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Welcome to the September 2008 issue of the LumberJocks eMag:
From The Editor
A tune pops into my head and I hear that voice singing "turn, turn, turn"... Yes, there is a season and this one, whether it is your summer or your winter, is quickly coming to an end. It wasn't too long ago that I was talking about the beginning of this season and here we are, about to put it to rest.
As time moves on, we each grow as a woodworker. With each item that we build, or contemplate, our skills develop, either fine-tuning themselves or starting anew. Each project has an end but also a process - an opportunity to do better than we did before. I think of my silly little fairy doors and how much I learned between building the first one to the time I built #15. As with anything else in life, it can be easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the end project and forget that the journey is what life is about.
One "reminder" to think more about the process than the product are the LumberJock challenges and woodworking awards! With Martin's help, we are challenged to take our woodworking skills to a new level, to become more precise, to try new things, and to take part in something even if we do not think we can be the big winner.
With this upcoming season approaching, I know that we will be challenged once again and asked to participate and do something that we may never have done before. I hope to see everyone participate and share with us their woodworking journey!
September: a new month of discovery!
~Debbie
LJ Awards & Challenges
Get Tough - Gorilla Glue Challenge
Last month, the LumberJocks were challenged to build something that included wood and at least one non-wood product and put the two together using Gorilla Glue. We had 17 members take up the challenge and it was as exciting as always to see the creativity and the craftsmanship come together to make some amazing projects.
On behalf of everyone at LumberJocks.com I'd like to thank Gorilla Glue for sponsoring this challenge and for donating the 16 (randomly drawn) prizes for the participants.
Congratulations to the winners of the Gorilla Glue prizes:
Grand Prize:
Runner-Ups:
- John
- MsDebbieP
- RobS
- trifern
- Dan Walters
Third-Places:
- RickieD
- Ryan Shervill
- jeffthewoodwacker
- mjon
- Zuki
- drgoodharp
- Bruce
- PaBull
- Karson
- Davesfunwoodworking
Other LJ Events
Before we get down to business....
On behalf of all the LumberJock members I would like to congratulate Martin and Alenka, who got married on August 22, 2008! May each and every day you share together be blessed with happiness!
Survey
"Ask and ye shall receive". Wow -- when the LumberJocks are asked they sure do come through! Yes, last month we asked the members if they'd complete a survey and there were 988 woodworkers who responded! That is impressive. Thank you SO much for the support!
The survey did have a little incentive attached and the random draw winners were:
- Dtugboat (receiving the DuraGrit 5 piece Cutting Wheel Set)
- Billb (receiving the DuraGrit 6 piece Carving Burr Set), and
- Woodnut (receiving the LumberJock T-shirt)
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey and to DURAGRIT for providing the prizes.
Pen Turners' Swap
The pens continue their journey. Check out the blog series, which starts here for the month of August.
And what about a "Pen Turner's Club" in Atlanta? Anyone interested? Check out this post.
LumberJocks' Get Together
Last month there was a get-together of LumberJocks - in Malaysia! If woodworm and Eric can do it - so can you! Check out the blog about their visit and start planning yours today.
Sister Sites
 GardenTenders.com
Membership has grown to 288 and the gardeners at GardenTenders.com have posted over 550 blogs! Is your garden needing some TLC? Check out the site for some tips and inspirations!
 HomeRefurbers.com
Just months into its beginnings, there are already over 200 members who are busy refurbishing their homes and posting their projects and blogs at HomeRefurbers.com. What is your next home reno project?
Focus On...Sanding
| Sanding...
You either love it or hate it! Well, okay, you might also fall somewhere in between - but my guess is that you do have an opinion about sanding!
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(sandpaper holder
by Krisztian) |
| For some, the process of sanding wood becomes a zen-like experience, with time and the outside world disappearing and the focus completely becoming the sanding process and the wood. For others, it is a fiddly, time-consuming, pain-in-the-neck, dusty part of the woodworking process that would happily be passed on to an assistant! Regardless of how you feel about the process, it is typically a vital part of creating an outstanding woodworking project.
Having made that point, it is important to comment on the use of a card scraper. Many LumberJocks state that these tools create a finish that is equal to that of sanding and takes a lot less time because it doesn't leave the sanding lines in the wood. Here are two great blogs on the card scraper: one by Blake and one by Karson.
(Other blogs, projects, and forums tagged with "scraper".)
The following is a tip provided here, by Don, a tip that I always refer back to when reaching the sanding stage:
"The first hurdle is to get the piece ready for finishing. With most woodworking, the objective is to get the surface as smooth as possible. For me, this is usually accomplished with either a scraper, and/or sandpaper. [...] My final step in surface preparation is alway to use what some call (including me) a sanding sealer. This is a shellac based solution highly diluted with mentholated spirits. This is either brushed or rubbed onto the surface of the wood with a cloth. It dries quickly. The purpose is to stand the long grain fiber of the wood up and to make it brittle. Then a light rub with sandpaper, or better, a scraper will knock off this grain. If you fail to do this step, your finish will almost always feel like someone sprinkled grit onto your finish after it was applied. Nothing is worse than to be let down by the feel of grit on the wood after you’ve gone to so much
trouble to produce that perfect finish." For more tips on the post-sanding process, check out this discussion posted here.
Whether you are sanding or using a card scraper, one tip to achieve exceptional quality is to remember to take as much care for the underside and insides as you do for the outer surface! Many LumberJocks have commented how they (and/or customers) have bent down to check out the unseen parts of the woodworking projects. Imagine the different responses you would have if you found rough wood or if you found wood the felt as smooth as silk!
For even more information and inspiration check out these projects, forums, and blogs tagged with sanding.
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Where In The World is MsDebbieP?
With summer quickly drifting away, Douglas and Debbie are ready for their next adventure!
If you would like to be part of the Shop Tours and Inspections send a message to Douglas Bordner, our resident Tour Manager, Writer, and Designer. Inspections are painless and we enjoy getting a peek into other people's shops!
Tutorials & Other "How To's"
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Looking for tips and tricks? Solutions? "Misery loves company" moments? Check out these discussions, posted by your fellow LumberJocks:
FORUM Talk
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BLOGS
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It's Very STAT-ifying
Look at us! We are 5,361 woodworkers making 266,849 comments on 9,508 projects, 5,615 blogs, 440 reviews New and 4,405 forum topics.
MILESTONES
watch for it...... coming up is project #10,000!
Promoting LumberJocks.com
Why Promote?
* more activity means more advertising potential
* more advertising = site maintenance fees covered
* more advertising = more "perks" and services for the members
How To Help
* word of mouth: talk about the site with woodworkers and woodworking companies' managers/employees
* distribute press releases, flyers, etc as they are provided, for special events
* place a link to LJ.com on your personal websites/blogs
* use your LJ profile as part of your business website
* use the badges and widgets provided, on your sites
* let potential advertisers know about our advertising information
* take the time to check out the company interviews posted
* make a personal donation to the site
* purchase items through the LJ Store
* and of course, don't forget to wear your LJ t-shirt or LJ Hat!
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