Let me introduce myself [and project pics]

[Karl Stewart]

Hi everyone,
It is my privilege to meet all of you and submit my humble beginnings into woodworking. Briefly I began this journey when my wife and I built a camp in the Adirodacks of New York State three years ago. Ever the frugal Yankee, I informed my builder I could handle the trim, and finish work. My wife was wary but agreed. It took a while but was a great learning opportunity. Most of what I initially produced was along the rustic [read: OK to be imprecise] line. Only up on weekends and some summer time is hard but very fulfilling. View from Giant of the Great Range of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.
52007 52008
My first projects were the butcher block top for the island [when I heard how much one was to buy] and some adk chairs. I found a local hardwood mill who has been great to work with. More learning with selection, drying etc. OOOH I wish I had found smc back then.

52010
Then with the ski weekends with friends I needed bunk beds...got some great 6 x 6 maple with lots of heart. (cheap!!)
52009
And in summer the lake and more friends...definitely need an adk lean to and a birch lined bocce court that missed the photo.

52012

And as soon as I put up a web site I will include more pix of this and that. I appreciate the informed points of view I have already observed and look forward to asking questions...some fun and some silly and hopefully none stupid.

Like most of us, I prefer woodworking for the enjoyment it brings to myself when creating but more so when others get to enjoy it. Any bickering found in these forums is a waste of time. We should get busy and make something!

I wondered about a tagline [after having read so many good ones], but feel I should honor my father [a complete DIY'r] with a couple of his...

Buy the wood when you can afford it; use it when you have the time.

Wood is good. Stone is better. (He was a stone mason.)

Thanx

Karl

[Lori Kleinberg]

:) Welcome to the creek. Pretty nice projects for a beginner:cool: . Keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming

[John Miliunas]

Hey Karl, welcome to the Creek! Great place to hang out and I see you're starting out on the right foot with pictures! :) However, we need to work on getting them a bit BIGGER! :D You're typically pretty "safe" going with pics not wider than 650 pixels and @100kb in size. :)

Anyhow, from what I can see, you're in a real pretty area and have a good handle on woodworking basics! This will be a super place for you to expand your knowledgebase and share what work you have done! Again, welcome...Come often, stay long! :) :cool:

[John Timberlake]

Welcome to the Creek. Looks like you have a great start on some needed items. Keep the postings coming.

[Dan Oliphant]

Welcome to the creek Karl.

[David Duke]

Welcome Karl, look forward to seeing more of your work along with the beautiful scenery.

[Karl Laustrup]

Well, another Karl. And not too far from my place of birth [Troy, NY] and where I grew up until I was 15. Still go back to see family in Troy every couple of years.

Great pictures [they could be a wee bit bigger] and we look forward to more.

Great bunch of people here.

Karl

[Mike Cutler]

Karl.
Welcome to Sawmill Creek, pleased to meet ya'.
That's some nice work for a "beginner". I think you picked up a little bit more from your father than just those two very accurate, and appropiate sayings.

Nice work. Looking forward to seeing some more.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Welcome, Karl!

And the potential tag line, "Buy the wood when you can and use it when you have time" is perfect and completely in line with my philosophy. Timber is so unique that when you see something you like, grab it if you can. In the worse case, you can always sell it for at least what you paid in the future if you don't find a project that grabs you or if your circumstances change. The price of good material is always going up, not down...

[Karl Stewart]

Hey Karl, welcome to the Creek! Great place to hang out and I see you're starting out on the right foot with pictures! :) However, we need to work on getting them a bit BIGGER! :D You're typically pretty "safe" going with pics not wider than 650 pixels and @100kb in size. :)

Anyhow, from what I can see, you're in a real pretty area and have a good handle on woodworking basics! This will be a super place for you to expand your knowledgebase and share what work you have done! Again, welcome...Come often, stay long! :) :cool:
I had some trouble resizing pics to fit under the 107kb limit. Naming it before I saved the pic added some file size. I think saving it and renaming after saving for some reason doesn't [add file size]
If you link to a URL instead of adding attachments [limit of 5 pics] is there a file size limit or pic limit?

Karl

[Jerry Olexa]

Glad you're here Karl...Beautiful country in the Adirondacks, Nice work...

[Rick Peek]

Welcome Karl. I too have a place in the Adirondacks.It is beautiful
country and very rich in history. My passion is rustic furniture
in the Adirondack style. Thru trial and error I have found many
places in our area to buy beautiful wood for my projects. If
you want any info just let me know. Here is a vanity I built
for my bath & will soon be posting a nearly complete
adirondack coffee table (which should be finished this weekend).
I just started learning furniture building about a year
ago and the Creek has been an amazing wealth of info
for me. Keep up the good work and keep expanding on
your projects. The satisfaction you get from furnishing
your own place is priceless!! Besides,rustic furniture
is incrediebly expensive.

