New Beginning and New Habits

It has officially been 211 days since I last published an article. I’ve experienced a lot in that amount of time. What I have not done is set up a place to woodwork here in DC. I also have not been motivated to really create since we moved from Kansas. Now, I’m beginning to get antsy.

Though I don’t have a new project to undertake, I really want to develop my skills (especially when it comes to working with hand tools). What I have done with my chisels and handplanes has been lackluster, to date. After rereading my favorite woodworking magazine again (Fine Wodwork #200). I discovered that it is because my hand tools are not sharp. I do not know how to sharpen hand tools, so I googled it, read one article, and felt like I was ready to pick up my first sharpening stone.

“Wait, how much will everything cost? … oh, well I should probably think of something else to do…” (thoughts from my head)

There is an important lesson I learned when I began to cook for myself. Not all recipes you find are delicious, easy, cheap, or definitive. Now whenever I want to make something new I compare many recipes to find what ingredients and procedures they share and then do my own thing knowing that I’m following tried and true basic rules. I’m almost always happier with the results.

I’m going to incorporate this technique into how I do other things beginning with sharpening. I did not skip out to my local Woodcraft or Home Depot and purchase the first thing in the window and have at it in a single afternoon… and I’m glad I didn’t. Instead, here are the resources I am using to help me learn and develop.

• Blogs> I visit popular woodworking’s blogs page about three times a day. I’ve already learned an extraordinary amount and I believe their reviews are unbiased (and that’s important). I’ve also found Ron Hock’s Sharpening blog and this is above and beyond any other sharpening information I have found.
• Magazines> Popular woodworking, Fine woodworking, American Woodworking, etc. All of these giants have amazing information. Just keep checking periodically at your local bookstore for the newest issues. I grab a coffee at the the cafe and read these mags front to back in the time it takes my girlfriend to read through all of her favorite magazines (UK  Gardens, New Republic, Garden and Gun, Bazaar, Laupham’s Quarterly, etc.). So grab a friend to bring with you because everyone likes “coffee and magz” afternoons.
• Libraries> The problem I have with big name bookstores is their terrible selection of woodworking books. The last one I went to only had three books and two of them were the same title. What I have discovered is the selections at the public library are considerably better. When I was feeling down about not having more information on sharpening my girlfriend surprised me at work by picking up a sharpening book. There were also about 10 other on the shelf on sharpening alone. It’s also free! No matter what you are doing you should take advantage of this never ending supply of information.

I am excited to be back on this journey together with you. As a preview of things to come I have a list of projects I will be creating, all of which will have a series here at Strad Maloof. These Include, but are not limitted to, a dovetail puzzle, a tool chest, a boockshelf, a learning block, etc. I also just picked up an antique Disston saw earlier this month that i’m excited to share with you as well. Happy Research!

A Passion in Luthiery

Okay. First of all let me just say “Hello again.” It’s been a very very long time since I have updated this blog and for good reason. For those of you that don’t know I have moved to the District of Columbia and because of the extensive work that has gone into moving and finding a job and whatnot, I have not been able spend some good quality time playing the violin or doing woodworking. I’m rusty in both areas. So, because I don’t have anything productive to show you, let’s discuss Luthiery.

Luthiery, the art of making stringed instruments and violins, has been around since the 16th century when Andrea Amati first invented the violin. Even before the invention of the violin Amati was a lute maker. Lutes have been around as long as most instruments and the number of instruments related to the lute is extraordinarily vast.

There are many famous luthiers in history and not all of them were builders of violins like Antonio Stradivari. Some built guitars. Orville Gibson (yes of Gibson Guitars) began his career making mandolins with no formal training. He later patented his unusual mandolin which had a carved and arched top similar to that of the violin.

Luthiery hasn’t stopped developing. Many schools have popped up all over North America. If you are interested, here is where you can find several. If you would like more information on anything related to luthiery look here.

And finally, here is a video of a real violin making luthier in action. And if I have my way, someday I will be doing exactly what Gliga is doing.

My First Dovetails

Since Christmas I’ve been dying to try my hand at dovetailing. It’s the one aspect of a piece of furniture where you can tell what kind of craftsman the make was. I’ve been entranced by dovetails for a very very long time, but I have never tried making them. Last night my girlfriend Jenn asked me what I was going to do today. I had said I wanted to work in the wood shop, but I do not have anything to do really. Then she insisted that it was time I tried to make some dovetails.

Et viola! This is my very first attempt at making dovetails.

