Hi from St. Louis

Jerry Loethen

Member
Messages
3
I just found this place from the Wood Whisperer's site. Thought I'd introduce myself. The "shop" is really part of a two car garage and another small space in the basement. The basement has some hand tools and my router table - cheap Sears table with a circle cutting jig on it. The garage has my cheap drill press with a new table fence and my latest toy, a new Grizzly 10" contractors saw. The justification for the saw (besides getting rid of the cheap Craftsman 8" that kept trying to fall over) was some new shelves for the family room.

I figure this is just about everyone's first project. Mine are simple oak ply base cabinets with a 4' shelf on top. I'm making three of these to cover a wall. I wanted simple doors so I ended up buying them for less than I would have spent making them.

There are a few other projects in the queue in order to help justify the saw but my primary reason for getting it was to continue with my main interest: Telescope building. It's really fun to build something out of wood that looks cool, moves around, and shows you the universe at the same time.

Thanks,
Jerry
 
Welcome to 'the Family' Jerry! Glad you found us!

Sounds like you know how to "justify" tool purchases. Just keep finding more projects that require the certain you need, and you'll soon find you'll be needing a larger shop! ;)

Wooden telescopes, huh? Sounds very interesting.

But, without pictures, it just didn't happen.

Be sure to share your progress...we love pictures. And who knows, someone might be able to lend a hand with ideas for your projects.

- Marty -
 
Hi Jerry,
Glad to have you throw in with us.
Your interest in making telescopes is not a simple start one would think. Hope to have you share your projects someday.
Welcome,
Shaz
 
Telescop Projects

Here is a link to my baby. The site is astronomy related and family friendly:

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1096

I'm also 99% complete with a little 6" that I made from a lighting globe. Here are the pics. I discovered the joy of baltic birch on the first one and I never plan to build a scope from anything else, ever. Working with that stuff is easy and lots of fun.

Jerry

6 Ince Scope Assembled.jpg 6 Inch Scope Sphere Detail.jpg 6 Inch Scope 005 small.jpg 6 Inch Scope 008 small.jpg
 
Jerry,

Very interesting link, and telescope. Very nice work! :thumb:

And yes, 'real' baltic birch is a joy to work with, and truly stable compared with the stuff you get at the home centers.

You've done good by satisfying our craving for pictures too! :thumb:

- Marty -
 
Hey Jerry, glad you found us!!

I gave up gazing at the stars............here in Tokyo, on a clear night, you can count on two hands the number of starts visible in the night sky.......:(

Cheers!
 
Hey Jerry, glad you found us!!

I gave up gazing at the stars............here in Tokyo, on a clear night, you can count on two hands the number of starts visible in the night sky.......:(

Cheers!

Stuart,

That's really a shame. Light pollution is one of those things that is easily reversable but no one seem to care.

And thanks to everyone else. I'll post some pics of the basic shelves once they are finsihed.

jerry
 
Hi Jerry :wave: Welcome aboard.

Great Pictures and even better work! :eek:

Looks to me like you are plagued with expensive hobbies.

If there were to be a prerequisite to membership here, that would be it. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Pull up a shipping crate, brush off the sawdust, grab a cup of coffee and join the family. :thumb:

DT
 
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