In the last issue of the eZine, Rob mentioned in his editorial that he had been spring cleaning his shop. This sparked some reaction. – Editor
“Wow! I have heard rumors of clean shops and, up until now, they seemed like just a myth. I need to do some research about these so-called clean shops and see how I can apply that to my dust haven, but for now …” – Greg Little
“Lucky you! My workshop has to cohabitate with the two cars in the garage. Under orders from on high, the sawdust and chips must be gone by nighttime so the cars will have a safe place to sleep. Fortunately, the tools sit on wheels and get to play during he daytime. The purpose of woodworking is to generate sawdust and the tools do their best to accommodate their role.” – Ed
“Limed Oak” Followup
A question and answer in the last eZine that mentioned a “limed oak” finish to achieve a white look sparked some memories for this reader, whose woodworking father frequently used that finish. – Editor
“I was glad to see that someone mentioned ‘limed oak’ finish. I thought about that immediately when I read the question since my father was a master cabinetmaker and he used that some in the 50s-60s. He made a bed and other bedroom furniture in the 50s using limed oak. He died in 1979. My mother used that bed, etc. until she had to go to assisted living in about 2005. I still have an oak table with magazine racks on each end that he made after he got out of the Air Force in the mid 40s. It is still a perfectly constructed representative of his excellent work. It is still the good original natural finish after almost 70 years. I still use things that he taught me when I am woodworking, building Celtic style harps mostly.” – Robert D. Hart
Table Has Shaker Heritage
This reader recognized the style heritage of the Country Pine Table that was offered as a free plan in eZine Issue 349. – Editor
“Just a quick heads-up on the plans you published in eZine 349. The “Country Pine Table” is a variation on a cherry side table originally made at the Harvard, Massachusetts (the town, not the school) Shaker community around 1840. Yours has a through tenon stretcher on the legs halfway down, whereas the original had the stretcher up under the top and half-lapped into the cross braces. That placement was very typical for that community’s craftsmen. They used it on dining tables, too. And the original had a one-piece foot with the leg tenoned into it, not a-two piece foot. It is a beautiful piece, though, no matter how you slice it.” – John Barrett
Furthermore on April Fool’s
And, here at the end of April, we are still hearing about our annual April Fool’s Day edition of the eZine that went out on the first of the month. – Editor
“Wanted to be the last to jump on the April 1st edition bandwagon. It was the best prank I saw all day. You really had me for a while. As soon as I figured it out, I almost laughed myself off the chair. Don’t let the negative comments sway your sense of humor and creativity. Too bad there are such staunch humorless folks who can’t appreciate a joke. Keep up the good work.” – Rich Frank
