Tiny steps.

And that wasn’t the original title I had in mind a couple hours ago either.

The built in cabinets that I’m labouring over don’t really have any definite plans.  Some ideas are being fleshed out on the fly.  I finally decided on a design idea for one of the doors, checked it with T.C., (I ain’t no fool) and all was just hunky dory.  So then it was time to actually cut some lumber.

Not having gobs or room to store extra lumber, I figured I could rummage around and come up with the pieces needed to make a door.  No biggie.  And it’s going to be stained,  so pine would be just fine.

Anyway,  I don’t really want to talk about it,  since I made a wrong cut,  and now have to go and buy more.  So much for using up scraps.  *sigh*

What a bonehead.

 

Meanwhile though, I was considerably happier earlier,  since I finally got a jointing plane that I made years ago to behave. 

This thing has been sitting in its box for many years. And I’ll admit that it looks a little goofy, especially the honkin’ big grip up front, which I’ve since learned wasn’t entirely necessary.  Hey,  what did I know?   I thought I’d make a plane.  There were no plans,  and was before the internet.

I could never seem to make it work, but I thought I’d give it one more try. 

What I discovered was, first of all,  the blade wasn’t truly sharp.  This is where the “honing guide” from Lee Valley Tools was my friend. 

 

I just stole that from their website,  and I hope they don’t mind.  This is a device I should have ponied up the dough for a long,  long time ago.  Unless you’re really proficient at getting a consistent edge on a cutting tool,  I highly recommend this gizmo.  Seriously.  BUT, that price of $76.50 can make a feller’s butt hole constrict just ever so slightly. 

Doesn’t matter.  Sometimes you just have to suck it up and buy that one thing that makes life all that much better.  On the sharpening end of things anyway. It takes me a while to figure these things out it seems.

*Ahem*

 

Because,  once the blade was properly sharpened,  and with a little bit of minor tweaking of the wedge that holds the blade in place,  I was finally able to joint lumber!

It’s a hard thing to describe.  Kind of a giddy sensation, really.

I mean,  a plane made by a manufacturer,  such as E.C.E. Emmerich that you’ll see below here,  should be expected to work right out of the box.

 

And it does.  It did.

Mind you,  that one is starting to get dull,  which you can tell from the type of shavings it produces.  Even though it’s not the sharpest, it still works.

The Emmerich family have been making hand planes for “five generations”.  I’m not sure what that means in terms of actual years,  but when I went to their tiny factory back in what was it? 2009?  Hans-Jörg Emmerich told me he was the fifth generation of Emmerichs to run their factory.  (OK fine,  they started in 1852)

Actually,  (duh) it’s all on their website.

Back in the deepest darkest recesses of this blog,  there are pictures of my visit.  I just showed up there one Friday mid-morning,  and he gave me a tour!  I know!  I damned near crapped!  As it would have been very poor form to drop a huge load in my drawers, I didn’t actually do that.  But it was pretty damned cool,  I’ll tell ya.

I’m hopeful that by clicking on that link,  you’ll be able to see a pic of Hans-Jörg in their shop.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HLLTFfXH-1ybHotRIbSZs_MbVFKCBAvN6jmuFvP__OColNbnx2Ma1YvWjy1cXyLod5zJz_dSOiKeg5fPe7kUu_qVAUTH8AVtLBnz_pbOV5_Y2jZ5dnUmqhyphenhyphen78EvLeWcRWe0U9nx9vgA/s1600-h/bonn+day+2+022.jpg

 

Anyway,  I’m just evaporating some time here,  waiting for Travelling Companion to get back from her check-up (It’s the one where they squish a couple parts of your anatomy?  And it’s only for ladies? You know the one.) 

Then we’re off again to drop her off at a gathering of some of her previous co-workers.  Some sort of retirement celebration. Not hers.  She chose not to go there.

I’ve offered to chauffeur,  as there may be some sort of libations involved.  D’ya think?

 

We got snow today.  Big flakes.  The thing is,  in the fall when it snows for the first time,  it’s somehow “enchanting”,  or something similar.

This time of the year though?  No.  I’ve seen enough.  The rain is bad enough, since it usually makes it cold and miserable. I think I said something when I saw it snowing that I shouldn’t repeat here. 

Still got those winter tires on the car.  We’ll see how April looks.  It all melted,  but still.

 

That’s it for today.  Maybe for a few days,  who knows?

 

Thanks for stopping in.