Madison2

No kidding! As a female just out of college designer/maker all the boys had a better way to do anything I was trying to do! Now 30 years later I have learned that most of the boys were trying to impress me sort of like when they all stand around the open hood of a car staring at the motor! None of them really know much about it but boy is it fun to hang out and look like it.

So my solution has been to adopt this strategy; If my time allows I will allow the would be helper to demonstrate his or her technique because there is always something to be learned. If I honestly can say that I have learned somthing I will say so, if not then my montra is "In my opinion based upon my personal experience my approach works better for me." No hurt feelings no time wasted and I'm back to work.

If I don't have the time I will simply say that sometime I will stop by their shop and they can show me. Might be a day might be years but I can visit if I wish or not!

Madison

So I said to myself, 56 posts and not a girl in sight! No more my friends, now there's a gal in the battle for the DVD's :-)

Madison

Well the controversey rages and I really can add nothing that has not already been said multiple times. However, as a maker who does buy tools for professional use I will say that I own and use hand planes daily, from Stanley's that I've refurbished to both LV and LN.

Here's my take. My clients are Americans and Canadians they support me and I like to think I support them. I'm happy to say that when I share my views with my clients they are often impressed that things like LN planes are made here in the US. So while I am not against imports I can honestly say that in this case my using tools made here does have a positive impact on my business.

Also for those of you squawking about the prices of a good plane consider this, a hundred years ago a quality hand plane sold for about a month's wage. So if we assume the wage was around 10.00 a month and we saw inflation over the past 100 years at 3% that 10.00 hand plane in 1909 would cost about $200 in 2009. Far less than a month's wage!

Let's all get back to work!

Madison

Fun design! It'd be cool to see one done with the wood species reversed. Don't know if you sell your work or not but it might make a nice salable gallery piece.

Madison

Period Furniture comment:

I'd like to see a series of articles over perhaps a year that might start with early european furniture and then progress forward with the significant style changes over time. The articles could high light the development of each style and could include photography of some of the significant details and changes in construction methods from each period. For example the veneer work from the Federal period. I don't really want a how-to series rather a study of the progression of the development of the styles.

An equally interesting idea would be to develop a series of articles showcasing the tools used to make some of these pieces. I would think that many of your readers might find learning how to set up and use a stanley 55 or some of the vast array of other tools replaced by modern powwer tools interesting.

my 2 cents worth,

Madison