Tools of the Trade (for Tali)

When i was in the States, i got to pick up some new tools at the Woodworking Shows, about which i have blogged. That was in Columbus. When i was in New York, i experienced the awesomeness that is Sephora. How do i explain Sephora? Well, it's kind of like the Veritas or Lee Valley of makeup, and going into the shop is like going into Woodcraft (i'm dying to see Highland Woodworking, mostly because the people there are super-nice) or Rockler, etc. Sorry to belabour the point with all these shop names, but i am trying to make clear the comparison; Home Depot would be the equivalent to buying makeup at CVS (there's no judgement there--sometimes you pick up a mascara at CVS, but not necessarily foundation; when you need the odd forstner bit or hearing protection, you get it at Home Depot, but you wouldn't go there for a hand plane).

I didn't get so much at Sephora, and when i go to a woodworking shop, i take it slow as well. But sometimes, there are some breakthrough purchases that make a difference in your work. My sister Tali bought me a set of brushes (thank God these things are labelled--it makes things a bit easier), and it was the equivalent to receiving a set of chisels. Different tools for different jobs. No matter if your toolkit is for makeup, fine woodworking, or home repairs, your kit must be diversified for different tasks in order to ensure that the job gets done properly.

I'm not going to compare or rate the experiences. I was just thinking about how i felt a bit out of place at the Woodworking shows, where the vast majority of ppl there were white dudes over 40. When Chuck Bender told me i hit like a girl (the chisel with the mallet, and perhaps not hard enough?), i thought it was hilarious--he was right, and i want to emphasise that he was making a joke in good spirit--but it reminded me of my surroundings. Testosterone town.

When my sister wrinkles her nose at my woodworking tools, it's actually pretty ironic. She's got LOADS of makeup 'tools'. And when some guys wonder quizzically why women have so many different makeup accoutrements, let's call them, i would direct them to their own toolboxes (well, some. You know who you are!). Basically, everyone likes tools, no matter the format; they're adult-toys.

Rabbi David Debow pointed out to me that i'm in a pretty fortunate position--i get to play with makeup tools and woodworking tools. So i just want to end with a salute to my heroes; woodworking women, who walk in both worlds. I was very excited to see that the managing editor of Popular Woodworking is a woman--Megan Fitzpatrick (and fellow English PhD nerd--nice!). Of course, Kari Hultman's blog, the Village Carpenter is an inspiration. And, as always, my mother, who owns and uses all the tools in the house.

Purim 2010=First blogaversary

It's Purim again, and it's hard to believe it. I think my first real blog post was about Purim 2009--so it's been a whole year since i've been blogging. I suppose i should take stock of what i have blogged about and reflect on whether it's making a contribution...

In a very different vein, check out my Mishloach Manot! My friend thought that throwing out plane shavings (or rather, wood shavings) was a waste; and i am sure that the recipients of my Mishloach Manot really appreciated their food being covered with fragrant pine shavings...

Also included (just to crank up the nerdiness and perhaps ensure my identity as the sender, since i inevitably forgot to sign these things) was an article entitled 'The Tree of Death and the Tree of Life: The Hanging of Haman in Medieval Jewish Manuscript Painting', by Katrin Kogman-Appel, courtesy of my friend Menachem Butler of the Michtavim Blog fame.

My friend Hoffy reported to me that she was very happy about the enclosed article. Turns out she was awake for a few hours last night (as some of my friends know, i had no such problem! Dori--i'm sorry, again!) and needed to read something to put her to sleep! Turns out my mother still keeps my Master's thesis in her bedside table for the same reason...

Hunting For William Holman Hunt: Part 1--The Bench

I have always wanted to check out the Mar Elias Monastery since I often pass it on my way to Gush Etzion. In looking it up, I was amazed to read that in 1910 William Holman Hunt's widow, Edith, commissioned a stone bench, which still stands today, just outside the monastery.

