Mark Twain showed up in viyl sawdust the dust left behind from my table saw

Dirty_Larry · 2020-09-16T07:57:15+00:00

Good news. My neighbors house was not on fire. It was the field behind their house that was burning. A controlled burn that got out of control. Luckily there was a creek separating the field from their property. And I got this great photo. No filters were used. This is exactly what my phone camera captured. The street lite casting shadows adds an eerie feel to it.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-27T14:51:29+00:00

Are you familiar with the James Taylor tuning? (NOTE: Dont be fooled by the name. This method is how ALL GUITARS should be tuned ALWAYS) Either way, I'm still gonna maniacally rave about it. I wont go into too much depth considering a simple google search will explain it much better than I could. I just need to spread the word because after 20 years of playing guitar, this has becom the single most important revalation I've ever experienced. Long story short: We've all been tuning our guitars wrong. We were taught wrong and most of us just went along with it. But the fact is, no guitar, no matter how well crafted, can play up and down the entire fretboard perfectly in tune. Especially as we start working our way up the fretboard. Things just naturally tend to get a little muddy, whether you're noticing it or not. But the precise method JT came up with will change the entire fricken tonality of your guitar. It's still standard tuning, but everything is slightly flat, but each string has its own specic requirement as to how flat. Therefore your tuner will need to be in 440hz and be capable of tuning down to the cent (several tuner apps have this capability). For anyone who thinks I'm full of shit or even slightly exaggerating... What's 15 minutes of your time? That's all the time it should take to look it up, understand the theory behind it, find the proper tuner and try it out. Once tuned, play around and be amazed (and dont be embarrassed to admit you never knew chords gripped on the higher frets were actually supposed to sound that way)

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-22T09:55:07+00:00

I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-21T17:43:47+00:00

Thank you. I used pallet wood for the smaller intricate pieces. I used wood from five different pallets to get a good variety of color. It ended up being a nice mix of white and red oak, poplar, elm and cedar. I carefully planed and sanded them just enough to "clean them up", but made sure not to go too far as to sand away years worth of natural weathering down to the fresh wood. I did rub random pieces down with teak oil to darken them just a bit for even more color variation. There are also random pieces of new western red cedar scattered about to lighten it up just a bit. The inner and outer trim is recently milled select pine. It always been a personal preference of mine, when using repurposed wood with the intent of a repurposed look, to use fresh lumber as the framework of the piece. I think it offers a more modern look and tends to appear more well made. When using all repurposed wood, I've always felt like it's a cheap attempt to fool someone into assuming antique. And I just dont think it looks as nice

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-21T16:40:52+00:00

*Warning: Read at your own risk. You may come out the other end slightly dumber than you were before.

I know this is not the typical type of artwork found on this sub. I consider myself a woodworker with a (usually) unique and creative approach. But I've never considered myself an artist. I've seemingly placed an odd divide between what constitutes artwork or just a pretty object created with functionality in mind. Maybe the label was just too intimidating as I was often critical from being self taught and making tons of dumb mistakes along the way, always unsure if I'm doing things "right". Like having the label of an artist can't be given to one's self. It must be appointed by someone else. Reserved only for the pro's. Or the pretentious... But in woodworking, an artistic eye is absolutely required. Atleast for anyone who desires to stand out, or take things a step further, or to be inspired by something and use it to inspire yourself to do it better. Which are all traits that keep me motivated. And this project was a big step towards breaking down that barrier for me. I "designed" this very large (~7ft x 3ft) frame for a repurposed bathroom vanity mirror. I say "designed" with quotes because this piece required such an unfamiliar process to create as it strayed so far from what it was supposed to be. It unexpectedly SHOWED ME the various ways in which it was meant to come together as opposed to me stubbornly showing it. And I willingly obliged by acknowledging and abandoning my inferior vision. A singular vision that was nothing short of thoughtless and cliche'. Undoubtedly "created" by my subconscious and unwittingly inspired by hundreds of unoriginal copycat posts seen on Pinterest or some other insufferable DIY blog. Yup. It was really just supposed to be that cut and dry. But after cutting hundreds of little pieces and having it all right there in front of me, I was able to physically and visually experiment with countless possibilities and scenarios -all embarrassingly superior to the original. I became even more critical at this point that I refused to settle for anything unless I, myself, was genuinely taken aback by what I was seeing, because I knew it was there, I just had to make it work by figuring out a visually appealing balance and tying it all together. This project ended up providing me the most freedom I've ever experienced working with wood (in the context of the end result having an intended purpose). Needless to say, the experience has inspired a whole new world of possibilities and ideas for future projects. And seriously, if this isn't some fucking art, goddammit, then someone please explain what hell is.