Figure 1

Step 1: Prepare the stock. Mine was very simple. I had already had some spare popular on hand from an earlier practice session. And since it is practice, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just have 2 boards available and have one end of each board to be nice and straight (Figure 1).

Step 2: Layout the tails. I decided to do tails first alla Rob Cosman (Figure 2) for

Figure 2

several reasons but the main reason is essential to what I wanted. A very good dovetail fit does not come from the first part of the joint being cut. It is not important how perfect the first half of the joint is because you transfer the lines directly from one board to the other. If you were to cut the tails last, it would be more difficult for someone like me who has mediocre hand sawing

Figure 3

ability. The reason the pins are easy to cut second is because they are straight up and down. All I have to do

is reposition my body instead of tilting the blade of the saw.

Step 3: Cleaning and Transferring. In figure 3 you will see a nice set of clean tails ( I realized I could have posted a picture of cats cleaning themselves).

Figure 4

I then secured my pins board in an upright positions and transferred the marks from the tails (Figure 4). This is mistake #1. I do not have a marking knife and then pen I was using was not very good at staying against the side of the tails.

Step 4: Cut and clean out the waste. Mistake #2 happened while I was sawing the pins. I sawed

Figure 5

on the wrong side of my pen line. At this point I knew that there would be pretty large gaps going on but hey, I’m practicing here. Figure 5 shows some very pretty pins. The only thing left for me to do is to check the fit.

All in all I was very happy with the work I did. It’s an embarrassing first attempt at dovetails but look, they fit!

… for the most part.

Step 2: Layout the tails. I decided to do tails first alla Rob Cosman (Figure 2) for several reasons but the main reason is essential to what I wanted. A very good dovetail fit does not come from the first part of the joint being cut. It is not important how perfect the first half of the joint is because you transfer the lines directly from one board to the other. If you were to cut the tails last, it would be more difficult for someone like me who has mediocre hand sawing ability. The reason the pins are easy to cut second is because they are straight up and down. All I have to do is reposition my body instead of tilting the blade of the saw.

My heart in Isometric

The place I attended high school had a great program that I absolutely loved. It was a set of 4 drafting and design classes that were open to any student. They were in place to help those who wanted to continue into engineering schools or even technical colleges. I was definitely one of those people. When I was in high school I aspired to be an aerospace engineer and work for NASA. I went through the drafting program because I thought it would both help my future and because I thought it was fun. And I was good at it too.

Things are different now. I’m not in engineering school, and what I was discovered those classes really didn’t help me too much. But what it has helped me with is designing furniture. One of my favorite parts about working with wood, is creating something that I designed myself. I’ve been designing furniture longer then I have been building it, and my notebook full of sketches is proof of that.

This is the sanctuary where I create my designs. AKA the kitchen table.

I use this space for many reasons. One of them is because I really needed a square left side of a table top, and the only desk we have (which is an original of mine and my first project) does not have one. But I also really like the height of this table. It’s a bar style which means to sit comfortably one must use a bar stool. Stools are preferred when drafting. The only problem is that often times there will be meals in between starting a design and finishing one. It’s rather funny when my drawing of a writing desk has spaghetti sauce smudged on it.

Here are my utinsels for creating:

• Paper. I just use computer paper but if I could I’d be using size 18″ x 24″ paper.
• Drafting tool set. Includes compasses and such. I found these at an antique shop and they are nearly identical to the kind my dad used when he was in college. I love them.
• My Sketch Book. Containing some amazing ideas by both myself, my girlfriend, and my dog (hers are usually the best).
• T-Square. My 24″ straight edge. A must have.
• Engineers Ruler. Having a way to draw perfectly to scale is important.
• Triangles. 30-60-90, and 45-45-90. Also very important.
• Music. I get mine through Pandora most of the time.

Eventually I will move onto something better, but for the time being this is perfect for me. I have everything I need, and if I could, I would be designing all the time; writing up cut lists for projects, doing isometric drawings, 3-view drawings, you name it.

In the weeks and months to come you will be seeing some of the designs. I hope you enjoy see them as much as I enjoyed drawing them. Here’s a sneak peak!

Hole in the Wall

For valentines day, me and my girlfriend (Jennifer) did what we usually do on special occasions… We rented a movie and picked up some carry out. The movie was Becoming Jane. It was so good that we bought it, which is a place of honor for movies. We only buy movies that are worth enjoying again. The same goes for books, but we seem to have a bajillion more books than we do movies. Maybe even a gabazillion more.

