June 2015

June is that rare month in which we get the best of spring but without the heat of summer. This year the month was about perfect.  The peonies were spectacular, and the lemon lilies and Siberian irises put on quite the show.

With almost perfect weather and a profusion of flowers, it was hard to get into the shop.  Since I had way too much to do in May, the garden behind the shop was a bit late getting started.  I made five raised beds using 1 x 8 black locust boards.  Still waiting to score more locust for 5 more beds.  That way, I can garden 5 each year and leave the other 5 in alfalfa.

I got to finish a few more “thank you” projects and then carve a 7′ basswood sign for a local cheese maker.  Spring Day makes an assortment of extremely tasty cheeses.

Letter carving is one of my favorite shop activities.  It’s quiet, relaxing and requires a fair amount of thought and concentration.  Basswood is the ideal carving wood: soft, with almost not difference between early and late wood.  Once the carving was done, I gave the entire sign two coats of spar varnish, painted the letters dark blue, sanded the board and added the frame, which was was torrified poplar.  It looks almost like walnut.  Once wood is torrified, it becomes dark, very decay resistant, and stable.  The completed sign got three coats of spar varnish.

In between paying and “thank you” projects I managed to complete the metal sculptures I made at Haystack School of Craft in May.  After the meticulous and lengthy sanding and etching, I made bases for the pieces.  The forge-welded (Damascus) steel really looks stunning, all 352 layers.

All three forge welded pieces, as well as the three plain steel projects are for sale.  Check out the Specials page.

The last weekend in June was a great two day workshop at Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in Warren, ME.  We spent two days making a Shaker 3-step stool, using only hand tools (well, we used the band saw downstairs to cut the arches in the stool sides).  Next year I’m contemplating a simplified version of the lap desk.

C. H. Becksvoort © 2015

May 2015

Spring is here. Summer, too.  Quite the month, with the usual flowers, crocuses, followed by scillia, trout lilies,  apples, crab apples, and finally the lilacs put on a tremendous dislplay.   A few warm days, and the yard and house were filled with the scent of lilacs.

Our last frost was May 18, and after that I put out the geraniums, impatiens,  and the fuchsia.

May is also Haystack month.  The Maine Crafts Association sponsors a Workshop Weekend.  I took another blacksmithing workshop with Dereck Glaser.  Sculptural work this time.  I have a hard time coming up with designs that have no function, but Dereck walked us through a series of exercises which encouraged us to try a few new techniques.  My three pieces are still being polished and etched.  Images soon.  The Maine Woodworkers spent two days after the workshop, to get the wood studio ready for summer: sharpening, fixing, tuning, repairing and making a few new pieces for the office, store and dorms.

After a rough winter in which the snow on the roof slid down and tore the AC unit out of my window, followed by my insurance company which no longer tolerated my woodstove,  I had to make a decision.  I talked to Royal River Heat Pumps and had one installed in the shop.  It’s an amazing unit, that works like an AC in the summer, then reverses and pulls warmth out of the air in winter to act as a heater.  Efficient down to -13°F.  Both the shop and house units were installed in one day.  A great job.

In my shop, I had a few more “Thank You” projects, and two really nice custom plaques.  Suddenly plaques are popular, and I have another one on order.  The big project however was a storage cabinet under my workbench.  It’s a piece that has been on the back burner for a few years, and finally came to fruition, thanks to FWW accepting it as an article.  The biggest challenge was the layout, figuring out what clamps, jigs, tools, and paraphernalia, would go into what drawers.  Once that was done, the actual building was a piece of cake: plywood carcass, cherry face and back, and soft maple drawers.  I used marine hardware to keep the entire front flush.  The result:  three wide drawers, three narrow ones and a 10″ door for sanders and drills.

The workbench was originally designed with a storage cabinet in mind, a very low rail (with a pull out platform underneath), and a high rail just under the top.  Watch for the article in FWW this fall or winter.

