Hello from Charlotte

RJC58

Bob
Senior User
I joined in January and visit the forum occasionally but never introduced myself and have yet to post. I am from Charlotte, have had a lifelong interest in woodworking and as I approach retirement in a few years (from finance/banking) I am being deliberate about learning more, setting up a shop and accumulating some power and hand tools.

I have jump-started the learning process by attending a couple classes at Roy Underhill's Woodwright School in Pittsboro and as a result now have nice bench (thanks, Will Meyers; teacher) and feel more comfortable with hand joinery (thanks, Bill Anderson; teacher). Later this month I am looking forward to a week-long turning class at John C Campbell near Murphy, NC. This forum should keep me on the learning path. Prior to these classes I picked up my limited skills as they were handed-down through the generations from a great-grandfather who was finish craftsman for the KC-Southern Railroad. He finished his lifelong wood-craftsman career finishing railroad car interiors. As one would expect, especially in these modern times those skills have diminished with each generation and now I'd like to reverse that arc.

I am also restoring vintage, light-medium duty woodworking machinery (not suggested by aforementioned hand-joinery crowd) to help with dimensioning and other tasks. The OWWM site has been very helpful and to date I have restored '30-'50's era table saws, band saws, drill presses, jointers, and a sander, shaper, scroll saw and lathe. (mostly Delta, Buffalo, Atlas, Parks-type names). Presently I have my most complicated restoration... a planer, stacked in parts. I didn't see this tool-restoration interest and enjoyment coming and have spent the last two years pretty much focused on that and perusing Craigslist for quality vintage equipment. I'm a lot better now at removing rust, replacing bearings, re-wiring electric motors and turning various types of nuts and bolts. I do still have a couple open spaces in my small, cramped shop and will continue to keep my eye out to upgrade here and there but its time for me to pivot to more woodworking. Almost forgot... I now have a chainsaw and am beginning to source my own turning wood from my wooded neighborhood.

In the interest of a broader introduction I am 61 years old; married with 3 grown children; grew up in Houston, Texas; lived my early adulthood in DFW and am a Texas Aggie.

All that and I forgot to say... I'm glad to be here.
 
Last edited:

Charlie Buchanan

Charlie
Corporate Member
Welcome! Sounds like you are off to a good start. Bill Anderson and Will Myers are good teachers and hand joinery is the basic skill of woodworking even if you use machines as a part of the process. There are great folks on this forum who are experts in machine restoration and you just have to ask a question to get their help.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
Welcome Bob!
We are glad you found us. I think you will really enjoy this site simply from your interests.
I think you are on the right path, classes to learn and expand your knowledge. I too love "Old Arn"
Bill Anderson is a member of this forum and periodically posts here too. We have yet to get Will Myers on...

I was right with you, up to the point that you outright admitted to being an Aggie! ha ha

I tell everyone you get as much out of NCWW as you put in, asking questions, posting pictures (with the new software it is much more simple!) and finally adding your input when someone else has a question. I feel your apology for the use of equipment to prep wood, but I came to realize that there is nothing wrong with dimensioning the material as that is a faster path to turning it into sawdust or firewood!
I am sure your past experience will be helpful to others who resurrect vintage equipment.
 

Raymond

Raymond
Staff member
Corporate Member
Welcome aboard, Bob. You have come to the right web site (as you already know)!
 

JohnW

New User
John
Welcome to NCWW Bob. Nice to see more and more folks form the Charlotte area joining lately. I went the OWWM rout in the beginning as well with early 50's era, and found myself enjoying the restoration about as much as woodworking. Now have a mix of old and new machines. Well my new machines were bought 10 years ago so they have a few miles on them now. Glad you joined.
 

marinosr

Richard
Corporate Member
Welcome to the forum Bob! I own that same drill press, which I recently restored. Great DP, runs like a top.
188034
 

RJC58

Bob
Senior User
Nice, I saw that beauty on OWWM! Have you found some depth stop nuts? Some brass ones would look great. I’m pretty sure they’re a standard thread.
 

marinosr

Richard
Corporate Member
Nice, I saw that beauty on OWWM! Have you found some depth stop nuts? Some brass ones would look great. I’m pretty sure they’re a standard thread.

Unfortunately, they are a very non-standard thread, 7/16-24. I'm actually moving to Buffalo in a year, though, and believe it or not the company is still around and still making DPs, so I'll pick some up from them in person to avoid the $20 shipping.

I can't believe how un-marred your DP table is! Also, nice faithful paint job.
 

Rick_B

Rick
Corporate Member
Welcome Bob - this, like OWWM, is another excellent source of information. We need to get together again - I have been thinking about some classes and it sounds like you have some good experience to offer.

Rick
 

RJC58

Bob
Senior User
Thanks Rick, enjoyed seeing your impressive machines... wish now I'd purchased that sander from you. Good work at a good price.
 

Matt Furjanic

New User
Matt
Welcome, Bob...
There is a wealth of information and help out here. All are ready and willing to help, so don't be afraid to ask if you need help.
I am close by, in Monroe. Maybe we can get together sometime.

Matt,
www.inlaybanding,com
 

RJC58

Bob
Senior User
That would be nice, Matt. I picked up some bearings and oilite bushings from Dowco off W. Roosevelt at lunch just today. I live and work in the SE Charlotte area.
 

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top