Apprenticeship?

[Joseph D'Orazio]

There is a "sawmill" right down the road from me. They do not do regular business though and its often hard to talk to anybody there. I have tried on several occasions. I was there today (I am persistent) wanting to have some cedar logs cut into boards. Still didnt get that done. I did notice, however, this guy who looks to be in his early 70's tucked under one of the buildings and it looked like he was building something. So I go look and of course he wants to know what I want. I tell what I am looking for and he looks and laughs and then says in a low voice, "good luck with those folks on that". He says he's been tucked under that building for a while and he builds counter tops and cabinets. So,I am looking around and seeing really really big planers and equipment that I dont even know what it is. This stuff is big equipment. So I ask him if he wouldnt mind me coming and doing some grunt work for a couple hours a day and maybe learn something. He says he would love that. So, I imagine he is about to work me to death for those two hours a day for a while. With any luck he will pass some of his knowledge on to me. We shall see I suppose.

I spend a week away from this site and yall go and change it on me.

[Bruce Page]

It sounds like a win-win to me. He gets some needed help and you get some valuable training. Just don’t expect to learn it all in a week.

[Tony Bilello]

Sounds like a cool thing to do. If he has anything interesting to sell, send me a message or call, I live a little over an hour away. Matter of fact, a week from tomorrow we will be going up 59 on our way to St. Louis for X-mas.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Sounds like a cool thing to do. If he has anything interesting to sell, send me a message or call, I live a little over an hour away. Matter of fact, a week from tomorrow we will be going up 59 on our way to St. Louis for X-mas.I know Kemah. I like to put in at Channelview and come up the channel and head for that restaurant on the right hand of the slip that has all the native parrots. I live right off of 59 and the shop is right there. I am going to assume you mean tools. If he does I will let you know.

[Dan Hintz]

I've looked and looked for such a situation to present itself... I'd gladly provide my free labor for a great learning experience.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Well, I wound up staying all day. That ole boy likes to teach. I did do some serious sanding today. His machinery is Bridgewood. Big green stuff. Shapers, moulders, all kinds of different saws. Routers mounted on machinery that I didn't recognize. All of his big saws has these things on top that run the board through for you. Lasers on some of it. He does have a big ole 8" jointer that I think he is interested in selling me. I don't know the name-brand, but I will clean the machine off tomorrow and let yall know. He does not use it. Its really large. We made "landings" for multi million dollar homes today. Red oak. a little better than 1 inch thick. We made a bunch of them. They were glue ups. My first time to work with hardwood. There looks to be an old delta planer that he does not want anymore. I will try an get that too if I can. I think he is going to hire me on a part time basis. That works for me. So, I will go back on the morrow and see what else I can learn.

He seems to take orders from folks who want certain moldings, parts for furniture, hardwood flooring, that kind of stuff. He builds furniture when the orders slow down. I want him to be able to take orders but I also want to get to that furniture part too. I've got a long road ahead of me. I know this was long winded, thank yall for allowing it.

One more thing, he did teach me about the winter growth and the summer growth today.

[Dan Hintz]

You lucky, lucky, lucky dog...

[mark kosse]

Joe,

Your lucky at that. I've tried this a few times with no positive responses. There a guy over on Pinemont who saws big oak. He won't give me the time of day.

Mark

[Ben Martin]

I am totally jealous! Good for you!

[Brett Bobo]

Sounds like a great opportunity, Joseph! What's the name of the sawmill--is it M&G in Huntsville?

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Sounds like a great opportunity, Joseph! What's the name of the sawmill--is it M&G in Huntsville?
No Sir, its Booth Lumber. Apparently the owner is an absentee owner and he has some dude running it. Fred, the guy I am learning under, leases space from him. Fred couldnt be any nicer at all. I had a good time today using a 36 inch sander. You just feed that stuff in and go wait on it to come out the other side. We were running 24" x 12' red oak through it today. I spotted some real nice pecan and hickory shorts today. I am going work something out with him for that sort of stuff. I picked up some sort of wood today, I cant remember what he called it but was heavy for a 18 inch piece. He said its so dense it wont float. He had a new roll of 80 grit sandpaper tear on him on that big Bridgewood sander that was brand new. He gave that to me. I used some this morning before I went there and it was a different experience. It actually lasted a long time. Its out in my shop now. Its made in Germany.

