Thank you to Tommy, Neil, Eli, Dave and Justin for welcoming me to the forum on Saturday. I had a great time talking wood. The Federal Tables were truly inspiring. To see that level of craftsmanship from woodworkers who have never done that type of woodworking before has motivated me to get in to the shop. Equally as inspiring was the step stool made by Tommy’s girlfriend who cut her first dovetails on the stool. I saw firsthand that a little knowledge and a little practice can produce a fine piece of furniture.

For those who could not attend let me assure you that the star of the show was the Bombe. The Bombe is even more impressive in person and it is truly an extraordinary piece of furniture. However, for those who have followed the podcasts we know that the Bombe is much more than a beautiful piece of furniture but that it is an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship. After lunch we all gathered around as Tommy removed the drawers, revealed the hidden compartment and took down the upper pediment. We had a great time inspecting T-Chisel’s work as he answered our questions and explained the techniques used to create the lower drawers.

In the end, the best part of the day was meeting Tommy, Neil and the rest of the guys. T-Mac I must thank you for opening up your shop and sharing the Bombe experience with us all. I look forward to the next “Rough Cut” adventure. As for project two - count me in. See you all on the forum.

Mike

yo mike thanks man....come by anytime....good luck with the house make over...that job is never easy.....go bless the USMC...and all the other guys too

GOD Bless not go bless.....duh....i stink at typing..

I arrived at the shop on Friday the 6th, which turned out to be a day early (sorry to have missed all the people who arrived on Saturday). Even so, T invited me into his shop and I was able to practice hand tool skills, hang out, and learn. I even got to cut dovetails next to Al while they were filming, which was kind of a twilight zone/deja vu experience, to tell you the truth!

I think the reason T-chisel allowed this privelege was because he was so impressed with the raggedy cardboard box I use to transport my tools, and contained therein, my collection of hand tools, which would probably remain safely in my possession if I offered the whole lot at a busy garage sale for 5 bucks. You know what, though? After Tommy sharpened them up, those cheap chisels cut like a hot knife thru buttah, whether the medium was the walnut I brought with me or my finger (oops)(actually, the finger was from the factory SIDE of the chisel...I learned I need to ease that edge when they are new).

T's shop is the kind of place where you can learn a ton, just from being there; thanks very much for the hospitality.

As far as the T-chisel internet site goes, I'm not surprised it is blowing up. It combines kick-ass woodworking skills with "guy next door" personality and humility, and makes it seem like, with time and effort, a very high level of craftsmanship is attainable for the rest of us. Judging by Dave's awesome federal table, which I saw while I was there, it IS attainable. It must feel great for T to see that kind of accomplishment blossoming out of the goodwill and knowledge floated out there by T.

I haven't found any better woodworking site on the internet, and I don't expect to find one soon. I mean, seriously....who's better?

Chop on,
Gary

Hey! Is J.P. Jamey (Jamie?) Pope? I was flipping through the student work and he made a curly maple desk on frame like the one you described. Does he have a sweet southern accent? I met him in the spring at a workshop. He built a bunch of chairs at school, too. It was great meeting you and I'm sure I'll see you again sometime.

Eli

NBSS Student

Eli ...its not cool to ask 1 dude about another dudes "sweet souther accent" you freaky............. Dutch b-a-s-t-a-r-d.....

Hi Eli,

I know that JP is of Greek ancestry and he grew up in the Boston area. He lived in Austria for five years which has tamed his Boston accent a bit but certainly not to the point of a southern draw. Next time I see him I will get all the details but it sounds like he is not the same JP that you know.

How did the ammonia fuming turn out? I have some leftover white oak that I will be using for a project so I am interest to hear your feedback.

I hope to stop by NBSS one of these days for the grand tour.

Mike