Stephen Shepherd

Re: Stephen Shepherd

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Lifting the saw on the back stroke is similar to laying a plane on its side. I have taken planes in to show at my day job various times, and I always have the iron retracted 1/8" or so into the mouth. No chance of anyone slicing themselves. I always set them on a table with the sole flat on the table to see what happens. The first thing that happens is someone walks over and lays the plane on it's side, and says they are never supposed to be set down on their sole. They just want people to know that they know a lot about planes. (The strangest feeling just hit me, like I should be ducking and running.)

Oh, now, be fair, Moses!

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>My grandmother on my father's side was really neurotic about glasses and plates being too close to the edge of the table (I was never sure how she determined "too close," but the critical seemed to be about twice the diameter of the thing in question or, for tall things, maybe the height of the thing in question - as I say, not sure).

I still find myself moving stuff away from the edge of the table. Some habits are hard to break.

Re: Oh, now, be fair, Moses!

Paul M.

>I can sympathize with your grandma.

I was a student in a local woodworking class, and I loaned my #3 plane to a fellow student. After using it a bit, he placed the plane back on the bench with part of the sole hanging off the bench over a concrete floor. I went over to him and pushed the plane back onto the bench and told him not to do that. Then he used the plane again, and placed it back on the bench, again partly hanging off in space. That trip I took it away and told him he has lost all tool borrowing privileges.