OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

36616 Richard Givan <padgivan@ACS.EKU.EDU> 1998‑02‑09 delurkification and bio
Hi everyone.  I'm coming in out of the cold after about six weeks 
of lurking.

My name is Richard Givan, Rick to friends.  I'm rapidly closing in 
on my fifth decade.  I was raised in Louisville, spent the past 23
years in Richmond, KY.  I have a law degree, but haven't practiced 
for a long time.  Rather I teach things like criminal law, evidence 
and procedure (and aviation and terrorism) at Eastern Ky. University, 
our motto:  "the best instruction minimum wage can buy."  On the side, 
I write about fifteen free-lance book reviews (mostly cop-shop, crime 
novels and legal thrillers) a year for the Lexington Herald-Leader. 
I hope someday soon to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

Betty, my SWMBO(how many of you galoots know the allusion comes
originally from H. Rider Haggard's novel SHE, later popularized in 
the RUMPOLE books?) also teaches at EKU, in the math dept.  While 
I'm at it, our 21-year-old daughter, Chelsea, is a student working
on a degree in Occupational Therapy.

I've pursued lots of interests over the years (like flying, which 
necessarily means working on old planes) but the one constant has
been working with wood.  My philosophy has been gradually changing 
towards hand tools, too.  I still have quite a few ozone-producing 
appliances in my shop, but am embarking on a 12-step program of sorts.

As a show of galootish good faith, I recently sold my Normite's delight, 
240-volt dust collector, a great howling beast that shook and roared 
and, I suspect, only seemed to diminish the airborne dust because it
dimmed 
the lights while it ran.  I expect to ween myself from more of the
flesh-
hungry, ear-numbing banshees as I learn more how to work quietly,
serenely,
and efficiently in the old ways.

I know everybody wants to hear about the good stuff.  I've got Stanley 3
and 5 bench planes along with some off brands, a 9 1/2 block, MF block
and
corrugated jack, LN low-angle block and a low-angle jack on back order. 
I
recently found a new fence to complete my flea market 78.  I've about 6
woody bench planes, 5 wood molding and a nice wood adjustable plow.  My
most
recent old plane is a Stanley 45 I found poking around an antique store
with
my wife waiting for our anniversary dinner reservations.  It was utterly 
complete, both sets of rods, the cam, everything except cutters!  The
price
was cheap enough ($63) I took a chance.  I've later discovered this may
not have been a good idea (what's the opposite of a gloat?--a goat?,
maybe
a chagrin?), but I've found a set of cutters for $75 that will complete
the 
set.  I'll be needing a 7 or 8 jointer and have ambitions of making an 
infill smoother.

I've got probably 15 various saws, but don't know enough about them to
say
whether any of them are special, though several Disstons have nifty, 
curvacious handles.  A breast drill, two braces and a bunch of augers, 
a post drill.  Santa brought a set of 12 Pfeil (Swiss-made) carving 
chisels.

Project-wise, I have a new bench in the works (who doesn't?).  We 
won't talk about what's underneath, but it's surfaced with white oak, 
stands 35" high, 15" wide (plus an eight inch tool tray) and a little 
over six feet long.  I put in one row of slanted dogs (because my last 
bench had drilled ones), a Record knock-off for a tail vise with a 
planned shoulder vise on the other end. It should be effective and cost 
almost nothing.

I started a 12' cedar-strip canoe last fall.  It's stripped up, planed
and 
glassed on the outside.  Nasty work, epoxy.  I suspended that project
until
warm weather so I can sand it outside.  Work on a dovetailed chest for 
chisels also got put aside because of the bench.

I'm happy to join this discussion group.  The wit, knowledge,
intelligence 
and mutual respect is such a relief from the incessent whining and
rampant 
flaming endemic to others. Thanks for the invitation.

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Recent Bios FAQ