Old Time Business Practices Do Exist

My belief that good old honest business practices still exist has just been reinforced.

There is a product called LiquaMask that is intended to protect wood from smoke residue. You're supposed to apply it to the wood, let it dry, do your engraving and then peel it off. Well, for some reason I've had the devil's own time trying to make it work, basically just getting it to come off the wood. I wrote the company telling them I was having problems and asking if they had any suggestions about what I might be doing wrong. Last night I unexpected receive an email from the company president telling me that I'll be receiving a refund, which I already have, and asking me to send them the file I was using along with any materials so THEY could try to figure out what was wrong.

I never asked for a refund, I just mentioned that I couldn't get the product to work and the president of the company, Mike Fruciano of LaserBits, does this; now THAT'S the old fashioned style of business ethic I've come to miss. Here's a company that believes and stands behind their products.

After 14 Months, I'm Back

Well, I'm back. And I've acquired a new toy, a laser engraver, so now I will "cheat" on some of my scroll work. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I'm going to try cutting out some of my smaller 1/4" thick crosses using it; as long as it's dark wood. My wedding crosses are still going to be done by hand, there is just no way to laser cut through 3/4" hardwood without a charred mess. Acrylics and such are now on the list of do-ables so sawdust may be on the decline, stay tuned.

I'm Back

Well, it's been almost 7 months and the mad woodworker is back. Heather and I have decided that the craft show circuit just isn't worth the effort so, no more craft shows. I guess that means I have to actually get busy and work on my web site.

Before Christmas I got around to making myself a cane; it just wasn't right that a woodworker would be walking around with a metal one. Well, I used a product called 'Inlace' to put in an inlay, it's a resin that uses a highly volitile solvent as a hardener. It worked okay, but boy if you ever want to get REALLY high (and run the risk of blowing yourself to pieces) use this stuff in an area that does not have excellent ventillation. It took me several days to get over the stuff. I spoke with a couple of folks that met the guys that developed this stuff; they said the two of them act like a couple of lost dopers from the 60's.

Anyway, since I've pretty well decided after several years that craft shows aren't for me, I need to find something that I can concentrate on, so if there are any ideas . . .

Boy was I mistaken

First, I'm never wrong, just mistaken or a might short on being right.

Whoops, my detail artist informed me that she and I were far from being done with the angels. She finished working on faces, and hands. Now she also has the task of doing the actual design work for each angel; boy I'm glad she likes doing that stuff because it would drive me crazy, (and that would be short drive).

Well now it's back to the shop so I can finish my bird houses/feeders. I found a whole mess of shelf bird houses at 50Birds.com.

Getting Ready For Watertown Art Fair

Well, my detail artist (my wife Shirley) has finished her work on the angels, now it's assembly time. I have my butterfly houses done and all I have to do for my bird houses and feeders is assembly. I'm making one more bat house.

Anyone have thoughts about building bird houses for robins? They are what is called a 'shelf dweller' which means they nest on some type of open ledge or branch and will not use a conventional house.

My cross list is going to consist of one or two more wedding crosses and severl more boy/girl praying.

I'll let you know what I think about Art Fair.

Angels

Well, I've finally gotten all of the angels painted white; now it's up to precision art department to do the detailing.

What's so big about prainting the items white? Think of it this was; refrigerate maple syrup, using an air brush try to get a spray, the spray has to be thin enough to actually turn into a mist but thick enough to actually cover something without leaving puddles. It took almost two dats to find the right balance.

Now it's on to the animal habitatses.

Bio

We start with the obligatory bio:

I was born a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away in a log cabin. I had to walk to school in five feet of snow; uphill both ways.

Okay, enough. I have a small (hobby) business called, Gifts of Distinction. I make small gift items from wood, such as kitchen gadgets, crosses, animal habitats, ornaments, nativity scences and pens.

Together with my daughter, Heather Hertziger of Square One Beads I do craft shows in the Watertown and Appleton area. We bill ourselves as internationally known artisans since we've both sold things to people in other countries.

So, that's me. I hope to keep the world up to date on what I'm doing. I also plan to write MY opinion of the craft shows I do.