AWW revamped web site

Listen buddy, if you're going post something that has to do with woodworking, at least have the courtesy to mark it "On-Topic" in the subject line. Sheesh.

;-)

No kiddin'.

Don't you hate a trouble maker?

Just because the election is over, doesn't mean you have to go back to the old ways of talking about woodworking here.

BTW Steve, I > your rockers.

Did you take the Maloof class or a class from one of his students? There is a guy that lives north of me that has been making them for years, and does wonderful work as well.

And unlike most "craftsmen", "artists" or "professionals", Robert Hensarling is supposed to be one of the nicest individuals you will ever meet.

Anyway, how many of those have you built?

Just curious...

Robert

Thanks! :-)

I wish! Of course, I really *should* do that while the genius himself is still with us.

Yes.

Very much so. He does have a specific method so it's not entirely by the seat of his pants, but I'm much more particular (read: anal!) and I no longer follow the same methods he taught me; I've also made several design changes along the way. Robert makes it clear that he doesn't consider himself a polished and well-schooled woodworker, and he speculates that his students will most certainly find better ways to accomplish the job than what he teaches.

Absolutely. A very kind, humble, and interesting man. In fact, if any random fellow woodworker just happened to be passing through the Uvalde area I'm sure he would welcome a visit. You might email him first though... :-)

Only four so far, but I have enough lumber in reserve (Honey Locust, Black Walnut, and Sugar Maple) for at least three more. Now if I can just get some of these other projects out of my way... :-)

Someone once posted here a link to free online videos of a Sam Maloof seminar he gave at some college. While I was not so ever interested in the swoopy design stuff he does, I watched every one of the videos enthralled at the cool techniques and the very genuinely nice man and he had some great stories.

His way with a bandsaw is noth> >

I hope when you finish another that you post the results. I thought the Honey Locust chair was great.

I have seen the Hensarling chairs made from different species of mesquite (all gorgeous), black walnut (beautiful - stunning), maple (elegant) and curly maple.

The curly maple - really curly! - conflicted with the lines of the chair, and it looked like it was made in a circus. To top that off, the guy that made the chair did some fine woodwork, but stained the maple with no prep other than sanding. He stained it with some kind of "mahogany" stain and it looked like it belonged on a Depression era porch. He then brushed on varnish, and it was obvious he was a much better woodworker than finisher. It was painful to look at the chair.

I was up there a couple of years ago, and dropped by the shop to see if I could chat with Robert and maybe buy him a barbecue sandwich at his favorite place downtown. He wasn't there, and his Dad was off buying machines for yet another giant piece of equipment that only he knows how to repair.

There was an older fella in there (not his Dad) that was selling jewelry boxes in the front area that used to be the office when his shop was a diesel/heavy truck repair shop. The gentleman told me that unless Robert was filling orders or giving classes, he spends his time with his new passion, making knives. (I am starting down that slippery "edged" slope myself....) Robert has been making knives now for about 6-7 years and he has made some beauties. Art knives, not so much users.

I was just thinking about the odds of encountering someone that has taken one of his classes. Wow. I guess the internet makes the world a pretty small place sometimes.

Robert

Thanks. Beginning with that chair I started documenting the process (mostly in photos, not all of which were very good) so I do have some more photos I could post. Someday I may even have a full blown set of step-by-step plans, but since Robert has the copyright on the original design I don't think I'd be at liberty to release any of that without his permission. I'd want to give him co-author credit anyway.

I'd love to build a few dozen chairs (or even one!) from Mesquite, but it's hard to come by lumber big enough and clear enough to do the job. Robert lives in Mesquite country and he has his own Wood-Mizer and dehydration kiln, so it's a bit easier for him.

I think I may have seen that particular chair; yeah, the finishing job needed a good coat of pink latex to make it look better. And just to be clear for anyone reading: Robert did not build that chair; one of his students did. Robert did build at least one chair from curly Maple, but he said it was such a pain to work with (relative to Mesquite) that had no plans to do any more. His chair was not stained (I think he just used his standard "spray it with a couple of coats of lacquer" approach) and it looked great.

Bummer. We ate lunch at that place and it was quite good. I thought Robert's woodworking shop was impressive enough, but he and his dad have this whole other passion with antique equipment and stationary hit-and-miss engines that blew me away.

Robert had some real problems with his back around that time; in fact, he had to go in for surgery (a couple of times I think) and he got to the point where he almost had to give up making chairs (which is where the knife-making thing got started). I guess he's doing better now because he's still giving classes and selling chairs, but I'd like to catch up with him to see how he's doing. I haven't seen him at the Mesquite Festival (in Fredricksburg) in quite a few years, so maybe it's time for a trip to Uvalde. :-)

Indeed. It's happened for me many times.

Yup. And I proceded no further. I get enough spam already, thank you.

Reply-to address is real John

Get a copy of RealPlayer.

Correction, get a copy of a Realplayer clone.

DO NOT DOWNLOAD the real realplayer. You will never find a bigger cesspool of malware, spyware and who all knows what else. Not only do they not tell you that you are downloading all this crap when you get their product, but if you should erase their product, ALL THE CRAP STAYS ON YOUR COMPUTER!

There are a number of freeware realplayer clones available. I personally refuse to use any form of realplayer on my computer. I figure if anybody is going to get in bed with these scumbags, I am not interested. With realplayer's reputation being what it is, what legitimate business would want to have anything to do with them?

Nuff said.

I have been using Realpayer for years. Just downloaded again about a month ago. I have never had any problem with it. Neither has any one I know. They must be targeting just you.

They did not ask for an email address from me.

John wrote: