Diggin' dudes found a new tomb in Egypt, and by "new" I mean new to them - that sumbitch is old they just misplaced it:
I'll leave the readin' to Chip, I only know "Eye before Seagull except after Triangle". But check out that sculpture. Carved in the living rock, bigger than life, so stiffly posed that even after more than 4,000 years the guy has not even relaxed his arms. Can't see his feet, but at most, one foot might be slightly ahead of the other - oh, those whacky Nefer Ir-Ka-Res and their new fangled styles, am I right?
Anyway, time passed, Greeks learned to carve marble from the Cycladic sculptors, went even crazier and introduced all kinds of movement. Even more time passed, all the greats came and went, Michaelangelo, Canova, Bernini, Carpeaux, then we get to Rodin. We were talking about Victor Hugo the other day and I was reminded of Rodin's portrait of ol' Vic.
And as good as that it, what with a hovering muse and whatnot, it is no Balzac:
I have seen that one at various museums around the world, but that picture doesn't really do it justice. There are other views on the internet if you want to search a bit. In any case, who hasn't had days like that, eh?
I was able to get some work done this week, between shoveling snow and tending to other chores. Fifteen years ago or so I sawed up a red maple, not long ago I posted a picture of the slab I got out of it. Slabbed it using my Stihl 090 with a 60" bar and an Alaska mill on it. Glad I did that when I was young - hoowee, I get tired just thinkin' about that these days. In any case, I sawed one of the resulting slabs into two pieces and used one piece to make the legs and apron pieces and the other piece for the top.
I really don't like working in the cold and snow. But I got 'er done.
I also finished up a gift for some friends:
This is a black walnut box with a sliding top, overall dimensions are about 5" x 10" x 10-1/2". The top is two pieces of book matched black walnut crotch, joined using biscuits. You know how we like our biscuits down in these parts.
The bottom board is an old piece of western white pine that I have had knocking around for decades, so why not use a keepsake board to make a keepsake box.
Anyway, market season is over, I no longer have to load up my truck and carry my work to the big city. Time to rest, reflect and lollygag in the big pile of benjamines I earned for my year's labor. I love it when a plan comes together.
13 comments:
Nice work, Sixty. This is really freaky, but I watched that very same video a few days ago. Don't remember why I stumbled across it. Biscuits are easy. Self-rising flour, buttermilk, and shortening. 4:2:1 ratio, respectively. Don't overwork the dough. 400 degree oven.
I love the table top. I need a good durable material to use as a top outdoors. Stone or concrete would do, but I think too heavy as the top doubles as a lid. What wood would work?
Lemme guess, lemme guess.
The kind of wood used for boats. Teak.
Teak is out unless they make a veneer.
Maybe teak planks — like they used on ship decks — but how thick is it?
Always a pleasure to see what a real wood worker can do.
Ipe is the go-to outdoor wood these days, but even as silica-rich and dense as it is, it will eventually fail due to sun and water. The only teak available these days is plantation grown teak and those who know say it is of a lesser quality than the teak obtained from natural forests. I only use local woods so I can't speak to that point. Around here I would use white oak, knowing that even as weather resistant as it is, in time it would return to whence it came.
There are composites - sawdust in a some sort of plastic resin, but I think the CA sun would eat up that stuff in no time. Were I creative I might figure out something using Hardie Plank boards, as it is cementatious, mmm, fiber cement board. As always, it boils down to budget and engineering. Sounds like an interesting project.
And thanks, Dad Bones, some days even the humblest of woodworkers gets it right.
Windbag, you crack me up. My ol' momma always made biscuits, and my ol' daddy ate 'em all up. They are both gone now, so I don't eat biscuits - they seem dangerous somehow. Or, as the billboard I passed yesterday says "Biscuits, spoons you can eat!"
chickenlittle, if you want function over beauty, just use pressure treated plywood for your table top. You can always band the edges with strips of pressure treated lumber.
I'm surprised Norm Abrams hasn't commented on this thread.
I never met Norm, but I am sure I have mentioned that I have met Tommy Silva a couple of times. "Tawmy" cracks me up - he is an excellent carpenter and all around funny guy. For a Y*nkee, you know...
Sixty, they are dangerous, but smother them with some red eye gravy and they're lethal.
come and try my dixie biscuit.
Rodin rated his BIG head Balzac the best thing he ever did. He also did a naked Balzac with a BIG belly. Then he put down his tools...or dropped them - same thing - and walked away....
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