Day 51: Heads and Tails

Because I had so much success using the miter kit the day before, I decided to go ahead and prepare the key top tails, as well, yet I have an admission: I used the band saw after all. I cut the tail pieces to length at 3 1/2" using the miter box and then used the band saw to trim them down to a width of 5/8". The key to this was clamping a piece of wood to the band saw fence so the wee, little pieces didn't slide under the fence during the cut.

The other aspect to note is that I was ripping these little pieces on the band saw, rather than crosscutting them. Because I have misplaced my band saw miter gauge, it was extremely difficult for me to crosscut some of the smaller pieces without getting a funky edge. Ripping is another matter entirely. As you can see in the photo above, they came out just fine.

In another, completely unrelated matter, some of you have been inquiring about the source of my stunning success in the wood shop. Well, I attribute it to perseverance, making multiple, sometimes repeated, mistakes from which I learn many valuable lessons and the liquid in the bottle below.

Pusser's Rum (Nelson's Blood) was produced for the British Navy from 1655 until 1970 when the Admiralty Board discontinued its daily use. Fortunately, Charles Tobias resurrected the brand in 1979, producing the first bottles for public consumption in 1980. Since then, it has become a world-renowned "single malt rum" and the secret of my success. Given its long and storied history, it just seems fitting that it's an integral part of this project (in moderation, of course). Yo ho ho and a bottle of Pusser's!

Until next time...