In a Public House

 

I had an hour to kill at lunchtime in Fort Edward, a small city on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, and I thought to give an Irish pub a try. Burgoyne Avenue is named for the British general who passed through in October 1777 on his way to eventual defeat at […]

Build A Smarter Sawbuck

The purpose of the Smarter Sawbuck from Vogt Toolworks is to cut firewood to uniform lengths without measuring, making the process convenient and efficient. Its ergonomic design with open bays allows the operator to stand in close without leaning, adding to safety and comfort.

Set an end of the log or pole flush with the […]

Renouncing Privilege

In the year since the mass outrage committed at the Stoneman Douglas School, the question has loomed large in my mind of how hatred forms, why it underpins so much of human existence, why we repeatedly are unable to take stock of its presence, our choosing, or not, to educate ourselves to contend with it, […]

Charlie and the Alligator

One afternoon in the spring of 1970 a friend and I had an experience on the Hillsboro Canal in south eastern Florida which I have never forgotten. In my family’s Boston Whaler I used to take friends swimming and water skiing on the straight section below the final lock, or water control structure.

 

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Third Generation Decline: It’s For Real!

A subtopic under the generally sore topic of immigration in the United States is the phenomenon of Third Generation Decline. We may like to believe that progress is continual for Americans beginning with the first generation of immigrants, but that is myth. The proof on the ground points in the opposite direction: “By the third […]

A Book of Jokes on Father’s Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This  2.5″ x 4.5″ memo came to my attention years after my father’s passing. It is a record of jokes and punch lines that he kept during his […]

A hip technique that hinges on this simple idea.

How many times do I bend my back in the course of any day? Now that it’s on my radar I can say: a ridiculous number of times. In the workshop alone, between picking up dropped hardware off the floor, tools, pieces of wood and shavings, plugging/unplugging chords and hoses, sweeping into a dustpan, pulling […]

How Strong Is Hide Glue?

Find out by watching Laurel and Hardy experiencing hide glue and shellac in this great episode.

Thanks to Doug Berch for reminding me of this. The wood shop scenes have a lot of fun stuff to observe in the background.

 

North Bennet Street School and videos

On Tuesday February 20th I will be presenting my wares at the historic North Bennet Street School from around 11:30-2:30.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some new videos. The first is about a small Cherry box […]

The Mousieleum

Got pets and need to trap mice in your house? 

Dog-friendly, less mess and cleanup, more efficient, the Mousieleum is a better mouse trapping environment. Read about it here.