C. H. Becksvoort © 2015

April 2015

April, as usual, stated out drab and dismal.  We had flurries and rain and piles of dirty snow, that didn’t seem want to depart.  Then on April 12, spring arrived.  The temperature soared from the mid 40’s to the 60’s, and stayed that way for a week.  The snow melted away and suddenly we had a clear yard.  Snow drops popped up, followed by crocuses and daffodils.  Red-winged blackbirds arrived,  woodcocks, tree swallows and on April 17 we heard the first peepers.  We did have our share of mud, and as of the last day of April, there were still piles of snow in shady areas along our road.  A few black flies have already put in an appearance.

Work-wise, there were a few small items, lots of “thank you” projects, and a tall 5-drawer chest, with two 6″ drawers and three 9″ drawers.

All drawer fronts were from the same board, and I alternated the grain, left to right , then right to left, just for the fun of it.  Inside, there were six dividers and a secret compartment.  The owner supplied “period” hardware, from the ’50’s: half round brown bakelite tubes with a brass rod in the center, supported by two brass pedestals.  Interesting.

Next week I have to prepare for a FWW photo shoot: an under the workbench storage cabinet.

March 2015

Usually there is a hint of spring by mid March.  Not this year.  Maple Sunday was a bust, with little or no sap running yet.  There is still about 2′ of snow in the woods, and our first snowdrops appeared on March 27, in the receding snow on the east side of the house.  On the bright side, we actually had 6 days of above freezing daytime temps during the last week .

Things went much better in the shop.  The big project was a 2-door, 2-drawer side chest, with carved doors.  I really enjoy carving.  It’s quiet and requires concentration and an ability to read the grain.  The texture of a hand carved surface is a nice contrast to the otherwise smooth cherry surface.

There were a few other projects as well: a repaired pegboard and shelf, and four library book racks.  These are basically 2′ x 4′ sandwich boards with 5 shelves on each side.

Snowy February 2015

It’s been quite the month.  The first time in memory that the snow has been up to the middle of the windows.  Granted, most of that slid off the roof, but still, I have snow trenches about 3′ deep around the house and up to the garden shed.  Cold too.  I think we had two days in February when the temperature crawled above freezing.  More nights below zero than I can remember.  Here is what -24°F (-31°C) lo0ks like at dawn: In the shop things have been moving right along, although a bit slower than usual because of a cracked rib.  Just yesterday I put the last coat of oil on a tall cabinet, a custom piece with four asymmetrical drawers, two doors and a few assorted bells and whistles.  The door panels and drawer fronts are made from one piece of figured wood that I’ve saved for several years for just the right project. The grain really moves and shines under the right light.   And of course the doors have the spinners enclosed in the door frames as featured in FWW #246.  Between shoveling the driveway and roof, I also managed to build a small coffee table, which is almost ready for oil.

C.H. Becksvoort © 2015

January 2015, What a Winter

Happy New Year!  We’ve had a “traditional” Maine winter so far this year.  Over 27″ of blowing snow last week, 8″ more on Friday and temperatures as low as -18° F (-28°C for those in the rest of the world).  And windy!   The roof over the two-story part of the house was bare, and all the snow collected on the leeward side, the single story roof over the showroom.  I had to climb up with a snow scoop and get that 7′ drift removed before the next onslaught, next week.This is what it looked like after I got done.  You can actually see the upstairs window again.  What you don’t see is the picnic table to the left of the maple tree, this side of the woodshed.  Completely covered.

However, work in the shop continued, despite the cold and the time-outs for shoveling.  The monster 5′ x 10′ table finally got put into storage, awaiting the completion of the next piece, a modified Enfield cabinet.  Because of the size of the table, I only got a shot of the top, since there wasn’t enough room to move and flip the table over.  That in itself was a chore.

Last fall the Maine Woodworkers Association  had a meeting at the New England School of Metalwork.  A few of us were so enthralled we asked Dereck Glaser for a special beginning blacksmithing evening class for 8 of us.  Every Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks we drove up to Auburn and for three hours, fired up the forges and pounded metal into submission.  Here are my efforts:

I made a handful of hooks, the simplest project, followed by a basic leaf, a leaf pin, a bottle opener, a few handmade nails, door handle, a marking knife, which had to be heat treated and tempered, and two hatchet heads.  They were the most difficult.  The center of the blank had to be thinned to 1/8″ with two distinct shoulders on either side, then bent to form the eye, and forge welded and widened to shape.  Then a piece of tool steel (a section of file) was pounded and forge welded to the tip, shaped,  heat treated, tempered and sharpened.  It was a great way to spend cold winter evenings.

