Visit from a creeker...Mr Shupe!

[Jim Becker]

Martin Shupe dropped by today as he was in the area on business and had some free time for woodworking-related pursuits. After a shop and house tour, we headed off to the Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show at the convention center downtown to drool over the really great work. We both agreed that alll the craftsmanship was outstanding, even on styles that are not personally gratifying for either of us. After the show, we returned back to Bucks County and had a tasty dinner with Dr. SWMBO some other friends of ours. I really enjoyed his visit and all the nice conversation about woodworking and aviation.

Pics:

1) Some incredible segmented turnings and sculpture

2) A very unique table design at the show

3) The guilty parties...

[Martin Shupe]

Jim,

Just wanted to thank you publicly for your wonderful hospitality, and your kind gift of a cherry bowl. I really enjoyed our wide-ranging conversation, and thanks for rewriting your schedule so I could attend the show with you. It was inspirational, and I would recommend it to anyone in the area.

[Bill Grumbine]

Good morning Jim

You probably already know this, but I spent Sunday afternoon with Martin. We had a lot of fun too, and since none of the ladies were around and we had to fend for ourselves, he insisted on taking me out for dinner! What a guy. ;)

Bill

[Jim Becker]

He was probably hungry since we only fed him veggies the night before...<G>...and what better way to deal with that than to take his excellent instructor out for a bite!

[Bill Grumbine]

Yeah, he mentioned the veggies, but said that they were very tasty. We went to Outback, and we each had a manly man 17oz ribeye! :D I hope he posts some pictures of his knobs he turned. He did a great job with them, and I am looking forward to hearing the reaction of the rest of his air crew. He was intent on fooling some of them I believe.

Bill

[Todd Burch]

Hey Bill - was he turning mahogany that he brought with him? If so, it might have come from my shop!!

[Martin Shupe]

Yeah, he mentioned the veggies, but said that they were very tasty. We went to Outback, and we each had a manly man 17oz ribeye! :D I hope he posts some pictures of his knobs he turned. He did a great job with them, and I am looking forward to hearing the reaction of the rest of his air crew. He was intent on fooling some of them I believe.

Bill

Bill, the aircrew wasn't fooled, but only because I forgot to sand the tenon! They were very impressed, and couldn't believe I did them myself. I said, "I didn't, I was under the watchful and patient eye of a master." I will post pics when I get them developed. I still don't have a digital camera (but it is on my list). Thanks for a wonderful afternoon of excellent instruction!

[Martin Shupe]

Hey Bill - was he turning mahogany that he brought with him? If so, it might have come from my shop!!

Todd, your mahogany is still safe in my shop, waiting for me to figure out an excellent use for it. Perhaps in the future...

I made one knob from cherry, and one from a piece of mesquite I was given by KC Constable. Thanks KC!

[Martin Shupe]

The rest of the story...

Over dinner, Bill and I were discussing where I should go on Monday to burn up the rest of my rental car miles. In the past I have been to Groff and Groff, Sandy Pond, and Good Hope hardwoods.

Naturally, he suggested Hearne and Hearne Hardwoods. I told him last time I was there, I didn't find anything I liked. Well, this time, I did. When I arrived, Brian was sorting a fresh stack of wide cherry (18" of heartwood) and taking photos for his internet site. Well, I look through the stack as he takes photos, and pretty soon I am shipping an expensive pile of figured cherry all the way back to Texas. I got the two best boards, several quartersawn boards, and another couple of long wide boards from another stack. And to think I went there looking for tiger maple chair leg stock, which I didn't get (there is always next time).

So, now I have to explain to my wife how I spent my share of the tax refund on cherry lumber! Hey Bill, can I tell her it is all your fault? ;)

[Jim Becker]

Yes, Hearne (http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/) got even bigger since you were last there...a real candy store. But I'll be interested in learning what you find out about those mills up in north central PA that the fellow at the show spoke about.