About a month or so later, there was an incredibly string of events that led me to a song. It began with me whistling or humming a song I didn’t know or recognize. I spent about a week asking people from work if they recognized the song (work is where I do most of my whistling). Of course nobody recognized it. I finally asked Jennifer and she obviously knew what song it was. She had been playing it every so often from her iTunes… Which is why I knew it so well, without knowing it at all.

The song is “Hole in the Wall”, and it played during my favorite scene in Becoming Jane. This is it:

What I really love about this song, and the reason for it being here at Stradivarius Maloof, is that the violin section is dynamite. Everything is so Crisp and Clean. The violin harmonies close to end are just magnificent, and every time this song plays I just feel like playing air violin (…what? Everyone does it…). Although not the original version of this piece, it does fit the scene perfectly, and not to mention that I’m dying to wear one of those 18th century coats.

Here is the original version composed by Henry Purcell:

If you would like more information on Henry Purcell and his works continue here.

The Shop! …kinda

I’ve contemplated not putting on here where I do my woodworking just because it’s pretty lackluster. There is not a dedicated workbench and I do not own any stationary power tools (Gasp! no TABLESAW!?!?). To be honest, I don’t want any stationary power tools. Ever since watched a video of someone using hand planes and a panel saw I was hooked. It may not be the  most efficient, but I’m no professional. I’m going to enjoy what I do. On that note, welcome to my shop!

…Or as I like to call it: My brother’s garage! Although not impressive, it’s invigorating to work in a very simple manner. What you see pictured is my “workbench”. All I’ve done for this is buy a set of sawhorses and loosely attached a MDF top. I do have a pair of 2″ x 2″ boards running parallel to one another on the bottom of the MDF board because it adds a little more weight and strength, fitting snugly into 2″ notches in the sawhorses. Atop the bench are my most used tools.

This gorgeous object is pretty special. It sort of looks like an ordinary speed square, but you would be wrong. What started out as a speed square turned into an adventure for my girlfriend. On our first anniversary, she had gifted me this. Engraved on the bottom “One year isn’t enough … I want to build a life with you.”  It is my favorite tool just for that aspect alone, and I will likely hold onto it forever.

Essentially, what good is a workshop if you aren’t going to make something. These next tools were some of my first projects, and they continue to be assets in my work. I found a need to have a carpenters mallet when I received a set of chisels for Christmas. After searching home improvement centers and then the internet, I finally just decided to make one myself. It was very simple, and took me an afternoon to make. Underneath the mallet you can see a bench hook. These are a must have for most shops, and I’ll be using this one until I see the need for a new one.

Improvements to my shop will most certainly be coming in the future. If you happen to have any suggestions as to what should be added next to my arsenal leave a comment!

The Beginning

Good morning, and welcome to the very first article written by your’s truly Stradivarius Maloof.

What the world will find here at Stradi-Ma is several combinations of subjects and they all stem from a simple goal I have. I dream of making violins. I have only recently discovered that I have a tremendous love of both woodworking and the violin. Here’s the problem, I’m not very good in the woodshop, and I’ve never played the violin.

My girlfriend has been the biggest asset to me in discovering my dream, and she herself had turned the dream into something much more tangible. This past Christmas she had gifted me a violin. It has been the best gift I have ever received from another human being, and it completely obliterated what I had gotten her (a measly book on making cheese).

My mother is another contributor to my dream reaching that also involved a Christmas gift. An amazing set of chisels was handed to me in an unmarked box which was an extremely big surprise that I was not expecting. I can honestly say I came out this Christmas with more loot than I ever had. Also I have a large amount of respect for my family and if I accomplish my dream I know who the first 2 people getting handmade violins will be.

There are several reasons why I decided to create this blog, but the main reason is that luthery ( the art of making stringed instruments) has taken a beating over the past several centuries. Almost to the point of society forgetting about it. To be honest, before realizing my dream I never knew what a luthier was or had even heard the title thrown around in common conversation.

Other reasons for writing this blog are mildly selfish. This will help me develop my woodworking skills in an organized manner, along with developing my violin playing. Also, if you haven’t noticed by now, I’m an appalling writer. No no, it’s okay I fully understand that I can improve and this is how I’m going to do it.

So stay tuned, for such articles including product reviews, new (or classic) music, technique development, interviews with professionals, and more and more. What I would like you to do is comment on anything. And that includes being harsh about my grammar or writing ability. Please, I both want and need to hear it.