I am going to get to bring home some 5/4 red oak next week. I will finally get to build a hardwood bench.

Also, the woodmill part of it is there, very old and complete but nobody is using that section.

[Dan Hintz]

Joseph,

Sounds like it could be lignum vitae... not many woods out there that will sink. Highly rot resistant, makes great naval items and tool handles...

[Will Boulware]

Lucky!! This really deserves a "You Suck!" but I'm very happy for you. Please keep us updated, as this is very interesting.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Joseph,

Sounds like it could be lignum vitae... not many woods out there that will sink. Highly rot resistant, makes great naval items and tool handles...
I forgot to mention that he has offered me a Northwood 8 inch jointer 2 horsepower for $250. I told him that I like the sound of it but I needed to look online tonight and investigate what they are about and get some different opinions. I wrote the serial number down and can not find it now. Ticks me off. What do yall think? There is also a 20 inch planer that he said we can talk about later.


Lucky!! This really deserves a "You Suck!" but I'm very happy for you. Please keep us updated, as this is very interesting.I am gloating a bit I suppose. Sorry about that. I have always wanted to do this but life always drug me in a different direction

[Bruce Page]

Buy the jointer ASAP

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Buy the jointer ASAP
I should huh? I found the piece of paper with the serial. SJ 2030A. I can not find any information on it. I see other Northwood Jointers but not this one.

Unless one of yall cautions me I will tell him I will take it tomorrow.

[Greg Portland]

All of his big saws has these things on top that run the board through for you.Those things are called power feeders. They help keep your fingers away from the spinning parts :-). They also help with the cut quality.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Those things are called power feeders. They help keep your fingers away from the spinning parts :-). They also help with the cut quality.
Thank You. I did learn the name today.

Guys, I am a meathead. I had the name wrong on the jointer. Its Northtech. Made in Taiwan. I bought it anyway. I need one. I hope I dont regret it but I think it will serve me.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Well I am still at it. Looks like I will gain full employment soon. I have not even scratched the surface yet on what I need to know. I love all the hardwood though. I buy my wood for my benches there now. I will make my first hardwood bench this Sunday at my meager shop. I am going to do a Hickory 18 inch wide by 6 foot long top. 5/4 thick. Red Oak case that will be 5 ft long, 14 inches wide by 8inches tall. The legs will be Hickory and be 18 inches wide by 18 inches tall, again with the 5/4 thick. The seat will lift up to reveal two trays. There will be a drawer in the middle.

[Ben Martin]

So did you get the jointer?

Are you sure the brand isn't Northfield? And if it is, for $250, you shouldn't have even though about it!

[Joseph D'Orazio]

So did you get the jointer?

Are you sure the brand isn't Northfield? And if it is, for $250, you shouldn't have even though about it!
The jointer turned out to be a Northtech. I still bought it. Yeah, I read about the Northfields, those are very nice and very pricey.

[Dan Duperron]

Joseph,

I hope you realize how lucky you are. That old-timer has likely forgotten more about woodworking than most of us will ever learn. If I were you I'd continue with your online diary. Not only is it fascinating to read, but it will be fun for you to look back after a while at these first posts and see how much you have learned and grown.

You have the start of a great story here, I for one am anxious to read the next chapter.

[johnny means]

Why do I have such a hard time finding guys that are willing to work and learn for money? I would gladly take on anyone who wanted to learn the craft and was eager and willing.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Why do I have such a hard time finding guys that are willing to work and learn for money? I would gladly take on anyone who wanted to learn the craft and was eager and willing.Seems like right now that more folks would be willing with this economy.

Today we got a shipment in of 4/4 red oak in and we will be making 4 inch x 48 inch x ¾ inch stiles for hospital doors. I am an early riser and will beat him to the shop and probably have that done for him by the time he arrives. I've grown fairly comfortable with the 2 sided planer and his up saw and another saw that I dont know the name of. It feeds the wood through and comes out jointed on one side. Its not a jointer though. Its big. I will make it a point to learn the name of it tomorrow. I already have my eye on his 20 inch Bridgewood planer that he no longer uses. I imagine that is going to cost me quite a bit more than that jointer did.

[Greg Portland]

johnny, post your location (in your profile) and someone may take you up on that offer.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

another saw that I dont know the name of. It feeds the wood through and comes out jointed on one side. Its not a jointer though. Its big. I will make it a point to learn the name of it tomorrow.
He called it his straight line saw. Its got a metal belt that rotates on the big cast iron bed that sucks the boards through in addition to a top feeder. It joints the board smooth. He has a laser hanging from the ceiling that we use to guide the boards through when were jointing them.

