...and I didn't even turn on the lathe. Went down to No. Carolina and picked up my new (used) 16" Laguna bandsaw (my dad is liquidating his shop...) Got it set up last night and had a great time hogging all those logs of maple, cherry burl, oak and apple I've been storing into managable blanks. Probably filled up a 5 gallon bucket with sawdust! Like cutting butter with a warm knife! Also, upon my return on Sunday, my neighbor across the street had rented a Bobcat and tore up all his old landscaping around his house. This is a 130 year old house, and some of the bushes had to be 40 - 50 years old. I found in his brush pile big old holly bushes with 8" diameter stumps that I promptly 'rescued' and threw on that band saw. Also a lot of big, thick Lilac branches. Lilac - although not that big in diameter - has very fine growth rings, and beautiful streaks of - well, lilac color - running throughout. It makes very interesting and pretty candlesticks, tops, and great pen blanks. Sometimes I have more fun just finding the wood than actually making something out of it.
Brian
Brian