Retired, grandpa, house-husband, cranky, computer geek, galoot, neanderthal, wooden boat fan, boat builder, fine scale modeler, artist.
After 40 years in the Information Technology industry, I’ve retired and have turned to more leisurely pastimes. My other blog Access-Matters reflects my most recent professional work, enabling web technologies for People With Disabilities. While I’m still very much interested in that field, I’ll be content to sit on the sidelines and watch for now. There’s lots to watch, such as will Target win or lose the lawsuit brought by blind people who have difficulty shopping the Target web site? Will technology continue to evolve quickly enough to make things like the Target lawsuit frivolous and irrelevant? Will the hoards of web developers ever learn anything about accessibility?
When the weather in my boat shop is warm enough, I’ll be building small, human or wind powered boats. When the shop is too cold, I build fine scale models of small boats. Other times, I travel with my best friend and spouse of over four decades. Occasionally, I sit and draw.
Oh, by the way, galoot and neanderthal are endearing terms for woodworkers who prefer using hand tools, especially restored antiques, instead of electrified high powered spinning knives and blades.
Bob,
I just stumbled over your site~again…incredible! Well done indeed.
I think I’ve been here before, maybe a year or two ago.? Anyhow, I’ve bookmarked it and have some reading to do!
I love the feeling of finding a web site or blog with lots of great info, that’s been around for awhile as this one seems to be. I used to build wooden boats in Cape Breton a few years ago, using power tools, epoxy and the like. I never could get used to the contant sanding and epoxy dust. awful stuff! Anyhow-last year I relocated to Toronto, Ontario and left my boat shop and power tools behind. I’ve been designing and building furniture using only hand tools and can say over the past year I’ve been thinking alot about building another boat using only hand tools. You’ve inspired me today and I thank you.
Cheers!
Hi Tom,
It’s easy to imagine leaving power sanding of epoxy behind. Good riddance!
Yeah, I’ve been watching your blog and your “slide down the slippery slope” of hand tool adoption. I enjoy learning about the tools you write about. Sounds like you’re enjoying the craft. Good luck if boat plans turn up in your future.
Hi, Bob!
I’ve been checking out your website. While I know nothing about building boats, it sounds like you enjoy it a lot. 🙂 And Eva Won is a nice boat! (I also think it’s great that you’ve helped with access to the Web for disabled people—something that is important to me too, but I’m almost computer-illiterate so I can’t help as much as I’d like, except as I’ve mentioned below.)
I’ll try to be concise (not one of my strengths *grin*). Btw, my “website” is actually one page. It’s my catalogue page at Librivox.org (with what I’ve recorded so far & what I still need to record). We liberate public domain books onto the Web so others can enjoy them (it’s my passion now). It’s completely volunteer work & very satisfying. My page doesn’t show all the work I do proof-listening (which I do more often than reading). I’m also very active on the Forums (where all the projects are listed). I enjoy meeting people from all over the world; we put out books in many languages (although I’m only able to work on the English ones). I’ve made online friends from Canada, Great Britain, India, Austria, etc., &, of course, the U.S. We have a blind young woman from Israel who does a lot of proof-listening & even helps coordinate books (BC’ing). There are other disabled people (besides me) who volunteer there. It’s a great website—& I love the number one rule: Be Nice. 😀
I’ll try to keep in touch. Kevin will too, although he doesn’t have as much time as I do since I’m unable to work (he’s usually busier than he’d like to be). But more on what’s going on with us later. I just wanted to say hello, & please tell Eva hello for me too. 🙂 Keep having fun! Joy 😀
Hi Bob,
Great site! Hey I noticed in one of the pics on the rifle stock you made that you are using a Nicholson bench? I have the Nicholson that Chris made and have been using it for a couple of years. I love it except it is hard to get hold fasts to work. I have not noticed the top going out of flat. How is yours holding up?
thanks
john
Hi John,
My Nicholson bench is holding up very well. Love it! As you might see from various pictures, I don’t baby it. It has loads of dents and nicks, and a good number of stains. Yet, it’s staying flat and doing everything I expect.
I did two things to get the holdfasts to work well. First, I added a doubler block below each holdfast location. Just glue a block to the bottom of the bench (no screws to plane into later), wait for the glue to set, then bore all the way through when making the holdfast hole. I doubled the holes for the dogs the same way. Second I abraded each holdfast with 220 grit, rubbed around the iron, for several inches from the bend. The combination gives them a lot more grip.
There’s a build log for the bench and related bench topics at: https://www.bob-easton.com/blog/?cat=11
Thanks for stopping by.