Chicken Soup for the woodworking soul - Recipe

Congratulations on your new arrivals - whatever they may be.

I used a similar formula/recipe (accumulated proceeds from eBay sales) to fund my latest acquisitions - the clamps I thought I would never own - the Bessy-K 25/50 pairs from LV. I'll let you know what they taste like - next January...

BTW, it's "Starrett" - you may have gotten a Chinese rip-off if there's only one T. Since mine are nearly 28 years old, and are from another era/life, I could be wrong about that...

But I still marvel at their workmanship and quality - as with the Veritas sliding bevel gauge I received for Christmas last year.

I love the feel of a nice tool in the hand - it is pleasing to own such a thing even when only gazing upon it's excellence and marveling at the dependable precision.

Somehow, that last paragraph sounds a little odd...

And kudos for a post that doesn't involve trolls, kooks, politics, or a myriad of other agitating topics. SWMBO arrived back from Las Vegas/CA and I just haven't seen much worth responding to since.

Greg G.

Looks like the local Rockler is fixing to have their 40% off sale on Bessey's, and I could always use a couple more 24 inchers ...

Heretofore they've been far to high cla$$ for my blood, so I haven't learned the correct spelling. Hell, I only just learned how to pronounce "Leigh" a few years ago.

Know what you mean .. my Veritas low angle block plane is indeed a thing of great beauty.

In retrospect it was kinda of a stupid post, but damn if it hasn't looked like a wasteland of kooks, blind leading the blind, and s******ds around here lately, so it fits right in.

Speaking of Bessey's, are they really that good? I've been using pipe clamps and aluminum bar clamps, by always have the problem of having to stagger them side to side to avoid bowing - and even with cawls, it's a PITA doing wide panel glue-ups.

"Fixing to" - an expression I use and the better half makes fun of. Must be a southern thing... But she is from Pennsylvania, and has far more of a "southern accent' than I possess. So, go figure...

Yeah, I know what you mean. I _never_ would have bought Starrett's for woodworking purposes, but since they're just laying around...

My favorite pocket tool tends to be a fractional inch/mm dial caliper from Highland Hardware, and a nylon version bought from Lowes on closeout for 'less critical' things.

And if'n it's any consolation - I _still_ don't know how to pronounce it.

I don't have a nice selection of planes just yet. Only an old fettled Made In USA Stanley block plane and some cabinet scrapers. Had nice jack and smoothing planes _years_ ago, but someone decided they needed them more than I.

Nothing stupid about it at all... Noticed you've not been as active the last few days, figured it was a big new project - or the other...

The Mother of All Pointy Sticks was an interesting but OT thread.

Greg G.

Yes.

Swingman wrote:

Official Marketspeak:

• Jaws are parallel - so you don't need shims, and they don't mar. * The jaws are large - so you need fewer clamps * The jaws are covered with no-stick plastic, (glue comes off easy) * They lay flat on a flat surface, sideways or on end * Can apply 1000 pounds of pressure (very important when you want to starve a glue joint!!)

(I wasn't in the market, but with the buzz here, and the big sale, I bought 6).

I just checked and "Bessey KBK2440 Cabinet Door Clamp Kit" is still on sale from Amazon for $99, list price of $230.

The first glue up with a Bessey makes you wonder:

"What the hell was I thinking when I didn't buy these ???"

It's that little moment when you think you have passed one of those invisible barriers in woodworking.

Yep....time to step up to the plate...buy somthing that people will fight over at the estate sale.

Greg G. wrote:

Greg G.

That would rhyme with sleigh, wouldn't it?

Speaking of Bessies, I bought my first ones at Woodcraft during the sale. I compared them (after getting them hoime) with my existing Jorgie Cabinet Masters (all two of them). I think I like the CMs better although not a lot of difference. I just read something about the new Jet parallel clamps and they sound nicer. Has anyone bought some that can compare/contrast them with the Bessie's and the CMs?

Dave Hall

You would think, but no ...

I'm from Vermont (damn yankee!), and 'round these parts, it's "fixin' ta".

Care to elaborate? I'm on the edge of my seat here...

Greg G.

Having spent a year in New Jersey, I can't complain about _any_ of the colloquialisms I've heard since... Or the water, either...

Greg G.

Rhymes with "flea".

"Tim and Steph" wrote in

Actually, if you stay put in Vermont the adjective isn't necessary. ;)

Otherwise, it's damned carpetbagger Yankee. ;-)

Greg G.

"Swingman" wrote

Actually, didn't have to wait that long. Lee Valley, always managing to exceed expectations, shipped them in time to arrive yesterday.

I didn't get a chance to open the box until this morning, but at last I am in sync with Madison Avenue - Christmas in November.

You are a better man than I.

There NO WAY that box would have been sitting there, unopened, all night....