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53338 | Don McConnell <Don.McConnell@a...> | 1998‑11‑16 | Bio: Don McConnell |
Greetings, Though I had been active on oldtools at an earlier time, I thought I'd take this opportunity to file a brief bio. Am currently employed at a small local (north-central Ohio) firm specializing in curved stairwork. I do a variety of things which can't be done on the machines, but mostly design, rough out, and carve transitional elements of handrails. Also, am a half-time single parent (shared custody arrangement) of a soon-to-be ten year old daughter. [Of course, she's the greatest! But I might be biased. ;-)] First became interested in traditional (hand) woodworking in the very early 70's, while living in the Boston area. Bought some new hand tools up the road in Woburn, but was given a wooden jack/fore plane by a friend and pointed toward a flea-market south of Boston. Bootstrapped an English joiner's style bench and read everything I could find (this kind of information was much harder to find then). Discovered Charles Hayward, and still think of him as a mentor of sorts. Can't believe nearly all of his books are now out of print. Was taken on as an "apprentice" in the cabinet shop at the Ohio Village in the spring of 1977. Spent two years working with/for my mentor/master, Tom Clark, and then took over the shop for another two years. Tom was still nearby as a conservator in the collections department of the Ohio Historical Society. He was unceasingly generous with his knowledge, skills, insights, and wit. A very fulfilling and formative period of my life. Then, for some unfathomable reason, I decided to go out on my own. The next 7-8 years I continued building furniture, using hand tools exclusively (yes, even to resawing material as well as surfacing and thicknessing everything), in an 1860's one-room schoolhouse on the corner of the failing family farm. Financially, it was a struggle (to put it mildly), but I took/made the opportunity to experiment with a variety of methods, techniques, and forms. Also, had the opportunity to do work for a variety of interesting people, and learned a lot about myself in the process. I.e., while it was short on financial reward, it was long on personal growth and satisfaction. Not to mention the consolidation of a variety of acquired skills. Have continued in woodworking for the last ten years in a variety of situations and differing types of projects. Architectural work, including some sash work and a 40 panel linen-fold panel system (electrons died in these endeavors). Also some fairly high-end furniture work involving more extensive carving than previously undertaken. The grizzled veterans on oldtools may remember this, but one thread running through my interest in traditional woodworking is a fascination (obsession?) with wooden stock planes and planemaking. Thanks for listening (if you've remained this far), and am looking forward to becoming active on oldtools again (as time, energy, circumstances, and inclination allow). Don McConnell Knox County, Ohio |
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53339 | D & B Brown <d.b.brown@m...> | 1998‑11‑16 | Re: Bio: Don McConnell |
At 11:57 PM 11/15/98 -0500, Don McConnell wrote: >Greetings, > >Though I had been active on oldtools at an earlier time, WELCOME BACK! As if anyone could forget the author of so many fine posts. Ya been missed. David Brown |
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53341 | TomPrice@a... | 1998‑11‑16 | Re: Bio: Don McConnell |
Don McConnell wrote: >Though I had been active on oldtools at an earlier time, I thought I'd take >this opportunity to file a brief bio. He's BAAAAAAAaaaaaack! The Prodigal Son returns! >The grizzled veterans on oldtools may remember this, but one thread running >through my interest in traditional woodworking is a fascination (obsession?) >with wooden stock planes and planemaking. The Cincinatti area Galoots had a gathering last July and I was fortunate enough to attend. Don showed us some of his handmade wooden planes. The coffin bodied smoother with a Hock blade did quite well when compared to a Norris A14, also with a Hock blade. This plane also had the tightest mouth I've ever seen on a wooden plane. Welcome back Don. **************************** Tom Price (TomPrice@a...) Brakes For Rust W.F.M. Goss On Bench Planes is featured at The Galoot's Progress: http://members.aol.com/tomprice/galootp/galtprog.html |
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53361 | Don Stern <djs@p...> | 1998‑11‑16 | Re: Bio: Don McConnell |
Don, It's good to see your name again, thanks for all those interesting posts in the past, looking forward to more. Don On Sun, 15 Nov 1998, Don McConnell wrote: > The grizzled veterans on oldtools may remember this, but one thread running > through my interest in traditional woodworking is a fascination (obsession?) > with wooden stock planes and planemaking. > > Thanks for listening (if you've remained this far), and am looking forward > to becoming active on oldtools again (as time, energy, circumstances, and > inclination allow). > > Don McConnell > Knox County, Ohio |
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53391 | eugene@n... | 1998‑11‑16 | Re: Bio: Don McConnell |
Welcome back Sincerely Gene |
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53428 | Mark Osbourne <marko@l...> | 1998‑11‑17 | Re: Bio: Don McConnell |
TomPrice@a... writes: > The Cincinnati area Galoots had a gathering last July and I was fortunate > enough to attend. Don showed us some of his handmade wooden planes. The > coffin bodied smoother with a Hock blade did quite well when compared to > a Norris A14, also with a Hock blade. This plane also had the tightest > mouth I've ever seen on a wooden plane. The planes in progress that Don is working on to be able to plane curved stair rails are an absolute marvel. Talk about using all the math you learned in years and years of school. The planes have to have different curved fences for doing the inside or outside of the rail along with being curved in the correct way to match the curvature of the stair rail as it goes in its downward spiral. It really does boggle the mind. Welcome back Don. |
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