Week 8. Term Two.

The happy Chippendale family with Scott Grove

This week we got a visiting tutor from across the pond to teach us advance veneering skills. The man certainly knows what he's doing and has imparted some handy tips around the workshop. I'm rather glad that I'm not actually doing a veneering project this term, as there has been more than one muttered curse around me now that we've come to the realisation that some of the techniques we've been taught are, well, let's just say not the best ones to use. Don't get me wrong, I like our tutors - especially Sandy, without whom I would never be able to get anything done, and its certainly the case with woodworking, as with all else, that one can't be an expert in everything. And as everyone keeps saying, there is more than one way to skin a cat. But Scott has certainly shown the team up in this field, and in fact reminds me of the short time I spent with John Lloyd (except that Scott is slightly annoying in that super-enthusiastic, can-do, all-American way).

Jonathan supervising the veneer conditioning.

Jonathan works well as a weight, clamp or press. Just don't feed him too much.

Work on my project is still ongoing, in case anyone is keeping track

This week has been a little up and down. The bad news is that I've been struggling some more with routers, and am a little worried that I may never be a professional woodworker because of my fear of routers. I just can't use the bloody things. My encounter with end grain routering on the table router last term damn near broke me, and then this term the handheld router jumps up and tries to stab me in the stomach, not once, but twice! Hmm, fashion anyone?

The good news is that we've found more uses for our Jonathan. Not only is he a handy measuring tool, but he also comes in a little portable size suitable for use as a weight, clamp or press.