[Woodcarver] RE: Workshop progressing . . . slowly!

[Charles Trella]

Dick wrote:
"His "before" pictures look like my "now" condition."

and Maura wrote:

"actually I think he did a good job for an afternoon. He has to learn to
stop saying "put it out in the garage" as soon as he gets the cabinets
usable, he can start putting things where they belong"

Dick - my first before picture was taken after I had done some cleanup 
towards the door end of the garage. So it was a little worse than my first 
picture makes it seem. In any case, my standards have perhaps been skewed by 
all those shop shots in Fine Woodworking that make a NASA "clean room" seem 
messy in comparison. ;-)

Maura - thanks! I was happy with the progress, just frustrated that day end 
came way too fast.

So I've been too busy to post for several days. Lot's going on here since 
then. Thanks for the encouragement Mike.  And yes - I definitely would like 
to get a shed put up. Keep meaning to do it each Spring when my bonus comes 
in, and then *poof* - its gone and still no shed. <sigh> Been 4 years like 
that. Maybe next year.

Anyway - I managed to get the cabinets all "loosely" hung on French cleats 
and will post a new pic when i get a chance. Next step, I need to really 
thoroughly clean them all, sand em down and repaint them.  Still gotta 
organize all the stuff that was piled on the left sides of the photos. But I 
did manage to clean my small bench up somewhat on the right.  Now there is a 
visible flat surface area to it that can actually be used as a bench. ;-)  
After the organizing, need to patch up some of the concrete wall where I get 
some water seepage, and some big cracks in the floor and then repaint the 
floor.

Little by little I'll get there. Of course all of this stuff takes up the 
time that I'd like to use to complete my carvings begun at NEWR. (I'll post 
some pics of those soon too.)  Lastly, my wife Theresa really wants to do 
some more relief carvings like the one she did in the Alpine Relief class at 
NEWR.  Anyone have a line on the best (lowest priced good quality) basswood 
(3/4 to 1" thick, 10 or 12" by 12" or 14" or so) in the mid-Hudson valley 
area. (Newburgh - where Rt 84 crosses the Hudson river.)  Or perhaps via the 
web/mail order?

Thanks!
Chuck