I don't go out very often. This was true even before the pandemic. So the situation doesn't affect me that much; however when I plan something, it's gotta get going. From the weekend I was planning on getting some other tools and stuff for the workshop. My goal for this week was getting a wood plane. A smaller one. Something needed for fan struts and sound board calibration. That and some other tasks I can't do properly with my big plane.
My goal was something similar to this picture. But I wasn't able to get it. Here's why:
I came to the place. It's a big franchise store with a lot of expensive things, but the only place in town where brand new tools can be acquired. I've been getting some via internet, but this size of plane is elusive. Ok, I get inside the place ask for it. It was 14$ which is a fair price for this tool. Some are more expensive. Japanese planes are the most expensive. But I'm not on the stage of having tools like that. Other things caught my eye: a 3/8' wood chisel (a size I don't have and also need) and teak oil (this is for the fretboards as I have decided to leave the wood naked so the oil is both finishing and protection from the environment). I paid and when I got the plane I realized it's unassembled. I checked this and see it has no blade. Of course, no time is wasted in telling this to the clerk and after some minutes in the storage. She comes out and tells me she has to refund all the purchase because there's no blade to be found. Funny, right?
This is the same thing that happens with everything around this country. But I don't want to delve in politics and the nature of Latin America. It's always more of the same. I still don't believe what happened. So, I got the chisel and the oil. Later, I bought some sealant because I didn't have a drop. This thing is getting expensive. Last time I bought 1/8 of a gallon it was 4$. Today, I paid 8$. So, this is the weird phenomena that only happens in this god-forsaken country known as dollar devaluation. Is there an explanation for this? Yes, as Thomas Hobbes would say: "homo homini lupus". Except that in this case I would dare say: Venezuelans are wolf to their kin. And I have no choice but to get my things and keep going. There are no mechanisms to regulate this things. The Government does the same. So, yeah. Nothing to do here.
I think this should be a rant about somethin this silly, but it would become a rant about Venezuelan society itself. Everything is a mirror of the cracks of our so called "country". But this is a Sisyphean task and I'm happy watching all the show from my hill as the rock keeps rolling into the abyss. I'm ok with this. I can work my instruments' finish and do some carving with this chisel. My next step is getting stuff from Amazon. There I have choices and pretty good deals.
Typical me opens a post and checks the pics first.
And this happens..
"Ohh cool! He got coffee and booze! That's what matters!"
And then I read it..
It's no booze..
and no coffee :(
😂
Ha, ha, ha. This could've made for a better post, I think. 🤣
Next time ;)
Maybe. It's been a long time since I bought any booze, let alone coffee.
Damn that sucks man I hate when that happens! It’s always when you are looking forward to something like that, that it screws up lol. I’ve been looking at a plane myself but don’t have a use for it yet. It’s just a cool tool to have lol. Who doesn’t like to shave down wood to look incredible like that?!
I do have those chisels and I’m going to use them in the coming weeks actually! I’m going to surprise the wife and use some of the scrap wood I collected over the winter now that it’s dry lol. Going to chisel it out! Hoping it comes out as interesting as it does in my head hahaha. I’ll have to get some teak oil to seal it, I tend to like the natural look myself in some scenarios.
It's the worst!
I think there are contests to see who gets the most handsome shaving out of pieces of wood. That's pretty cool!
Are you going to make a sculpture or something like that? Working only with chisel is going to be a lot of work, but woodworking in general is always a lot of work. About the finish, I think either oil or sealant are cool for natural looks. Sealant is just wood resin, so it tends to give wood back it's natural appearance.
Hahah no not a sculpture but actually one of those things on the counter that you store big spoons and stuff in. I don’t really know what they are officially called but every kitchen has it that I’ve been in. It’s a big round thing and you put the spoons, ladles or spatulas with the utensil part facing up so you can easily grab it out when you need it. We have one and it’s not big enough for all the damn utensils we have in our house lol. I’m gonna reuse the stump of our Christmas tree to chop the bottom off it, flatten it and hollow it out. Not sure how it’s going to look but it might work out, or it might be awful I don’t know yet lol.
Do you have those utensil holder things in Venezuela?
The wood shavings are pretty awesome, I love the smell of them!
Ah, yeah. I'm guessing you have some power tools to do the big part of the job. I imagine doing that with chisels and it sounds awful. Some sort of prehistoric woodworking. 🤣
We do have them. My grandma has a long one on a wall in the kitchen. In my house, we have complete drawer in the kitchen for those utensils.
Yes, who doesn't love a handsome shaving. Btw, did you know you can polish naked wood with wood shavings? It's not a French polish finish but it certainly helps to give wood a smooth surface after sanding.