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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Eric Krewson on July 06, 2012, 08:51:00 AM

Title: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 06, 2012, 08:51:00 AM
Just a few tips that you may or may not know about.

If you put your Urac resin in a squeeze bottle it is so much easier to deal with when measuring, or in my case weighing.

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/uracbottle.jpg)

I make do a little flintlock building that requires my tired old eyes to see close-up for inletting so I bought an Optivisor.

The other day I was trying to follow a really hard to see grain swirl on an osage bow and thought about my Optivisor. What was almost impossible to follow became crystal clear when I put them on.

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/optivisor.jpg)

Optivisors come in several different powers. Mine is a 7 which has a very short focal length. I would recommend a 5 for most folk because you won't have to have your nose on your work to bring it into focus.

The down side, you can see every tool mark, uneven shaping and any other place you should have spent a bit more time on, plan on a few extra hours completing a bow if your buy one.
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Troy D. Breeding on July 06, 2012, 09:53:00 AM
Eric,

LOL!!! Ain't getting old a pain in the butt. I know, I'm right behind you and every little bit of help (like the flip specs) a blessing.

Troy
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 06, 2012, 04:27:00 PM
I turn 65 in November and get uglier every day.
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Sam Harper on July 06, 2012, 05:05:00 PM
Is there any place you can buy empty squeeze bottles, or do you have to buy a bottle of mustard or something, empty it out, and use that?

I found at hat a Home Depot that has built in LED lights.  You just squeeze the brim, and they come on.  It makes bandsawing a lot easier, especially since I have poor lighting in my garage, and I can't always open the garage to let in ambient light.  The hat also comes in handy when it's late at night, and I'm getting home.  It makes it easier to find my key and stick it in my door.  It also makes a good reading light in case I don't want to turn on my usual lights.
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Goose Gossett on July 06, 2012, 05:12:00 PM
Unfortunately I can add a tip as well... when trying to be like DVS and make cool patters or designs using the darkening process of osage don't use painters tape with words on it.

(http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy316/goosegossett14/05f3fe37.jpg)
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Roy from Pa on July 06, 2012, 05:26:00 PM
LMAO, Goose:)
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: red hill on July 06, 2012, 05:31:00 PM
Goose that's like in my football coaching days when wearing a mesh cap on sunny days. My bald head had tiny checks from the pinholes letting in sun! LOL
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Roy from Pa on July 06, 2012, 05:48:00 PM
So, that's what happened to ya?    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 06, 2012, 05:50:00 PM
All of the craft stores have squeeze bottles. I bought an 8oz one at Hobby Lobby.
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: J.F. Miller on July 06, 2012, 06:21:00 PM
good stuff. paint stores have glue bottles, too. that's where I get mine. I also put my powder in a glue bottle, but trim the spout so the hole is bigger. is pretty easy to trickle out those last few grains when weighing it out.
Title: Re: Eric's tips of the day
Post by: John Scifres on July 07, 2012, 09:51:00 AM
I like the Optivisor.  I just can't seem to keep track of my dang reading glasses.  As a safety guy, I can highly recommend bifocal magnifyer safety glasses.  I kill 2 birds with one stone that way.

What I'd really like is some of those magnifying eyeglasses like the fixer has in Toy Story 2.  In fact I'd like his whole toolcase.