Yadda, yadda, yadda.

A strange discovery; this house is on a "courtyard", basically an alley. Hidden. The house seems to be all block, including the decorative columns and pilasters of the porch.

Yadda .... James Cagney .... google ....

Real basswood flowers.

A few posts back there was a post about basswood flowers.  Ooops, wrong tree. This is not a flowering basswood. It's a catalpa. Below are some real basswood trees and soon to be flowers. What fooled me was the large size of the leaves, which the bottom photo shows on the volunteers from a basswood tree. The leaves on the full size tree are smaller.

I deleted the previous post as I didn't have the time then to correct it, and we wouldn't want any misinformation on the interwebs.

The Bandsaw

 Probably the most versatile tool and in a shop full of dangerous tools, the safest, as long as you have enough sense to keep your fingers out of the line of cut. When a blade breaks, and they do, it's quite startling, though not particularly dangerous, as there is no driving force behind the blade.

My 14 inch Delta getting a blade change. The 14 inch Delta is the standard most bandsaws strive to meet.

I've modified my saw in two ways. First, the standard steel blocks in the blade guide mechanism have been replaced with a graphite and resin block, allowing tighter tolerances with out overheating the blade. Cool Blocks.

I never liked the standard fence, so I made one from some walnut and a bar clamp. This allows the fence some angle adjustability, as seldom will the blade or the stock allow a straight, parallel to the blade cut.

I sometimes add the bullnose for even more control of the angle of cut. When ripping a long board, the angle will change several times over the course of the cut. I mainly use the fence when cutting multiple pieces to the same width. Using the fences, you have to watch both the cut and if the stock is running against the fence. If I'm just cutting one or two, I'll strike a chalkline, and just keep the blade in the line, sometimes using my left thumb as a "fence". I used to, and still do cut mats and backings for oversize art by hand, eye, and line, so I have some practice in hand cutting.

Here, cutting circles with a jig. For ovals, I cut them by hand, as well as any curves. 

A versatile, comfortable tool to use. Table saws, planers, jointers and shapers all can do some serious damage, including flinging wood at explosive speeds. I won't even mention radial arm saws.

Tools, again.

Various tool drawers and holders. Bottom, foreground is a drawer of hand tools; pliers, nippers cutters, adjustable wrenches and a lot of different screw drivers. Bottom, background is the drawer for measuring and marking tools, including moisture meters, ohm meters, tape measures, squares and small rulers. I have both 4 inch and twelve inch Starrett adjustable squares. Expensive, but accurate. Above those 2 drawers is the drawer for the most used carving chisels. I am very minimalist about carving tools, owning and using only a few dozen. Some carvers own and use hundreds. Various brands, Sculpture House, Henry Taylor, Who Knows, and of late, my brand of choice, the Swiss made Pfeil tools, available in the states from Woodcraft Supply. Well designed tools, octagonal handles so they don't roll, and good steel that comes polished and sharpened and holds an edge. The drawer just above the carving tools has small saws, larger files and rasps, carving tools that seldom get used, and odds and ends, including a supply of ear plugs. Brand of choice: Mack's shooters ear plugs, with the highest rating of any of the small foam type plugs, 32 dcb. They also compress nicely allowing them to be inserted easily. Attached to the wall is a small rack for small files, rifflers and rasps. On top of the carving tool chest is a small group of hand planes that see the most use. In the cabinet below the two red drawers are power hand tools, sanders, grinders routers, etc. I occasionally use a router. Mine is a Porter Cable with interchangeable bases; standard and a plunge base. It also is set up to rout circles. See here.

Tools and gadgets.

The big frame wrapped and ready for transport. Glad it's done and out.

For a long time I've carried a small flashlight in one or the other pocket, though I dislike carrying a lot in my pockets. At the top are two incandescent Maglite Solitaires. The problem with them is they throw very little light, and are finicky. Difficult to keep working. With the advent of LED lights, about a year and a half ago I went to a Fenix EO5, the light in the middle. Very bright, and efficient use of batteries, but it has succumbed to blunt force trauma; dropped once too many times. Now Maglite is making the Solitaire in an LED version. Brighter than the Fenix, and has the Maglite focusing ability, though somewhat limited. It now hangs from a Nite Ize S-biner; a double gated carabiner that doesn't pinch and poke like single gated carabiners, hooked to a belt loop.

 Other tools that I carry. That chunky thing is a Swiss+Tech keyring tool, stainless steel, with very functional, though diminutive selection of tools. Then my Case Mini-Copperhead with a wharncliffe blade. The problem with the Swiss+Tech is it makes for a heavy keyring, so I'm upgrading by going heavier. 8-)

 A Leatherman Skeletool CX.

 The blade can be opened one-handed, and closed by depressing the blade lock (arrow), and carefully pushing the blade closed. In the million or so reviews and videos on line, depressing the blade lock is never mentioned. The next image shows the lock button (arrow) for the bits, which are interchangeable. A nice feature. The design of this tool has evolved since introduction, with the bit lock added and blade going from half serrated to full straight. Early models had a tendency to lose bits.

A minimalist multi-tool, and though I gain in weight 1.4 ounces, it's more comfortable as I can clip the Skeletool to my belt. Also, a tool that is easier to use than the knife and keyring tool combined.

These tools are not for heavy use; quick fixes when a single purpose tool isn't at hand. Generally I find single purpose tools more efficient and more capable, but sometimes they are far away, and this tool is attached to me.

The Case knife won't be retired; it will be my "dressed up" carry tool, and though this post is about EDC (every day carry) tools, I don't think I'm going to be blathering on about EDC more than this post. (I didn't realize there is a whole culture of EDC folks out there).