Sunday, August 30, 2009

Am I Doing This Right?


I was invited to participate in the "Boring Cat Fight" at the WIA Conference in October and compete against Megan Fitzpatrick and Heather Griffin to see who can bore a 3/4" plumb hole in a piece of pine the fastest.

Sure, I said. How big a blow to my ego can it be? The problem was, I had never bored a hole by hand before, so I figured I'd better practice.

This old, junky piece of lignum vitae has been laying around the shop for years, so it became my test piece.

I didn't do too badly but only 85% of the holes were plumb. Ugh. I'm going to have to do better than that if I want to save face.

So I've started doing push ups to increase my upper body strength and so far I can do about 30 in a minute.

But they're only the one-handed kind. I still have to work up to the two-handed version.

Sheesh.

Megan, Heather, and whoever else decides to go head-to-head in the boring competition—you have nothing to worry about. Believe me, I'm no threat.
at

16 comments:

  1. CharlesAugust 30, 2009 at 7:16 PM

    This is simply the best post I have ever read in my life! LMAO!

    Bravo Kari, