Jim Koepke; Thank You

[Charlie Gummer]

As some of you may have read I recently started my hand-tool pursuit. Over the course of the last month or so I've had some very noobish questions w/regard to plane selection, purchase and tuning. Many of you offered very helpful advice and suggestions that have helped me improve my sharpening and planing technique immensely.

Several weeks ago, in a thread of mine on tuning my Stanley #7, Jim extended a very gracious offer in inviting me to his house to help me tune my plane(s). This past weekend my wife and I headed south to Portland to visit my family and it worked out that Friday afternoon I could stop by Jim's.

Jim spent several hours showing me his shop...er candy store...with its IMMENSE collection of hand tools and looking over the planes I brought with me. Jim took the time to carefully demonstrate his tuning procedure and explain, with detail, why he did what he did. I learned more in those ~ 4 hours than I have in months reading on teh web and fumbling about on my own.

By the time I had to leave to meet my wife and mother for dinner Jim had my #7 taking full width shavings and my #4 well on it's way. He even graciously offered to swap frogs and adjusting wheels on the #4.

Jim; it was truly a pleasure getting to see your shop and to have your help in the process of tuning and using these tools. Thank you! I highly encourage anybody just starting out to take advantage of any offer like this. The experience is worth every minute.

[Roy Wall]

Nice post.......I agree heartily with your thoughts..

Jim is a class act through and through - a blessing to SMC!!

[David Gendron]

I agree, Jim is of great knowledge and always there to give an answer or find an the answers!
Thank you Jim!
I wish I live closer to a guy like you!

[Richard Dooling]

Hey I'll throw in too. Jim has always been very giving of his knowledge and time and I've learned a lot reading his posts. I also appreciate that he keeps his end of discussions civil.

Thanks Jim.

.

[Steve Dallas]

As some of you may have read I recently started my hand-tool pursuit. Over the course of the last month or so I've had some very noobish questions w/regard to plane selection, purchase and tuning. Many of you offered very helpful advice and suggestions that have helped me improve my sharpening and planing technique immensely.

Several weeks ago, in a thread of mine on tuning my Stanley #7, Jim extended a very gracious offer in inviting me to his house to help me tune my plane(s). This past weekend my wife and I headed south to Portland to visit my family and it worked out that Friday afternoon I could stop by Jim's.

Jim spent several hours showing me his shop...er candy store...with its IMMENSE collection of hand tools and looking over the planes I brought with me. Jim took the time to carefully demonstrate his tuning procedure and explain, with detail, why he did what he did. I learned more in those ~ 4 hours than I have in months reading on teh web and fumbling about on my own.

By the time I had to leave to meet my wife and mother for dinner Jim had my #7 taking full width shavings and my #4 well on it's way. He even graciously offered to swap frogs and adjusting wheels on the #4.

Jim; it was truly a pleasure getting to see your shop and to have your help in the process of tuning and using these tools. Thank you! I highly encourage anybody just starting out to take advantage of any offer like this. The experience is worth every minute.

Did you get an opportunity to look at any of the furniture that came out of Jim's fabulous shop?

I read an interview once, I think it was with James Krenov, where the interviewer asked him about touring somebody's shop or something along those lines. Krenov said something to the effect - "I'm not that interested in their shop, I'd rather see the living room." Not a verbatim quote but that was the gist of it.

[Jim Koepke]

Charlie, You are welcome, thanks for bringing the beverages.



I agree, Jim is of great knowledge and always there to give an answer or find an the answers!

Given the odds of an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of computers, one of these days I am bound to have a correct answer, right?

Thank you all for your kind words.

:o

jim

[Dan Sink]

So I have to know, is Jim's avatar a self portrait?

As a newbie (and really at this point still just a wannabe) woodworker, I've been amazed reading this board at the number of posters willing to answer the same questions over and over that we newbies post. I think the best measure of someone's passion for something is their desire to teach the subject of their passion to others. Jim is one of several experienced woodworkers on here who are clearly passionate about woodworking. I would name all of you, but I would surely forget someone. So I'll just say thanks to all of you who contribute your knowledge and experience to this board.

[Jim Koepke]

So I have to know, is Jim's avatar a self portrait?

It is a picture of me that is getting close to 20 years old. It was taken at a MacWorld show in the early days of digital cameras.

Here is a picture of my son taken at the same event:

145933

He will be 25 in a few months and is now in the Air Force.

If you would like to see a more current image of me, you can watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtmWSkD_fU

jim

[Richard Jones]

......

Here is a picture of my son taken at the same event:

145933

He will be 25 in a few months and is now in the Air Force.



And please thank him for his service to us and to his country.

Richard Jones
Rice, VA

[Dan Sink]

It is a picture of me that is getting close to 20 years old. It was taken at a MacWorld show in the early days of digital cameras.

Here is a picture of my son taken at the same event:

145933

He will be 25 in a few months and is now in the Air Force.

If you would like to see a more current image of me, you can watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtmWSkD_fU

jim

Well you look the same, just a gray whisker or two in that mustache is all. I'll echo the poster above, tell your son thanks for his service.

[Tom Winship]

Jim, you have truly been a help to me on the questions I have also had. Why don't you move to Central Texas where I can come see you? Seriously, hardly a day goes by that I don't see you offering someone an invitation to stop by so you can help them. If the world was more like this, then it would be a better place.
Tom Winship

[Steven Hart]

Did you get an opportunity to look at any of the furniture that came out of Jim's fabulous shop?

I read an interview once, I think it was with James Krenov, where the interviewer asked him about touring somebody's shop or something along those lines. Krenov said something to the effect - "I'm not that interested in their shop, I'd rather see the living room." Not a verbatim quote but that was the gist of it.

Steve, please share your portfolio with us. I'm sure your skill and innovation will inspire all of us.

[Steve Dallas]

Steve, please share your portfolio with us. I'm sure your skill and innovation will inspire all of us.

Here's one recent piece. FWIW, my shop is a rat hole 1/2 of a small 1940s era two-car garage. I'd be mortified to give a shop tour. I don't have many snazzy tools either. Certainly nothing anybody would ever describe with the word "collection," "gloat-worthy," "tool drool" or any other cool adjectives you can think of.

[glenn bradley]

Given the odds of an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of computers, one of these days I am bound to have a correct answer, right?

But there's only one of you ;). Well done Jim. Your the type of guy that makes forums like this really come to life.

[jerry nazard]

Here's one recent piece. FWIW, my shop is a rat hole 1/2 of a small 1940s era two-car garage. I'd be mortified to give a shop tour. I don't have many snazzy tools either. Certainly nothing anybody would ever describe with the word "collection," "gloat-worthy," "tool drool" or any other cool adjectives you can think of.

Steve,

That be pretty!!

-Jerry