MWA Podcast 33 Paul Limiski

MWA Podcast Episode 33 - Paul Lemiski (57:55)

Download the MP3

Date: July 1, 2013

By: Chris Adkins, Dyami Plotke, Tom Iovino

Description: Join us for this episode with Paul Lemiski. For more information on Paul, show notes, and the Modern Woodworkers Association visit http://modernwoodworkersassociation.com

Show notes:What’s in the shop?

• Chris
• Chris’ shop is filled with his household goods as he paints and carpets his home.
• Dyami
• Dad’s Benchtop Bench
• Tom
• 2x4 challenge

• Blog post that piqued our interest
• Infinity tool Works Lock Miter Jig
• Peter Has Dividers
• By Hand And Eye

• Main topic
• Paul Lemiski of Canadian Woodworks
• Where did you learn it? What got you into making sculpted furniture?
• learned from Hal Taylor
• 5 Questions

1. how did you get into woodworking?
1. High School Shop Teacher
2. whats your favorite tool?
1. Kutzall or Festool RO150
3. who has influenced you the most?
1. Sam Maloof
4. What was your biggest stumbling block & could it have been avoided?
1. Starts many projects simultaneously. Juggling them is hard.
5. How has the internet influenced your work?
1. The influence has been very important.
2. Working without influence has been

• Next broadcast’s topic
• Special Guest, Wilbur Pan of giantcypress.net
• So long as he’s not called into the hospital

Read More..

Goodbye Village Carpenter You Will Be Missed

Kari Hultman was one of the world’s best woodworking bloggers until September 10, 2013 when she ended her blog at villagecarpenter.blogspot.com.

I’m lucky enough to call Kari my friend. She was the first blogger I met in person when I was just joining the online woodworking community. Even though at the time I couldn’t claim to be any more than an voyeur, watching from the outskirts of the community, Kari was nice enough to let me tour her shop and write about it. After we discussed the shop, she started showing me the tools she was just beginning to make for herself. As I would learn, this was Kari. She’s never stopped sharing her passion for the craft and love of learning and sharing out how to do it.

Since that first meeting my admiration for Kari has only grown - based both on the support she’s alchoices shown me and the stunning items to come out of her shop. Have you seen her homemade level, Sven, the Meditation Benches or the Pennsylvania German Sawbuck Table? I saw the table in person during the finishing process, and the photos don’t do it justice.

The Pensylvania German Sawbuck Table as I saw it, during the finishing process.

Karis photo of her beautiful table and the original.

Kari’s had The Village Carpenter for six (6) years. In that time she’s put out 538 posts, publishing three (3) per week during her most prolific period. If you’ve not read every one - even if you have - you owe yourself to go back and read them. From the first day, Kari put more thought and care into each post than may put into their entire blog. She’s discussed tool makers, toured museums and taken readers through the process of building projects and tools in an informative, illustrated, step-by-step manner that only Kari can.

I’m struggling not to say goodbye too much here, as Kari will continue to woodwork. Now she’ll get to do it at her own pace and for no one’s satisfaction but her own.

Well miss your post, Kari.

To Kari, I’ll miss reading The Village Carpenter. Thank you for all the posts, all the projects, welcoming everyone to the community and - most importantly - showing how we can all make what we want. I wish you and your family only the best. Thank you for the friendship you’ve shown me and my family. Thank you for the mouse poop covered wood. I can’t wait to see you again.

Thank you, Kari.

Read More..

On Milling

Though I know better, I ended up with this seriously warped side panel for the steps I’m making for my son.

Its got a wee bit of cupping.

Convention holds – and I agree – that there are two (2) good methods for milling.

The best method is to perform you initial milling and get pieces close – but not all the choice – to size. Then give them a few days to sit and re-acclimate. They will cup and twist some as the newly exposed surfaces acclimate. You can then remove the cupping and twisting when you do your final milling to exact size just before assembly.

The not quite as good but still usually acceptable method is to start milling and take the piece right to exact final dimensions. Then assembly immediately, before anything can warp or twist.

Alas, I did not heed either of these strategies. I was simply working as much and as fast as I could during the limited time I had. This meant that on Saturday I milled pieces from start to their final, exact dimensions. Because of the 2x10 stock I was using, this involved taking ½” off the face of the boards. Then I put them achoice for the night.

On Saturday night I found them to still be very (if not perfectly) flat. I cut pins in the top of my side pieces and then glued them up.

On Monday night I entered the shop to find one of my steps severely cupped. Then I unclamped the sides and found that one of them was severely cupped also.

At least the table saw is flat. The top step? Not so much.

I’m hoping that I can fight them to flat with my Woodpeckersaluminum cauls and then force the step stool together without too much trouble. If that doesn’t work I’ll try cutting a slot or two in the inside face, clamping it flat and filling the slots with epoxy. As a final resort I can cut the two (2) pieces apart, re-flatten and re-glue.

Whichever method works, I’ve given myself more work and probably compromised the level of quality for the finished piece. Next time I’ll try to slow myself down and save time by milling properly.

Dont forget about the +Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast. We talk woodworking with Guests from around the world of woodworking every other week. Subscribe to the RSS feed or iTunes today.

Read More..

What Cool Kids Will Be Asking At Woodworking in America

I leave for Woodworking in America 2013 in two (2) days. As you can imagine, my excitement is tempered by the pile of work I have to do between now and then. Given the size of that pile, I was about to write an "Im lame and too busy for a proper post" post. Luckily, Modern Woodworkers Association members have come though and I can write an "Im really busy but this was a quick post to write" post. One that is hopefully also somewhat informative.

No one can escape the 5 questions.

We started a tradition last year of asking 5 questions to the woodworkers we met at WIA. Last week I asked for suggestions on 5 more questions. Many of your responded with great questions. Thank you.
After much consideration (and Changing up +Tom Iovinos suggestions) here are the 5 well be asking this year.

1. What was the first woodworking project you built?
2. What was the last woodworking project you built?
3. How messy is your shop, right now?
4. What is your go-to finish? Why?
5. Do you belong to a local woodworking club or guild?
Unfortunately, not everyones suggested questions made it in. Hopefully the selected ones will do. If youre dying to ask the question you submitted, hold onto it. Theyll be plenty of time to ask and discuss after hours.
Dont forget about the +Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast. We talk woodworking with Guests from around the world of woodworking every other week. Subscribe to the RSS feed or iTunes today.

Read More..