[Ron Fritz]

Hello Karl and welcome to the Creek. We love the Adirondacks as well and have spent much time at Piseco Lake.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Welcome to the creek Karl. I went to school at Syracuse, alas I never got around to visiting the Adirondacs in fall, heard it's absolutely stunning.

[Kristian Wild]

Hi Karl, and welcome!
Thanks for the pictures. It's always good to see other peoples styles and creativity.

Ah, the Adirondacks, many fond memories... I do believe I have a picture very similar to that one taken from near the summit of Giant Mountain, (Way too many false summits along the ridge on that one!), and many others in the High Peaks Region. I sure do miss Whiteface too, It was my favourite ski area back home before I moved West.

There's a wealth of knowledge here on SMC, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Take care,

Kris

[Chuck Wood]

Karl,

Welcome to the Creek!!! Great pic's! Very nice work. I too have very fond memories of the Adirondacks. In fact, it is the only thing I miss since moving south.:( I was born and raised in Troy also. Spent a lot of time on Saratoga lake and Lake George.
Keep the pic's and projects coming!:)

[John Shuk]

Welcome to the Creek Karl. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here. I used to spend alot of time in Saratoga. I've always found the people to be very friendly and warm. My wife and I were married there as well. Lots of late nights on Caroline St. with an early morning breakfast at Compton's. I usually make it up for Woodworker's Showcase in March.
Once again ...Welcome.
John

[Brett Baldwin]

Welcome to the Creek Karl.

I only spent two years near them but the Adirondacks are definitely one of my favorite places in the country. Please do keep up the picture taking so we can enjoy vicariously.

[Karl Stewart]

Hi everyone,
It is my privilege to meet all of you and submit my humble beginnings into woodworking. Briefly I began this journey when my wife and I built a camp in the Adirodacks of New York State three years ago. Ever the frugal Yankee, I informed my builder I could handle the trim, and finish work. My wife was wary but agreed. It took a while but was a great learning opportunity. Most of what I initially produced was along the rustic [read: OK to be imprecise] line. Only up on weekends and some summer time is hard but very fulfilling. View from Giant of the Great Range of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.
52007 52008
My first projects were the butcher block top for the island [when I heard how much one was to buy] and some adk chairs. I found a local hardwood mill who has been great to work with. More learning with selection, drying etc. OOOH I wish I had found smc back then.

52010
Then with the ski weekends with friends I needed bunk beds...got some great 6 x 6 maple with lots of heart. (cheap!!)
52009
And in summer the lake and more friends...definitely need an adk lean to and a birch lined bocce court that missed the photo.

52012

And as soon as I put up a web site I will include more pix of this and that. I appreciate the informed points of view I have already observed and look forward to asking questions...some fun and some silly and hopefully none stupid.

Like most of us, I prefer woodworking for the enjoyment it brings to myself when creating but more so when others get to enjoy it. Any bickering found in these forums is a waste of time. We should get busy and make something!

I wondered about a tagline [after having read so many good ones], but feel I should honor my father [a complete DIY'r] with a couple of his...

Buy the wood when you can afford it; use it when you have the time.

Wood is good. Stone is better. (He was a stone mason.)

Thanx

Karl



Glad to hear many of you spent some time in the Adks. I'm jealous of the time some of you get to spend in the shop. It was a cool 40 degrees this weekend, but still plenty warm to work outside. I'm working on a timber framed firewood lean to, using the last of the timber from the initial clearing on our lot. Still have about 90 tall Pine left, with 20 over 75' tall. LOML and I both loved the trees when we bought the place. She thought peace or serenity I think. I thought 'lumber'. Does anyone have any experience with portable sawmill/ bandsaws? Lots of board feet and and wouldn't mind keeping it in house so to speak.

52244 52242


I'm trying to use the old joinery, but for times sake all the power tools possible ! Snow is coming and dry wood is needed. Christmas presents for friends include a lot of chairs. Trying to keep up with demand and stop my wife from buying plastic for the deck.

52241

[The picture hanging in my shop is Norm Abrams standing behind an adk chair with a comment above, 'What would Norm do?' for those times when I sorely want to take a shortcut.]

52243

View of the mantle over the outdoor fireplace. I had friends from [L to R] Georgia, Ohio, Penn, Mass, NC, Md and NH send me stones from their home so we could think of them more in that we see them not so often. My father [the stone mason] at first thought it would ruin the surround but in the end agreed it was better with them. Good motivation for summer reunions too.


I appreciate all of your encouragement and welcome.

Karl