Well, it's been 2 months into my health effort. Glad to say blood work got cleaned up. Sugar and triglycerides are back down to normal. Lost 50 pounds so far. Thank god for Dr. Berry and the carnivore diet. We'll see how far this journey goes. Hoping to take off another 50!

Happy birthday to me. Bought myself a new carry knife — a Protech Godson with Olive wood trim and 154CM steel. I put my own polished edge on it with my Wicked Edge sharpener.

Lets play FIND THE SQUIRREL!

Finished up a small bowl this weekend and documented it through the process.
Started out with a section of spalted maple that was near too soft to turn.



Knocked off the corners a bit on the band saw before chucking it up on the lathe and started working to smooth out the bottom a bit.



After getting the bottom flat, could start to work on the sides.



Made a tenon...


and after some clean up to resolve some tear out, turned it around and chucked in the 4 jaw to begin work on hollowing it out




Lathered on some sanding sealer quite thick and let it cure for a bit... ended up with a fair amount of free mulch



Used a parting tool to cut out a channel for an inlay...


Filled with crushed abalone shells and CA glue.


Did another one as well, but wont bore with the step by step... just the before and after. I still need to do another layer of shell in this one, so it's not completely done.
Before...

and after...


Need to work on some knives as I'm behind, but wanted to get this wood used before it got too far gone. I have two smaller bowls left from this maple and I'm done with it. This same tree ended up giving me some really nice wood. Here is a couple bowls that came from the same tree I did later last year.

Online

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Picked up some derlin for turning seals.

Put a smile on my ugly face.

My son's lizard. Armed and dangerous. Taking applications for Iguana training.

Take better gun pictures...

My Zero Tolerance collection with a couple sprint run knives.

High end Knives collection. I added another Protech to my high end knife collection. I collect limited run Zero Tolerance, Rick Hinderer XM-18 series and Protech (primarily non-automatics). Today I added a Malibu Bronze Custom with Magnacut Wharncliffe blade and mother of pearl push button lock. These have been out of production for quite a while and I found one tucked away in a local shop. It's the gold colored one on the top in the picture below.



The middle one is a DLT Trading exclusive edition "fish scale" textured handle, reverse Tanto blade in M390 steel and plain button lock.

The bottom one is my only auto Protech — the Tactical Response-2 with textured handles and Magnacut steel blade.

Upgrading my woodworking skills. I’m starting to do live edge slabs, and woodbowl turning. thanks to Rob, for the advice on getting started with the turning.

Obsessed. Bullpup.

I guess this is the best place to put this. Initially I thought I wanted to make and sell moderators as a "side hustle" but I have figured out that I don't really want to do that. I mentioned it in the forums a couple of times though and so now I need to write this.

I don't take "orders" for the moderators I build because I'm not really in the business of selling moderators. I am experimenting and taking orders gets in the way of that process. What I do is list moderators in the classifieds which turned out well, which have been tested and which have brought a smile to the faces of the guys who shoot them. I build them and then I list them in the classifieds after I am done experimenting with them.

Sometimes when I need supplies I build a lot of three or four tried and true tested models which I KNOW work well and put them up in the classifieds. The "Ember" is one such design. Those are no longer in testing. If you see me list any of those in the classifieds they are new.

I hope that helps folks who are asking in the public forums how to get one of my moderators. Please watch the classifieds if you are looking for something. If you want something special (larger caliber, higher energy, odd thread patterns) then send me a note telling me why you think I should build one of those and I'll talk with you about it.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your patience.

Happiness is a warm shop ....

5 months from now, it will be a cool shop

2 Lee 20 lb production pots. One hooked to PID controller other is thermometer...

Powder coating...Shake in coffee container with powder coat. Shake off excess powder coat. Place in oven at 400 f for at least 12 min..Dump in water out of oven to separate... Next step sizing

I got about 50 lbs cast last night.. Getting oven ready for shake and bake powder coating

Feeling the spirit to cast some .510 N.O.E 460 grains today. I reclaimed about 300 lbs of lead 3 years ago...I need to try to use it up....I went way over in buying powder coating too about 13 lbs of it....jeez ill never use it..I usually cast 50lbs at a clip...2 Lee 20 lb production pots and a PID controller.... Shake and bake 25 lbs of slugs powder coating at a time.Water quench out of oven to get them to separate perfectly.. Can post pictures of process if.it may help anyone... If anyone needs .510 slugs I will have lots...

Blitz bullpup available yet

MR Heater Big Buddy Mod


Fan now powered by Makita 18v, 4 D-Cells. (AC option also with additional wall wart)

Going to invest heavily into my personal health. Not happy where I'm at, so I will change the eating plan and invest in really clean water. We will see how it goes!