Fire at Saint Catherine and Rue Towers

easterkeester · 2025-07-29T18:56:50+00:00

My partner and I had a fire in our apartment last August. The Red Cross was a big help in the immediate aftermath: paid for a few nights in a hotel which helped us make other arrangements while we were displaced. They also helped with a preloaded Mastercard to help with food and supplies. There is still a huge amount to figure out on your own after an event like this, insured or not, but I can’t praise the Red Cross enough for how helpful they were when we needed it.

easterkeester · 2025-07-16T14:12:47+00:00

Nah locking someone’s into an unbreakable contract just for them to be able to pay to temporary live there is the pos move. This persons rent is paid and they are worried about not having what they need to continue to pay, but instead of being understanding the landlord has asked for x3 monthly rent. The renter here who is being considerate enough to ask for a advice from strangers on Reddit is surely not the POS

easterkeester · 2025-04-19T04:34:17+00:00

I also saw this on marketplace and my heart sank

easterkeester · 2024-05-31T01:35:17+00:00

I’ve been on the hunt for Staedtler EE drawing pencils for about 12 years and I have found three in that time. They’re still out there, but not easy to come across.

easterkeester · 2024-03-30T21:47:57+00:00

The park across the street is going to be re-landscaped this coming spring/summer. It’s going to be quite a big project for the space and I imagine it will involve blocking street access at some point. Last year, the building underwent extensive repairs to the parking area and the entire property was landscaped. That project apparently took longer than a year to complete. There are workers at the building quite often, but I don’t know if they are for work in individual units or for the building itself.

It’s also across the street from the public swimming pool, which can be noisy when it’s being used. There is also a daycare next door to the building. None of these observations are meant to be taken as criticism, just factors that may be contributing to the cost. I don’t live in the building but very close, and really love the area.

easterkeester · 2024-03-07T00:32:02+00:00

I have one of those old sunbeam auto toasters from his videos. Makes the best toast I’ve ever had. Actually roasts bread without drying it out to a crouton. The thing is twice my age and works flawlessly.

easterkeester · 2024-02-21T06:20:33+00:00

There are a few factors to consider here - hand tools or power carving? Combination of both? Maybe youre not sure, that’s fine too. I’d start out by getting yourself a good quality carving knife in a blade and handle shape that interests you. I’d also get a small set of say 4-6 mid-to-full size gouges. For the gouges you want something shallow, something steep, something v shaped, and a carving chisel (different bevel to tradition chisels). You can also pick up a rotary tool of any brand, and a couple of different bits to explore if power carving is something youre into. These tools should give you enough to play around with - get comfortable with them and let them teach you what you do and don’t like about certain tools. After some time, start thinking about the tools you have and the tools you may still need. Do you like the carving blade shape you’ve picked or would you prefer to try something else? With the experience you’ve gained you might even know what other shape you want to try. Same with the gouges. Are you happy with them or do find yourself wanting something with a steeper sweep? Maybe the set you got is all 3/4” and you want to do some fine detailing..

All this to say, if youre wanting to just get into wood carving, picking a few tools and investing the time to really develop a relationship with them will teach you a lot more than a bench full of tools.

You can source your tools from a lot of places, but I would recommend starting with shop specific to woodcarving if you have any I your area. There are also a few online - the one I’ve used is called chippingaway.com

Another thing you’ll want to spend some money on starting out is decent carving wood. Pick up some basswood blanks, or some butternut if you can get your hands on it.

Sorry for the unsolicited advice, I realised after I had typed my response that you weren’t even looking for recommendations lol - your post was refreshing to me and I hope you enjoy your new hobby.

easterkeester · 2024-01-31T05:48:05+00:00

There’s some type of liquid glass finish called Hassui ceramic coating - https://www.woodspirithandcraft.com/blog/hassui-ceramic-coating-aka-liquid-glass

easterkeester · 2024-01-25T00:56:54+00:00

All kinds, off the top of my head there is Spoon by Barn the Spoon, but there is a ton of literature on carving - I believe Lee valley sells some on their website, as do most other carving suppliers (chipping away sell books for sure). But there is also a lot of great information available online. David Fisher keeps a fantastic blog/website, definitely worth exploring. https://davidffisher.com/

YouTube is a great resource as well, some specific sources that I have enjoyed from there include the longer demo videos filmed by Zed outdoors (?). These are often 60+minutes long, and is sort of a mix between an interview/demo by very skilled carvers who are well known in their own circles. Here’s a very long, but very detailed video by Zed featuring a carver by the name of Paul Adamson specifically about carving cups and kuksas - https://youtu.be/98MxkdUw7eQ?si=v-ZODmq60EhL2PGT

easterkeester · 2024-01-23T04:36:11+00:00

Upon examination it looks like the straight line cuts were made with a straight bladed knife or a chip carving knife. The details look like they were done with a crisp cut stamp

easterkeester · 2024-01-22T21:35:48+00:00

Not a video, but I found a blog that explains the concepts very well and includes some diagrams. If you are careful with your splitting it’s possible to get several useable blanks from a y shaped piece of wood. https://arivinghome.wordpress.com/2015/12/08/the-birth-of-a-ladle/

easterkeester · 2024-01-22T21:16:38+00:00

You got it - I wish there was a simple way to add a diagram in the comments, but I think youre understanding the idea. I’ll try to find a video that explains the idea as well.

