Shop Details & Safety

I have added a few more images and details to the Shop page. It seems like I think of something new to add every day to the Shop gallery. I know that is a big favorite for the viewers and there is a lot to share so I am sure that for a while content will be changing and added to on that page.

3 Fire Extinguishers for the ACWOne of the most important things that I added was the fire extinguishers and their layout. I can't stress enough how important this overlooked item is in the shop. I watched the neighbors garage get hosed down on the inside when he set it on fire while welding.

The neighbor did have a small fire extinguisher that he used initially, but it emptied fast and the fire popped back to life leaving him empty handed. The shop was too far from the house for the garden hose to reach. ACW Fire Extinguisher Layout

After seeing what happened to him I went to the big box store right away and purchased 3 fire extinguishers. I placed them strategically in my shop to allow for an easy, quick access.

Everybody's placement for extinguishers will be different, but I have provided a map of my shop to give you an idea of how my extinguishers are located. You will notice that I have placed 2 for easy access from the 2 entry points and one that is more in the center of the shop.

I think that it is important for everyone to have fire extinguishers in the shop, but especially so if the shop is in the house or attached to the house. The cost of a $60 fire extinguisher greatly outweighs the cost of what can be lost if you do not have at least one.

Interview With Scott Morrison

I have a lot of work to do on the video interview with Scott Morrison. I have a good 70 minutes of chat time with Scott so I have some editing to do and I need to break it into segments that will fit the 10 minute/2 GB limits of YouTube.

You will really enjoy hearing Scott share his story and business advice. There is a lot of gold nuggets that he shares in our conversation.

It sounds like Scott is coming up with another special deal on furniture plans so stay tuned. He also just announced more video plans that he is coming out with. You can see them at here at Finewoodworker.com.

I have a couple of his videos, they are well made and very comprehensive. The furniture that he makes can be intimidating, but when you watch the videos, you think "Oh heck, I can do that." It is like he is giving you a personal lesson as he gives instruction in the videos.

Moving On...

I really need to get work going this morning so I can get some edit time in tonight. Enough taunting you with promises, time for production.

Your friend in the shop, Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love ~ Share the Knowledge

Workin’ My Butt Off!

Guys – I kid you not, I have a full plate and I am getting up early and working late everyday. But it is very exciting as there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes.

Clamp Storage SytemThe economy must be getting better because I am getting calls and jobs like I normally should. It actually started early this year which was a mystery to me but a welcome one.

I have added 9 more detail photos and information to the Shop page. I know it is all about the details so you will have to be sure and check it out. In the future I will assemble a nice shop tour but that won’t happen for a while because of my work load at this time.

Going to the Artwalk…

I was asked to participate in the Billings Artwalk in May, that was very exciting. I already had a pretty full work load so I am not sure that I will be able to make anything new, I will just take what I currently have and put together a nice presentation. Only a handful of people in Billings have seen the pieces that I have in my house, that Rita and I live with everyday.

The Billings Artwalk is a great social event and Rita and I love to attend. Many towns have them and they are either referred to as artwalks, gallery hops, or gallery crawls. All the galleries and the art museum stay open late and have free wine and snacks (that brings the people for sure) to get the public exposed to the local art scene.

It is not a juried show, but I thought it was neat that someone invited me to show because they viewed me as an artist. It will be some good exposure locally to change people’s mind of what furniture can be or what woodworking can produce. Woodworking suffers an image problem as a handy hobby instead of being another form of artistic expression, or being able to marry an artistic form with the function of an everyday item.

Shhh… Business Secrets

I should make a point here about the importance of this as a business or creative person. Attending your local artwalk, even as a viewer, is a great thing to do. It is a good social mixer, you will make lots of connections to other creative people, and you have the potential to make business connections. It makes a great date night with the wife and is just an all-around fun time.

Got Something Big Here!

In the shop with Scott MorrisonI will leave you with this today as I need to head back out to the shop.

I was able to get with Scott Morrison and do a video interview. Scott is a great craftsman that actually makes a living from building Sam Maloof inspired furniture. Be sure to check out his site to see all of the projects that he creates daily.

When we started out, I told Scott “Oh I suppose it will only be a 20 minute chat I don’t plan on getting into an hour long interview.”

Well, Scott and I talked for an hour and ten minutes and he shares some great information. He talks about his background, his business, shop, and his wife’s role in supporting the business. He also shares what his relationship to Sam Maloof was like.

One thing just led to another. I didn’t have a specific list of questions, but I had outlined some topics to be sure and cover so it was a spontaneous Q & A session.

I have a lot of footage to go through and I am sure that I will be releasing it in segments every week or so. Scott was very generous with time and information. It is just a pretty normal conversation in the shop and I wanted to bring you along.

Scott’s a truly great guy. He is another craftsman that lives the motto “Share the Love~Share the Knowledge.”

That’s all for now so I will leave you with this teaser and a shop tour video that Scott just released this morning.