Friday, December 29, 2017

Who does Polaroid's ??? What is a Polaroid ???

Days work at US Divers: … Captions by “Others” (Mike LaP.)

Working on a Non-SCUBA project .. Emergency Oxygen Supply for the US Bureau of Mines. Lead engineer: Mike B. plus test manikin.

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Tree-Be-Gone .. Now I’m stumped !!!

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Three musketeers … Team Triathlon

Michael.. swims, John.. bikes & Dan.. runs … Lake Mission Viejo2017_12_27_18_41_3600012017_12_27_18_40_0100122017_12_27_18_41_3600022017_12_27_18_41_3600042017_12_27_18_41_360003

Just a quick Nun around the block

2017_12_27_18_40_010018Yes-placed FIRST in the woman's division2017_12_27_18_40_010015Mary R. takes a gallant 2nd place Smile2017_12_27_18_40_010007


Thursday, December 28, 2017

Summer and Winter

Business trips spread over the year offer multi-seasonal views.image

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

UPDATE: Creating alternate tea storage ideas.

The more I think and plan making a Buddhist Alter inspired Tea Caddy,  I was favoring the style and wood coloring  pictured below, the more impracticable it becomes. I just don’t have the free space to house it and I abhor over furnishing.  So I’ll put in to the back burner on a very low heat. 

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Monday, December 18, 2017

Imperial Measurements

What measurement system you use .. is best left to you.imp1imp2

Creating alternate tea storage ideas.

Lead up / backstory ……………

It’s probable ever since we had Tea we have had a need for Tea Caddies. Growing up in Scotland and literally having a score of Aunties, tea caddies were ubiquities and varied. Indian black tea was the primary tea being stored and served.

In addition we had a fair umber of Hong Kong Chinese families settled in an around Ayrshire. Going to Primary and Secondary school with the kids of Chinese family's I had early exposure to Guangdong / Hong Kong – Cantonese style of tea culture. Needless to say Scottish tea culture (stretching the use of “Culture”)  is vastly different to those of China … pause for nostalgic laugh

Having a sizable collection of Chinese teas allows me the opportunity to amass a number of tea caddies.  I have a thought of using the design and proportions of a Buddhist Alter, proportioned for use in the home, as a starting point for a new caddie.

Yes we are inching toward the metric system SmileCouple of examples below.  Updates to come as the endeavor progresses.buddhist-altarbuddhist-altar-051 Watch is VERY interesting YT video from an extremely down to earth & talented Kiwi woodworker: A Buddhist Altar, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otvEJVPgKyA

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Thursday, December 07, 2017

Three out of a bunch.

These three tools are all, now, very sharp, ready to use. The center tool is by Hirsch, my go-to favorite.

Hirsch Carving Tools

Europe's finest woodcarving tools. Manufactured in Germany continuously since 1780. Hand-forged of Germany's finest high carbon tool steel and tempered to a Rockwell hardness of 61.tcttsA bunch more (15) await their turn.ctinab

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

The Cutting Edge

Setting up to sharpen a number of dual bevel edge carving tools. Used for fine detail carving wood blocks. This is a little different than “standard” single bevel edge sharpening. I’ll be expanding on this over the next few posts.20171207_092009cup120171206_175851

The Hangi-to tool, the most useful and important tool in woodblock printmaking. (also called the kiridashi.  It is capable of cutting intricate, flowing lines that are at the heart of Japanese printmaking. All the outlines in the print are carved with this tool.

Single Bevel, Right-Handed Japanese carving tool.FourFW2imageOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe back face of the tool has a Flat Face that may or may not be Hollow Ground (as above example)


Monday, December 04, 2017

Save the environment … Use Bio-Degradable fuel

As we see, alternate fuel used for personal transport in not a new idea.16