Mark Cothren
08-21-2006, 7:47 PM
This little Cherry box was started by Big Mike as a demo when we met up at Dick Parr's back in June.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/BigMikeBooBooBox2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/BigMikeBooBooBox.jpg
We started it there and then I brought it home to finish up. Here is the story I sent to Mike, along with the box.
And in the Big Mike tradition... this is a true story...:D
------------------------------
If you recall, we started this box at the 2006 Parr-BQ. This is the box that you were using in your demo. I think most of the guys that were there took a turn on the box as you were roughing it out.
If you also recall, this box seemed to be hexed as we could never get the lid to fit right. After 2 or 3 tries…
I took it home with me and started re-working the fit of the lid. I went ahead and took the rim down again and had a very nice fitting lid. I was very proud. I’ll come back to this again in just a bit…
Next, I was using my small spindle gouge that you sharpened up for me and showed me how to use to hollow out the lid and bottom. I was experiencing the smoothest cuts I have had to date while working on boxes. The only spot that showed even the slightest sign of tool mark was right in the bottom corner. So I was making nice, petite cuts in the corner to clean that last little bit up when…………
ZZZZZZZZZIPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had the ugliest catch that started in the corner and spiraled all the way into the center – about 1/16” deep… I was just standing there at the lathe, holding my little spindle gouge, looking at that box, mouth open, eyes glazed…
I unplugged the lathe, laid my gouge down, turned off the light, and went in the house. Needless to say I was very disappointed.
I fully intended to just scrap the box and give up. But after I slept on it a night and came home from work the next day I decided to have another go at it. This time I managed to halfway clean up the bottom. I decided to just leave it like it was – nowhere near perfect – but what I considered to be “salvaged”.
Remember I told you I’d come back to the lid? Well for some reason I noticed a spot or two that wasn’t cut real clean on the flange and I just forgot what I was doing and made another teensy tiny little pass on it. Yes, this was just enough to cause the lid to be loose – again – for at least the third time.
I didn’t say any bad words, but I’m sure I thought of one or two…
So… I manage to get it all finished up… realizing it’s not the best box that has ever been done – but still somewhat satisfied I am, so I apply finish and let it cure. I come back later and proudly take the little box to the buffing machine and start buffing. “Big Mike is gonna be so surprised to see this box finished,” I thought to myself as I smiled.
And then quicker than you can say gooberly goobers the box was yanked from my hand, bounced off the floor, ricocheted off the wall, and then crashed into my dust collector base.
I’ll not bother writing out what went through my mind at this time. I’ve already talked to God about it and apologized.
I slowly made my way over to the box and picked it up. Amazingly I was unable to find a scratch or dent on it. I was shocked. I told myself that was just too fortunate an event considering the commotion that box caused as it rocketed from my hand… bounced off the floor, ricocheted off the wall, and then crashed into my dust collector base.
So, with lesson learned, I restarted my buffing process. Lo and behold, quicker than you could say crymanitley, the box was once again out of my hand… bounced off the floor (about three times it bounced), crashed into my bench, did about 6 flips in the air, and then crashed defiantly into my air compressor.
Yes, that’s right. It happened again.
I picked the box up this time and much to my dismay noticed a few dings in it. I started to get mad, but instead I chuckled and smiled that ol’ Luke smile* and laughingly went back to the buffer. This time I made it through.
I am fairly convinced that the tree from which this piece of wood came was once pee’d on by the mongrel dog of a voodoo witch doctor. It’s the only valid explanation.
So, without further ado, I present to you the “2006 ParrBQ BooBoo Box”. I hope the curse has worn off it by now. Please don’t critique the box – just look at it, put some chicken bones and three green rubber bands in it and then go bury it in your back yard.
And we’ll never speak of this again.
Thanks,
Mark
* A line from Cool Hand Luke
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/BigMikeBooBooBox2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/BigMikeBooBooBox.jpg
We started it there and then I brought it home to finish up. Here is the story I sent to Mike, along with the box.
And in the Big Mike tradition... this is a true story...:D
------------------------------
If you recall, we started this box at the 2006 Parr-BQ. This is the box that you were using in your demo. I think most of the guys that were there took a turn on the box as you were roughing it out.
If you also recall, this box seemed to be hexed as we could never get the lid to fit right. After 2 or 3 tries…
I took it home with me and started re-working the fit of the lid. I went ahead and took the rim down again and had a very nice fitting lid. I was very proud. I’ll come back to this again in just a bit…
Next, I was using my small spindle gouge that you sharpened up for me and showed me how to use to hollow out the lid and bottom. I was experiencing the smoothest cuts I have had to date while working on boxes. The only spot that showed even the slightest sign of tool mark was right in the bottom corner. So I was making nice, petite cuts in the corner to clean that last little bit up when…………
ZZZZZZZZZIPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had the ugliest catch that started in the corner and spiraled all the way into the center – about 1/16” deep… I was just standing there at the lathe, holding my little spindle gouge, looking at that box, mouth open, eyes glazed…
I unplugged the lathe, laid my gouge down, turned off the light, and went in the house. Needless to say I was very disappointed.
I fully intended to just scrap the box and give up. But after I slept on it a night and came home from work the next day I decided to have another go at it. This time I managed to halfway clean up the bottom. I decided to just leave it like it was – nowhere near perfect – but what I considered to be “salvaged”.
Remember I told you I’d come back to the lid? Well for some reason I noticed a spot or two that wasn’t cut real clean on the flange and I just forgot what I was doing and made another teensy tiny little pass on it. Yes, this was just enough to cause the lid to be loose – again – for at least the third time.
I didn’t say any bad words, but I’m sure I thought of one or two…
So… I manage to get it all finished up… realizing it’s not the best box that has ever been done – but still somewhat satisfied I am, so I apply finish and let it cure. I come back later and proudly take the little box to the buffing machine and start buffing. “Big Mike is gonna be so surprised to see this box finished,” I thought to myself as I smiled.
And then quicker than you can say gooberly goobers the box was yanked from my hand, bounced off the floor, ricocheted off the wall, and then crashed into my dust collector base.
I’ll not bother writing out what went through my mind at this time. I’ve already talked to God about it and apologized.
I slowly made my way over to the box and picked it up. Amazingly I was unable to find a scratch or dent on it. I was shocked. I told myself that was just too fortunate an event considering the commotion that box caused as it rocketed from my hand… bounced off the floor, ricocheted off the wall, and then crashed into my dust collector base.
So, with lesson learned, I restarted my buffing process. Lo and behold, quicker than you could say crymanitley, the box was once again out of my hand… bounced off the floor (about three times it bounced), crashed into my bench, did about 6 flips in the air, and then crashed defiantly into my air compressor.
Yes, that’s right. It happened again.
I picked the box up this time and much to my dismay noticed a few dings in it. I started to get mad, but instead I chuckled and smiled that ol’ Luke smile* and laughingly went back to the buffer. This time I made it through.
I am fairly convinced that the tree from which this piece of wood came was once pee’d on by the mongrel dog of a voodoo witch doctor. It’s the only valid explanation.
So, without further ado, I present to you the “2006 ParrBQ BooBoo Box”. I hope the curse has worn off it by now. Please don’t critique the box – just look at it, put some chicken bones and three green rubber bands in it and then go bury it in your back yard.
And we’ll never speak of this again.
Thanks,
Mark
* A line from Cool Hand Luke