[Brian Ross]

You are one lucky SOB. Please keep us updated. Guys like him are one in a million. Give us a location. I was a policeman for 35 years and have always done woodworking on the side. I have learn't more from guys like you are dealing with than any woodworking class I took. There are a lot of great people in the world and you have stumbled upon one. Thanks for posting.

Brian

[kevin loftus]

Wow :eek:, what a great thing to happen to
you Joseph :cool:, Like Dan said keep on telling
us your story, please. :)

[Joseph D'Orazio]

I am still at it. I was at the back of the property yesterday looking at the old old sawmill stuff there. I found out yesterday that some of those tools are more than 100 years old. There is a really big saw there and one of its wheels that carries the blade actually is beneath the ground. I am going to try and take pictures of that next week for yall. That stuff is in working order too. There has been some management changes there and they are trying to get all that stuff sorted out so that they can get back to being busy. Me and Fred stay busy but he keeps his business separate from those guys. I am still producing benches for sale but now I get to run the tops thorough his 36 inch Bridgewood sander now. I am getting ready to start building 10 of them at a time. I get there before he does and thats when he allows me to do my own work.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Ok, I spent the day with Fred under the hood of the molding machine learning how to set it up. Wow, there is a lot to that. Do not be alarmed at the amount of saw dust and wood everywhere. I was alarmed when I first got there. We actually move most of this wood fairly regularly. The shaper shown is 5 years old and has NEVER been used. I will be moving it this week to the spot that my new (to me) jointer was. That is the jointer on the pallet. Its at my shop now.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

more pictures

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Just a few more pictures

[johnny means]

Love the pix. They make me feel better about the condition of my shop.:D

[Joseph Tarantino]

where's the jonter's fence?

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Well, I did acquire the Delta UniSaw and I have what I hope is very good news. I am close to making a deal on an old Oliver band saw. It is HUGE. We dont know anything about it, only that it has just been sitting for years. It all appears to be there. I am trading some labor for it. I found some plates on it with some numbers

Oliver
Machine Number 116-D
Serial 53858

There is a metal tag above it that interesting enough reads "Property of Defense Plant Corp". I did not see a date on the machine. The bandsaw wheels are HUGE. I should have run a tape measure over the table but I can do that on the morrow.

I went to Cleveland Texas today to buy 1650 board feet of Cyprus for some siding one of Freds customers want. That ole boy has tons of Aromatic Cedar. I think I may buy some on my next trip up there.

[Dave MacArthur]

Very interesting, keep posting your adventures Joseph, I enjoy reading about it! Good luck to you!

[Aaron Berk]

This is an awesome thread, keep it up Joseph!

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Coolest thread since Lou's shop thread! You are a very lucky man. Next time I get down that way, do you guys allow visitors?

[Joseph D'Orazio]

I've not asked them, but if you let me know when your down here I will make it happen for you.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Sounds good...probably sometime before summer, I need to visit a few mills in your area for cedar pricing.

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Sounds good...probably sometime before summer, I need to visit a few mills in your area for cedar pricing.
I just saw some aromatic cedar in Cleveland yesterday. It was really nice. The guy there is named Bobby. Best I can tell he dont do online. His place is called ARC something or other. I will get his number and address for you. He had some old woodworking machines himself. Decent shop. He also has a country type store front that he sells stuff out of but I didnt go into his store. I just loaded Cyprus on the trailer and left.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Cool. I always buy cedar in person anyway!

[Greg Portland]

Well, I did acquire the Delta UniSaw and I have what I hope is very good news. I am close to making a deal on an old Oliver band saw. It is HUGE. We dont know anything about it, only that it has just been sitting for years. It all appears to be there. I am trading some labor for it. I found some plates on it with some numbers

Oliver
Machine Number 116-D
Serial 53858

There is a metal tag above it that interesting enough reads "Property of Defense Plant Corp". I did not see a date on the machine. The bandsaw wheels are HUGE. I should have run a tape measure over the table but I can do that on the morrow.

That bandsaw has 36" wheels (i.e. HUGE): http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=11334

[Aaron Berk]

Dude you suck, trading labor for an Oliver???

Man that is such a sweet deal!