I'm finally building my boat.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

OK, folks, so where's Malcolm? Well, I took a buyout and retired early (very early) and did some travelling. As I mentioned, mom passed away, and there was a lot to do with the estate. Also I took a contract to build 14 sets of arched wooden doors, which ended up being 16 sets- two double doors and two double screen doors per set. I was rather busy. The job allowed me to work at a shop with the most amazing machinery, like an old iron bandsaw with a 31" throat, a panel saw, an amazingly big planer, and on and on I could go. That job has completed, and I'm going full time where I was volunteering teaching woodworking and boatbuilding to at-risk youth. I'm very excited about that. I'll be running the woodshop and teaching woodworking.

But wait- there's more- I have just signed the lease on a 40' x 60' dedicated workshop!!!! YES!!!! It doesn't leak! It has electricity! It's an actual shop with a roll-up door and a dedicated 15x18 spray booth. It's like nothing I ever imagined I would have access to, and there's more!!! I got a Delta unisaw, a Grizzly 12" bed jointer, a 15" planer, a belt sander (thickness), another belt sander (Grizzly edge sander), and lots of cool toys to play with. A few months ago, and I think I already posted this- I also bought a Rikon professional bandsaw with 3hp 220 motor, and their 1.5 hp variable speed drill press- the one that you just move a lever to change speeds. It's very cool. I use a lot of forstner bits and switch from wood to bronze to steel- so I need variable speeds without moving belts around.

I also bought a Harley basket case that I brought back from the dead, and it's almost completed. I know- too many irons in the fire, right? I used to build street rods, and I had an itch. I didn't have a place to build another VW hotrod or my dream '32 deuce coupe, so I said, "Hey, I can build a Harley in a small space." Turns out the guy I used to share a shop with had to leave island and had a beater 2004 Heritage Softail Classic that sat next to where the sea planes took off for years, so the whole engine had external corrosion. I drained the tank, changed the fluids, put new gas in, and she literally fired on the first try and ran like a top. I still decided to do a top-end rebuild just because the cylinders and heads looked like heck with corrosion and paint peeling. I just need to move her to the new shop and do a few final touches, and spray the tins in the new spray booth (yay) and she's on the road.

So, yes- I've been a wee bit busy, but the boat build will soon be full swing again, once I get my old leaky shop moved to the new one. I'm going to be doing some side work to pay for all this stuff as well, but otherwise as soon as the shop is in order I'll be building the masts, setting up the building jig, and getting this thing going again. It will be so nice to have an INDOOR shop to build in, where I can leave all my tools laying out and not worry about rain or theft. Things will go a lot faster with the new shop.

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around 25 x 60 open space, 15x18 storage room, 15x18 nook, and 15x18 spray booth. To the back right is the storage room (former office) and then a nook, and then the spray booth is behind that plywood wall. Spray booth big enough to fit the boat at an angle, but I would have to open up the wall because the doors are only 5’ wide and the boat is 7’. I could tilt it maybe but I will just cut the door and put a barn door.

Oh- and there is a bathroom! That’s important. There are also 10 Ferrell cats that the guy was feeding and they are all going to be captured, spayed/neutered, and put up for adoption. The place smells like cat turds. It’s getting pressure washed this week.