When All Else Fails...Read The Instructions

Often, as I learned growing up, instruction manuals get tossed into the trash pile upon unpacking.  I used to be one of the many subscribed to the idea that instructions are for sissies and halfwits.  Most of the time I am able to flub my way to success, however, after a life of struggling with new machines (and breaking a few) I have changed my tune.  

Over the last many years, I have become one of "those people" who read the manual and attempt to follow the directions (but only when said directions are actually readable and in English).  Fortunately, I am not alone.  There are many hobbyists and professionals out there whom are not only readers of manuals but are willing to publish their old ones.  Hard to find machine manuals, instructional manuals, wiring diagrams, and how-to books are just as fun to find as the old tools themselves.   

As I come across manuals that I can scan or turn into a digital format (or sites with well organized similar references) I will publish them on the Instruction Manuals page (located in the page list on the right hand side of the blog).  If you have a scanned manual you think is worth sharing please let me know and I'll see what I can do about posting it on the manuals page.  Right now, I have a Foley manual uploaded which covers sharpeners, setting machines, and the manual retoother along with several excellent reference sites with downloadable manuals.  Happy reading!

Sawdust And Scraps

Some wood scraps find a second home in the smoker, some in the fire pile, some become shims or braces, and yet others are fated to become sawdust to soak up grease and oil.  I try to put scraps to use quickly so they don't eat up more space than they are worth in the shop, however, there are invariably some scraps that just take up residence.  Some of those permanent scraps are in fact little glass specimen jars of various species of sawdust.

Brazilian Cherry Sawdust Anyone?