried ready for use. It’s again, all about texture you see. It took effort and going against the flow to establish this business and Barney sells every ounce of what he produces including the chunked and chipped waste-wood and sawdust. We bought some boards while we were there and we will be buying from him for years to come.

After a good day I had dinner with Jacob Fruchter and his family, parents and so on. Jacob will be helping me to teach the upcoming workshops and seminar classes. We are so excited about both the school of woodworking venture and our so too our future furniture making ventures here in New York.

Re buying wood above; go local if you can.