C. H. Becksvoort © 2015

December 2014

Yet another year has slipped away.  It seems that each goes faster than the previous. The weather this December has been less than stellar:  snow, rain, deep freeze, repeat.  We’ve had more rain than snow.  The few times it has snowed, it’s been wonderful.  Below is a view of the shop, seen from the edge of the woods. One of the highpoints of this month was going skating with my son and grandson.  It was the first time in 3 years I’ve been on skates, and the first time with a new hip.  It was also the first time with my grandson.  He’ll be 3 next month and it’s high time he learned to navigate on the ice. In the shop, I’m working on the third biggest project I’ve ever built, a 5′ x 10′ table.  My 8″ General jointer is fine for much of my smaller work, but it just can’t handle a 10″ board.  I had to go to a friend’s shop to use his 18″ jointer to flatten one face of each board, and get the edges fairly straight.  However, electric jointers will leave ripples, some snipe, and holding the last few inches of a 10′ plank down is a real challenge.  That’s where the Lie-Nielsen #7 jointer plane displays its worth.  It’s my go-to tool for light-tight joints.  The only challenge is running it square along the entire 10′ length.  I do own a Stanley #386 plane fence, which I clamped onto the plane, and screwed on a 6″ x 22″ wood fence for added stability.  Planing both edges of six 10′ boards, I ended up with more than a 30 gallon can full of shavings, and five perfect joints. Because of the size, I glued 3 boards at a time, had them wide belt sanded and re-glued the two halves.  Fortunately, I own 6′ bar clamps.  It’s been quite the challenge so far.  The base will be a piece of cake in comparison. The #7 jointer plane is 22″ long, the width of the widest board.  I’m also having custom table top fasteners made.  If they work as intended, they may go into production.  Stay tuned in 2015. Lastly, and unfortunately,  the Shaker Legacy is officially out of print.  Fortunately, I’ve bought the last 300 hardcover copies, and they are available directly from me, signed if you wish.  Not only that, but  With the Grain is going into its second printing and will be available in February or March.  Something to look forward to in 2015. C. H. Becksvoort © 2014

November 2014

This November brought us right into winter.  The last week saw a 9″ wet, heavy snowfall, with lots of downed trees and branches, and a loss of power for 15 hours.  That’s not a good thing when you’re in the middle of peeling chestnuts and making pumpkin pie just before Thanksgiving.  I hauled out the generator first thing in the morning, but only needed to run it for 3 hours before the power was restored.  The snow looked nice, though.  Right after the storm, the weather cleared, and brought us our first night of below zero temperature.

Sometimes when it’s windy and cold, spirit comes into the shop to spend a few minutes, then wants back out.

In the shop, I’ve almost finished a Shaker trestle table.  It’s 8′ long, cherry, with turned legs, and  those nice arched feet.  The center rail is attached to the two feet with 4 bed bolts, the nuts of which have to be buried and concealed in the rail.  It’s always a challenge to hide a 3/4″ nut in a 1″ thick rail.  You have to look carefully to see them.

On long tables and any glue up longer than 6′, I use my Lie-Nielsen #7 jointer plane to match the edges of the individual boards.  They get clamped to the shooting board, and planed until the entire joint between the two adjacent boards is light tight.  My 8″ power jointer can’t do that.

On a 40″ wide top I glue up two halves, have them wide belt sanded, then glue them together.  Once the base is assembled, and the top glued, it’s ready for breadboards.  They were supposed to be done last week, but Thanksgiving got in the way. In two more days  the table will be done, sanded, and oiled.  By the end of next week it will have had 4 coats of oil, and will be ready for its trip to Oklahoma.