A few months ago, my friends Becky and Prezzy, and i rode out to the monastery to check out the bench. Sadly, some toolbag vandalised the bench with spray paint, and there appear to be inscriptions on the bench, but the weather has mostly worn them away.

So why put the bench here? Apparently WHH loved the light out here, and apparently worked on 'The Light of the World' as well as 'The Scapegoat' from this very spot. Hunt took several trips to Palestine, and his daughter was even born in Jerusalem. Here's a pretty useless video i took of the bench...at night. In a previous post, i provided a bit more detail about WHH in Palestine. For more on WHH, click here.

The drama continues with Part 2: The House. Stay tuned...

Columbus Woodworking Show--Part 2

Part of the reason cutting dovetails with Chuck was a great experience is because he removes all the neurotic crap that makes obsessive people crazy. Dividing your board in half and then figuring out the amount of tails and then half pins, blah blah blah, ad absurdum. And yet, for all the obsessing, the first time i tried to cut dovetails, i forgot some pretty simple steps, such as labelling the tails and pins (and not doing things when overtired and under-nourished). Which is how i ended up with the photo to the left. The omission of this crucial step also meant that i kept on trimming the joints until they fit, but since i didn't know pins from tails and inside from outside, a very snug fitting pair of joints ended up looking like this. Mortifying.

So, at the end of the woodworking shows, i accosted Chuck (who was too much of a gentleman to refuse me and even blogged a very gracious version of my stalking him, which you can read here), who gave me a mini-tutorial of how to cut dovetails by hand. Chuck's method took the headache out of the whole process. No math, no formulas. We eyeballed everything and just got on with it. Chuck's a great teacher in that he somehow (i am still trying to figure it out!) enables his student to accomplish the goal without hovering too much or doing the work for him/her.

Anyway, i think i mentioned before, we were running to get these dovetails done, so they're a bit split, but nonetheless i wanted to show off my infinitely better set of Bender-pins-first-dovetails that i made Chuck autograph (i told you i stalked him!) with the wenge pen that my mother turned. And Uri caught some of the magic on film, including his commentary.

Columbus Woodworking Show--Part 1

This past Sunday, my brother, mother, and i drove from Cleveland to Columbus for the Woodworking Show. I thought they were kidding when they said they would come (can you tell i'm used to being mocked for my middle-aged-man hobby?), but they happily accompanied me. Well, maybe not happily. I printed up a 'bring your spouse for free coupon' and made my brother Uri go as my husband. He was most unhappy with this, but he played along. I think they printed 'spouse' because it would have been a bit much to print 'bring your family member who would really rather not attend a woodworking show but is going to put a cap on your spending' or something to that effect. The woman taking tickets gave us a knowing wink as Uri squirmed and gave me a resentful look. And then...we were in! It was magnificent. And a bit overwhelming. It was in a sense too big. But once you narrow it down to stuff you want to see, it becomes more manageable. Not only did i get to see Lie Nielsen tools in person, but as my friend Dave Richards suggested, i got to use them (i thought he was teasing me)! It was phenomenal.

The highlight of the show for me was meeting my Lumberjocks buddy Chuck Bender. I'm aware how dodgy it sounds that i talk about how woodworkers are the nicest people and that i have made many friends online. Though my mother and brother were totally bitten with the woodworking bug (see video below) and had the best time turning pens, they still were quite weirded out when i mentioned 'meeting my friend from the internet'. This all dissipated when they met Chuck of course, and i told him that he proved the claim i always make about woodworkers being the nicest people ever. Chuck understood the concerns though and pointed out the difference between meeting internet friends wisely and foolishly: 'Well, we are meeting in a public place. It's not like I'm telling you to meet me in an alley where i will be waiting with a bludgeon and a garbage bag.' Hmm... good point.

Miep Gies 1909-2010

Miep Gies, holding her son Paul, Otto Frank (left), and her husband Jan, A'dam, January 1951, nicked from here

The famous protector of Anne Frank, and my hero whom i had the privilege to meet is remembered here and here. ברוך דיין האמת.