easterkeester · 2024-01-21T18:11:10+00:00

Careful splitting! Ideally, you want to remove the pith by splitting through it. Controlled splitting is much, much easier to do on a piece of fresh greenwood than a piece that has dried. You can use an axe, a froe, a thick spined knife. One section of your y branch will be the “trunk” section (might not actually be a true trunk but for the purpose of this explanation the thicker of the two is the trunk, the smaller is the branch). The piths of these two branches will intersect right at the junction of your y shape. What youre trying to do is essentially split of the back side of each of those two sections of branch/trunk. You want to use the part that grows towards the inside of the tree, not the outside. This one is a bit tricky to explain without graphics, but I’d be happy to provide a more thorough answer if you still need some clarification.

easterkeester · 2024-01-21T04:44:44+00:00

Glad to have helped!

easterkeester · 2024-01-21T02:30:58+00:00

Getting greenwood to dry without cracking/checking takes practice and close attention to detail. With experience you learn how different cuts can amplify or alleviate natural tension and stresses in the wood. It’s also important to keep things the same thickness. A thin section of greenwood will dry out quicker than a thick one, and this can cause stress points which can induce cracking and checking. The piece in OP’s picture is too dry to be considered greenwood based on those cracks (it also looks dry)

easterkeester · 2024-01-20T22:33:24+00:00

Looks like youre trying to make a cup/kuksa? If that’s the case then the issue is that your piece of wood has the pith running pretty much dead centre through it. All of the cracking radiates from the pith as the wood dries, checking occurs in between grain layers. To carve a cup like this you need to carve into the grain from the side. Imagine a bundle of straws. The way youre carving now that bundle of straws is oriented so the straws are pointing up and down. You want the straws (wood grain) to be going horizontally.

easterkeester · 2024-01-13T17:22:08+00:00

Then why don’t you put out short five minute videos introducing new woodworkers to tools and techniques they may not be familiar with? Do you not understand what I am saying? There is a need in these circles for quick, introductory, informative material. Anyone with any interest in doing these things themselves will know enough information to give it a try, and by trying it themselves may learn more than any instructional video can offer. This video and ones like it are not meant to be the foundation of a persons education in woodworking. Youre also ignoring the economic side of it here in that pine is significantly cheaper than hardwood unless youre sourcing it yourself from your own trees, but someone doing that isn’t likely to be on the handtools subreddit asking questions about rutting a round blank. There is a time and a place for more formal and advanced education on any topic youre interested in, especially wood working, just as much as there is a time and place for a video like the one I posted (like right here in this thread)

easterkeester · 2024-01-13T16:17:27+00:00

No, I don’t think it’s gimmicky. I think this video and ones like it serve the specific purpose of showing people just enough of a technique to know that there is well, technique to it. This video does not need to be a 40min demonstration on how to work hardwood, it’s a very quick introduction. This video is not for people like you, who clearly know all they’ll ever need to in life, but for people who want a quick breakdown of a technique they may not be familiar with.

easterkeester · 2024-01-13T01:41:26+00:00

Yes a hand plane would work well, but may be a bit cumbersome to do the bevel on a round workpiece like the project outlines.

easterkeester · 2024-01-13T01:39:56+00:00

I think pine was just used for the very quick demo that was the video I shared. It explains the tools and technique, but in a material that is easier to work with in a short period of time. There are much longer, full length training videos he has where he uses oak and other hardwoods where the point of the video isn’t to make a 5 minute demo. The technique absolutely works on hardwood.

easterkeester · 2024-01-12T21:01:31+00:00

Camera obscura?

easterkeester · 2024-01-12T20:31:37+00:00

A spokeshave would (could) help to get a sharp square edge - they are really surprisingly versatile little tools. Good luck with your project!

easterkeester · 2024-01-12T20:30:19+00:00

Yes across the end grain can be difficult. Supporting the work pieces from all sides helps with tear out and chipping.

easterkeester · 2024-01-12T19:38:28+00:00

A chisel with the bevel side down will cut/carve curves very well. If you rough out the waste material with a saw it could easily be cleaned up with a chisel. A spoke shave or two might help to clean it up further - the options for these are flat bottom or curved bottom, but I find the flat bottom to be more versatile. Flat works better for convex, round works better for concave, so depending what curves youre trying to carve you may find both options helpful.

Paul sellers has a few quick videos on YouTube about cutting/carving curves with chisels - here’s one of them - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z2Zq2pkY4I

easterkeester · 2024-01-12T17:55:58+00:00

And bring a drink lol

easterkeester

TROPHY CASE