krob

NIce job, I know how big a challenge this is. Just finished my own yesterday and will post soon. We can now truly call ourselves "Artists" as well as Fine Woodworkers.Congrats!!!

I actually had my bearings from previous projects. There is one site I found, "thebig bearingstore.com" that has what looks like the bearing I used, an SB205-16 1" insert bearing. This works well as you can use a 1" dowel to attach the bearing tp the cradle piece. If you are in a metro area, you should also be able to find them at a company that sells bearings and such things. That is where I got mine. Good luck and thanks for the comment. Every grandpa should make one.

It looks like this could be a really great top level show. Norm was OK, but as commented earlier, Norm is a carpenter and the projects mirrored that. The show I really miss was Woodworks with David Marks on DIY. That was truly high level woodworking and the projects were beautiful. You can still see some of the shows on DIYNET.COM. Some of these projects also have a "Plan" series and I have successfully used this to make his Mahogany Dresser which is and amazingly beautiful project. I hope Tommy can come up to and maybe exceed this level.

This looked very familiar. There was a project in Tage Frid's book series called a "Dutch Pullout", which used the same concept. I built one some years ago to be used in a yacht where they needed the extra space but also wanted to have room to manuever in the confined space. It worked great and looked great too in this beautiful yacht.

I was just starting to dabble in woodworking in the early eightys, when through a colleague who grew up in his neighborhood, I received an invitation to visit Sam maloof in California where i was attending a convention. His house was almost completely full of his projects including the kitchen cabinets. His wife collected artifacts also, and i commented to him that he lived in a museum. After a whole afternoon imersed in his kindness and advice, he told me to go and build my own museum. Since, I have done so as now about 80% of the furniture in our house are my own projects. We have run out of wallspace so probably need a new bigger house.

Funny about your herk of a bandsaw. I have just the opposite. I bought a 10 inch Inca bandsaw from Woodcrafters there in Portland in the early 80's. I have never had any drift problem either. Can cut the max 6 inch height veneers with the little 2 inch fence and they come out perfect. Maybe quality can be found in smaller things. Inca tools were great; too bad no longer sold in the US.

I live in The Villages in Central Florida, a very beautiful and active retirement community. The Villages spent over a million dollars building a woodshop a few years ago, and it has been continually updated by the membership. There are seperate groups of turners and carvers each with specialized areas in the shop. Many classes are taught by the experts here. If the person is also a golfer, this is golf heaven with now 35 courses and growing. Go to thevillages.com. It may seem unbelievable, but after 5 1/2 years here it is all true.

It is truly a sad day that Sam is no longer with us. I was very privileged to be nvited to visit Sam at his home in the mid 80's, as I was just starting in woodworking. His wife Alfreda, the most lovely woman, showed me thru the house before Sam arrived back home, and I told her it was a gallery. Sam showed be his shop and continued working on projects as he explained them to me. He told me that I too could and should make my home a gallery, and I have. He is a great inspiration to me and untold others. His legacy will live on for a long time.

Thanks luv2smellintro. I am also a great fan of David's and met him when he taught a class in Orlando. Fabulous guy. The description of doing the project on DIY is pretty good, but as always leaves out some things. They also had videos of the two shows, and I referrred to them often as I was building. Do it for sure, It is so great for real, even better than the pictures can portray. You have done some really nice projects and can surely do this.

Very nice table. I made a couple of these about 15 or more years ago, one for a neighbor who was retiring and one I still have in my house. I used mahogany for the base and rosewood and pearwood for the playing suface. It had some nice challenges, especially the board. I think your playing surface pieces are seperated with dowels but it is hard to see on the photo. I know it is very rewarding to make pieces like this and your friend is very lucky to have such a tribute to your friendship.