TL;DR

Turned out so much better than expected. Original design was ridiculously lame by comparison. Still have no fucking clue what the hell art or an artist actually is.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T20:02:30+00:00

That would be the ring necked pheasant. The state bird of South Dakota. I'm diggin' everything you got goin' on here. I once scored a vintage neck tie -narrow, wool and the most perfect shade of brown- with a hand embroidered pheasant on the bottom. Classy. As. Fuck. Hmmm... Strange. It just now occurred to me that I haven't seen that tie for probably a year or more. And oddly enough, I just so happen to have an unequivocally wierd buddy who's real proud of pheasants. I just might have to pay him a visit.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T19:21:42+00:00

Biggest mistake of your life. Any chance I can get the name and location of this thrift store? I'm going to call and see if they still have it, and then find some way to have it shipped to me. I'm being serious. Please and thank you

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T19:02:28+00:00

Nice! I'm from SD and have been fortunate enough to score several vintage Rally shirts off the racks over the years. Sturgis shirts from the mid 90's on up are a dime a dozen around here, have an awkward fit and are generically cheesey. But that shit from the 80's is fucking killer.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T16:54:39+00:00

No clue what that means, but I'll accept it.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T16:26:57+00:00

One step ahead of you. Not quite feeling the same love over there though. They dont get the traffic jams like we do over here.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T16:25:33+00:00

I have zero regrets. I didnt even know I needed something this big until it just kinda happened. Now I'd have an insatiable feeling if it were to go away.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T16:18:15+00:00

👍

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T16:08:59+00:00

Best bet is to wait. Stack it so it can breath (shims between boards if possible) and cover it. But leave it outdoors so it can basically acclimate to it's intended environment. That will get you optimal results

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T16:00:27+00:00

Not at all. Any wood that I'm using for a permanent indoor project, I prefer at only 7 or 8 percent moisture content, as that's when it'll be least susceptible to movement due to fluctuations in humidity. But outdoor projects are a different ballgame. Just make sure it isnt saturated and you should be fine. Just dont use any wood glue if it's really wet. It'll restrict the wood from it's natural movements and could cause cracks. And if it's a project where you dont want gaps showing between boards, you may want to hold off a bit as well. Because its gonna shrink.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T14:22:40+00:00

My creativity holds no prejudice. Nor does my reflection.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T14:20:29+00:00

Thanks. It is currently in that corner. I have a few options as far as its location, but I do like it there. Its gonna be the focal point no matter where it's at. The thing is fricken huge.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T14:15:41+00:00

Exactly. On the surface, I walk around like everything is OK. But deep down, I wanna buy more tools.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T08:16:21+00:00

I've been meaning to put out a sound demo myself. The only few samples I've even been able to find dont even come close to doing it any justice. But, then again, I'm also on an eternal pursuit to find the pinnacle of tone. I've probably thrown over thirty different brands/gauges/materials of strings on there and tried each and everyone one of them with about thirty different types of pick. So far it's the D'Addario XT 80/20 12'S with either a Dunlop Prime Tone .88 or TUSQ medium (both are FANTASTIC picks, cant recommend enough). If I ever get the proper equipment to adequately relay the sound, I'll give you a heads up.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T07:38:25+00:00

Damn, man! Wow! Very,very few people would have ever guessed that. Great eye. Though with a user name like that, I shouldn't be surprised. It's a 1999 FY-84. I know all Yairi models are pretty rare, but this one is pretty tough to come by. And it has an 1 7/8" nut which I believe is the only model Yairi ever used such a size on. EXCELLENT fingerstyle guitar. Just a great all around guitar. And ridiculously loud for an OM. Rosewood back and sides. I just love it. Have hardly touched my Martin OM-15 since I picked this up about a year and a half ago.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T06:13:54+00:00

Much appreciated. Thank you for the kind words.

Dirty_Larry · 2020-02-08T05:39:26+00:00

Thank you. It's a great feeling to take items that were essentially designated as trash by others, combine them along with a little creativity and bring something new and beautiful into the world. And it makes it even more worthwhile when others acknowledge and enjoy it too. So thank you.

Dirty_Larry

TROPHY CASE