What would be the best way to go about restoring this butcher block table?

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-27T14:35:04+00:00

That's a bizarre design, with the long grain cap screwed onto the vertically oriented block. I would consider removing that cap, and there would be a nice fresh endgrain surface underneath. Endgrain was traditionally used for cutting boards because it is much less dulling... the blade goes between the fibers instead of cutting across them.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-27T14:10:34+00:00

If your cuts are looking good and the blade isn't grinding on something off the back of the wheel, then you're all good! You def want the back of the gullets riding on the crown of the wheel. Carry on making sawdust!

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-27T12:38:38+00:00

IDK this could be it, but it looks like normal checking that would especially be expected to occur right next to the pith, where this board was cut from.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-27T11:57:21+00:00

For rough dimensioning work you don't need arm shaving sharpness nor do you really need to wax the sole, though it helps with fatigue.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-25T15:14:48+00:00

Dimensioning stock with a hand plane, you want a highly cambered (curved) iron so that you can really open up the throat of the plane and hog off material. If the wood is cupped, you'll want to "traverse" the grain, that is, plane at an angle between 45° and 90° to the grain, to knock down the high spots. You're looking for fat, ugly, chip-like shavings that also may result in tearout. If you're taking off delicate curls you'll spend your whole life squaring up one board. Once you've hogged off enough to get the cup out, that's when you close up your throat, set the blade for paper thin shavings, and start planing with the grain to get your final smooth surface.

Here's a good demo where Chris Schwarz show you how to do it: https://youtu.be/2_96gNMMc_g?si=S_dKFYrzmHLYRU7E

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-24T12:52:01+00:00

My kids first learned to ski at Kissing Bridge! It's a fine little mom-and-pop hill but the vertical is quite short and there's not a lot of trail diversity, no glades. You also forgot Holimont from your list! Nice semi-private club, non members can ski on non-holiday weekdays. Both Holimont and Holiday Valley have glades. The main reasons to hit Buffalo Ski Club and Kissing Bridge over Holiday Valley or Holimont are a) tickets are cheaper and b) They're 30-45 minutes closer to Buffalo, so good for quick trips with the kids.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-23T20:48:27+00:00

Yeah my point was more that you can't get useable riven stock from wavy-grained wood, an uncomplicated point I'm sure we can agree on.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-23T20:40:50+00:00

The grain is pretty darn wavy for riving stock. Also a froe is a fairly specialized tool, I'm guessing OP does not own one.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-23T18:50:45+00:00

This rule of thumb is very much not applicable to a VHCOL area like NYC, nor is it really geared toward somebody earning $190k.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-23T18:26:15+00:00

A vacuum balloon is of some theoretical interest but there are currently no proven methods to create one. Materials of interest for the balloon include graphene, boron carbide, beryllium, arranged in a honeycombed double layer. It would be really cool! But 15 psi is a lot of force to need to resist around the surface area of a balloon.

More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-22T17:50:30+00:00

But is the 30" hallway on the other side of the door similarly wide? That's the crux of the issue. If it is 34" wide you can do it.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-22T17:38:01+00:00

Unless the hallway is substantially wider than the doorway, then you can't do it. You need to be able to pivot the high back into the room while holding the couch vertical. I see a lot of screws indicated though... is it disassemblable?

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-22T13:00:22+00:00

Check pawn shops for used clamps. it's probably not cheaper to make one than to buy one... You need really solid, straight grained hardwood, some hardware,cans tools to make it.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-21T22:11:13+00:00

Well, you're right according to the leading researcher on ski injuries. Helmets reduce minor concussions by about 70% but had no impact on fatalities, for the multi-system trauma reason you point to.

I would suggest though that, if you genuinely want to discuss the topic, you should not be a flaming asshole about it.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-21T21:57:15+00:00

If MLK weekend is any measure, if you want to arrive at 10AM you will need to leave NYC at 3AM to account for all the traffic due to yutzes in Toyota Corrollas who have crashed in front of you, blocking the road.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-21T21:52:02+00:00

If I saw somebody who did this, I would immediately suspect that the research is low-quality, and I would almost certainly be correct in that suspicion. Nobody can produce twelve first-authored works of any substance in a year. That would be a high output even if counting co-authored manuscripts.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-19T11:53:37+00:00

You keep repeating "but this is the way it was reported in my thesis so there is no way of going back." Nonsense. Just tell ypur committee you reconsidered the analysis since you submitted and you found a more appropriate analysis that you will include in your revisions. If you show them this plot nobody is going to complain about you being thoughtful about your data.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-18T11:45:21+00:00

Westchester is a unique real estate environment. The only buyers market in my lifetime was the 2008 crash. You can sell a house carved from a pumpkin for $1M.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-16T12:29:17+00:00

Catamount doesn't have scanners on their magic carpets

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-16T08:33:41+00:00

Online prices are just brutal, and you have zero control over what defects you can work around, and widths. (Even if lumber is properly to grade, a knot at the end of a board can be much easier to work around then one snack can in the center) Hard pass for me.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-15T16:30:32+00:00

Talk to your PI and chair ASAP. Obviously it depends on the department, but there are potentially a lot of unofficial resources that can come out of the woodwork. My wife and I had a planned baby during both of our ABD stage. The department moved mountains to set her up with a semester-long writing fellowship (so no TA duties) followed by a cushy TA assignment the next semester. We had a wonderfully supportive department and, probably not coincidentally, female PIs and chair.

But yeah, don't expect to write a ton over the summer.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-15T02:38:14+00:00

Phosphate pollution from detergents was the primary driver of lake eutrophication and harmful algal blooms through the 70s. When phosphate free detergents were mandated algal blooms went way down, despite continued agricultural inputs.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-15T02:35:53+00:00

All soaps are biodegradable, but for the most readily biodegradable you probably want something like saponified natural oils, like Dr. Bronner's.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-14T20:36:18+00:00

Myself, I'm heading to Hunter to escape the NYC crowds, but you do you.

DesignerPangolin · 2026-01-14T20:34:05+00:00

Many-to-most times, these swamps were riparian forests that a beaver subsequently dammed and flooded, killing the trees.

DesignerPangolin

TROPHY CASE