October 2014

Another October, another busy month.  There were several highlights: the 3 day class at New England School of Metalwork (see below), our annual Open House, Shaker Friends Work Weekend, and another clock made in the shop.

Our Open House, October 11 & 12 was a great success.  Held this year in conjunction with Maine Craft Weekend, we had loads of visitors.  The Maine Crafts Association had a listing of all participants, with maps on the web, and made bright orange road signs available.  We had donuts and cider from Thompson’s Orchard, and spice, lemon, chocolate, and cheese cookies made by Elise.  Visitors toured the showroom and the cleaned up shop.  We talked wood, furniture, and sold a few books, DVDs, several cabinet doors, a stool, and even the box featured in FWW issue 239.  Looking forward to next year, which should be bigger and better.

October 25 was Shaker Friends Workday.  It rained the day before, but Saturday was bright, dry and sunny.  Over 60 Friends, and many new Friends, showed up to move picnic tables, pull weeds, remove screens, cut brush and rake leaves.  There were tons of leaves, trailer loads, which had to be moved.  Unfortunately, as seen in the photo above, there were still lots of leaves left on the trees.  The noon meal was delicious as usual,  and it was  a great opportunity to socialize  to re-connect with folks, we sometimes only see once or twice a year.  If you’re interested in joining the Friends, check our website: http://www.friendsoftheshakers.org/index.html  

One of the reasons that October is my favorite months, is that it’s my birthday month.  This year I treated myself to something I’ve wanted for a long time, a Silky pruning saw.

This Silky pruning saw has two extensions and opens to 16′ in length.  The handle is oval aluminum and is  stiff with almost no flexing, but it’s the blade that makes this saw so amazing.  The teeth are extremely sharp and aggressive, and zip through dead pine, hemlock, ash or maple branches.  After years of using a wooden pole pruning saw, the Silky is a real treat.

Lest you think that I spend all my time taking classes, volunteering or spending time in the woods, I do keep regular hours in the shop.  This month I built a walnut and oak railing and newel post, restored a school desk, and built a Shaker tall clock, my favorite version.  The original was pine with a mahogany stain, but I think it looks stunning in black.  This one is maple, with a bit of figure in the back, so when you open the door to see the weight and pendulum, the interior is bright, natural maple.  A real contrast.   The movement, made by David Lindow, is  hardened brass,   exquisitely made and polished, with a 1-second escape (60 tick-tocks to the minute).  A real gem.

C.H. Becksvoort © 2014

Pattern Welding

Bear with me, I’m off on yet another metal working episode.  Last week I took a 3 day course in pattern welding with Nick Rossi at the New England School of Metalwork http://www.newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com/index.php  It was an amazing, educational and fun.

We stated with 6 layers of high carbon 1095 steel, interspersed with 5 layers of 15N20, high nickel steel.  These were welded onto a handle, heated, and forge welded into a solid block.

The blocks were repeatedly heated

and pounded  on the power hammer, until the billet went from the original 4″ long to 10″ long.

We then scored the billet, and folded it over on itself, forge welded again and repeated the process, 4 more times.  Starting with 11 layers, folded to 22, to 44 to 88 to 176 to 352 layers of steel.

Then we ground alternating grooves on both sides of the billet,

re-heated it, re flattened it, ground, sanded and finally acid etched it, to produce the ladder pattern:

Another billet was randomly drilled,

then heated, pounded, flattened, ground, sanded and acid etched to produce the raindrop pattern:

We made yet another billet, this one only folded into 88 layers, formed into a round, heated to bright yellow, and twisted about 4 rotations into a spiral, to make the twist pattern, similar to my original letter opener (see May 2014).

All in all, a great 3 day experience, with a lot learned and great fun had by all.  I would definitely recommend taking a NESM course, especially in the winter.  With 3 gas furnaces going, the thermometers in the class maxed out at 125° F.  That, and a few splatter blisters, really made you feel alive!  Next on the list is the finishing course: relaxing the metal, shaping grinding and polishing the billets into blades, heat treating, and handle making.  Quite the change from woodworking.

C.H.Becksvoort © 2014