Ken Fitzgerald
12-03-2006, 11:54 PM
I hit the New Posts hot button and saw a thread titled "Itty Bitty Contest"..........I noticed it was in the turning forum and being a life long flatlander thought......."What could they be turning that's Itty Bitty"? And so I opened that thread.........Almost immediately I realized that some folks were definitely under the influence of something....after reading some of the posts I determined that most were under the influence of exotic wood shavings and the other guy was under the influence of Moxi! Well, a couple of short exchanges with some of the inebriated inmates led to a tag signature game that carried on through January. In the meantime I was both entertained and amazed by the "Itty Bitty" turnings of Bill Stevener, Carole Valentine and others. Now most of these folks were pretty friendly (I still think exotic wood shavings has the same effect as smoking dope or drinking beer or wine) and we had a few good laughs. The guy that was doing Moxi....well he and I got into this shove me...pull you match.......Well then the inmates decided they'd "Bomb" me. Then when they announced the plane carrying the package had departed and they were tracking it......well....suddenly they got worried about the words they were using.....bomb...ground zero....target area...etc. and they were sure the NSA would be watching them. I thought I was getting a box of exotic wood shavings......I got my Jet Mini.......and tools....and money....and blanks of all kinds.......It was late February before I got around to using the lathe. I was PLANNING to finish my shop first but I got tired of listening to the inmates whine so....I took my Little Giant ladder system.....placed a 10' 2x12 between the two sections and gave birth to the diving board turning bench(which is still working well as of 15 minutes ago..thank you....no derogatory comments please). I purchased more tools, a grinder, wood....I turned a few spindles and then took off for the first inventive thing I've made.........."The Official Idaho Salmon Bonker".... And the rest is history.....I've turned bowls
.NEs....goblets....pencils....This afternoon I turned my first rudimentary Christmas tree ornaments...I'm getting ready to turn some table leg extensions for a friend and customer. I'm getting ready to turn some bubinga knobs for a fellow Creeker's project.
NOW MY SHOP STILL ISN'T FINISHED! I USED TO ALWAYS HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN MY BILLFOLD....THAT'S PAST TENSE.....I'M BROKE.....MY WIFE ACCUSES ME OF SPENDING ALL MY SPARE TIME EITHER TURNING OR PLOTTING HOW I'M GOING TO GET MY NEXT TOOL OR MY NEXT FIX OF EXOTIC WOODS. SHE SAYS THAT SHE'S SURE THAT CREEKERS ARE HELPING COME UP WITH NOVEL WAYS OF HAMMERING HER FOR NEW TURNING TOOLS............SHE SAYS IT'S THE FAULT OF ALL THE FINE FOLKS HERE THAT CAUSED ME TO BECOME A SPIN CRACK JUNKIE.
It was just about a year ago today that I walked too close to the fine line. My dad told me many times as a kid...."If you lie down with dogs...don't be surprised if you wake up with fleas"....(I'm cyber scratching right now). He's been dead for 34 years ..........He gets smarter everyday!
Yup as near as I can tell......it was about a year ago today I wandered into the turner's forum.................and shortly there after I got shoved into the vortex!
Doggone I'm having fun!:D
.NEs....goblets....pencils....This afternoon I turned my first rudimentary Christmas tree ornaments...I'm getting ready to turn some table leg extensions for a friend and customer. I'm getting ready to turn some bubinga knobs for a fellow Creeker's project.
NOW MY SHOP STILL ISN'T FINISHED! I USED TO ALWAYS HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN MY BILLFOLD....THAT'S PAST TENSE.....I'M BROKE.....MY WIFE ACCUSES ME OF SPENDING ALL MY SPARE TIME EITHER TURNING OR PLOTTING HOW I'M GOING TO GET MY NEXT TOOL OR MY NEXT FIX OF EXOTIC WOODS. SHE SAYS THAT SHE'S SURE THAT CREEKERS ARE HELPING COME UP WITH NOVEL WAYS OF HAMMERING HER FOR NEW TURNING TOOLS............SHE SAYS IT'S THE FAULT OF ALL THE FINE FOLKS HERE THAT CAUSED ME TO BECOME A SPIN CRACK JUNKIE.
It was just about a year ago today that I walked too close to the fine line. My dad told me many times as a kid...."If you lie down with dogs...don't be surprised if you wake up with fleas"....(I'm cyber scratching right now). He's been dead for 34 years ..........He gets smarter everyday!
Yup as near as I can tell......it was about a year ago today I wandered into the turner's forum.................and shortly there after I got shoved into the vortex!
Doggone I'm having fun!:D