When Enough is Enough
Two old friends were sitting on the porch with their dog, Old Blue. Old Blue was laying there on his side whimpering and moaning like he was in pain. Joe, who was visiting, asked what was wrong with Old Blue. Willie said that old blue was lying on a nail which was sticking up out of one of the deck boards and that it was painful. Joe asked why Old Blue didn’t just move. Willie’s answer was that it did not hurt bad enough to move, just bad enough to complain about it.
How dull do your tools have to get before you make that trip to the grinder? How worn out does your sandpaper have to be before you throw it away and get a new piece? How dirty and sticky and gunky do the ways on your bed have to get before you take the time to clean them so your banjo and tailstock will slide like they are supposed to? Just how big does that pile of shavings under your lathe have to be before you stop and sweep it up? How long are you going to put up with torn grain before you take the time to learn to shear scrape properly?
Human nature being what it is, yes for me to, we all tend to put things off as long as possible. The challenge is not waiting until where having problems, but being proactive to head them off. Properly sharpened tools are safer, easier to use, produce better results and are much more fun to turn with. If we happen to be turning green wet wood it is mandatory that we clean the junk off the ways of our lathe or the wet shavings can do some serious damage to our very expensive equipment. Too many shavings under the lathe might present a tripping hazard. And of course, we never drop anything into the mountain of shavings and have to search for the better part of an hour to find it.
Woodturning actually is a fun and enjoyable hobby, but as with anything we need to spend at least a little time on the ordinary mundane housekeeping tasks so that we can enjoy everything else we love so much. When I am turning dry wood I start each session by making sure my tools are sharp, that my work area is clean, and that my bed ways have been cleaned and waxed. Turning wet wood is the same except that I clean and wax the bed ways at the end of each session; some things just cannot wait. I would encourage you to develop the discipline needed to keep your tools and equipment in excellent condition so that each lathe session will be safe and enjoyable. Because, wherever you go, there you are.
Here is my inspiration for this week’s message:
Ecclesiastes 10:18 NIV If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.
Proverbs 21:5 NIV The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
S.W.A.T 2015 Report
Sweet Janice and I just returned from another fantastic symposium in Waco, Texas. We were thrilled to see so many friends once again during this annual pilgrimage. I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to hear from so many folks who support these weekly newsletters and tell me they look forward to receiving them each week.
If you’ve never been to SWAT, you should really plan to go. Some people call it the second best symposium every year; well it is not second by much. These folks really understand hospitality and know how to make their guests feel very welcome. The facility is wonderful, the presenters are first–class and they feed us like nowhere else I’ve ever been. This year there were 50 vendors representing every possible phase of turning equipment and supplies. The big dogs from the AAW were fully represented with Phil McDonald, Kurt Hertzog and Linda Ferber.
We enjoyed another wonderful instant gallery and picked up more ideas, if that’s even possible. About the time I think I might’ve learned a little bit about turning, I get to see what other people do and I feel very humbled by their level of talent. I saw a new technology in place, spent too much money myself, and introduced 4 brand new products of my own. I am thrilled at the positive response I received to my new sharpening jig set up accessories and Laser Cut Glue–Up Kits. Although we brought all we could carry, we still sold out of many items and that is a very good thing. Thank you to everybody who stopped by our booth.
I have a couple of new ideas I think you will love as a result of some folks sharing their innovative approaches with me. Thank you for your generosity and for sharing your solutions. I have put them in the pipeline so in due course will have even more new stuff.
A final apology: I find it incredibly difficult to be as diligent as I would like in responding to your emails, order questions and phone messages when I am away at a woodworking show or a symposium. I apologize in advance for those of you who didn’t get a return phone call or email response in a timely manner. I think I’m just about caught up but if you’re still waiting to hear from me, try me again. I will get back to you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your wide and generous support because wherever you go there you are.
Ron and Sweet Janice Brown
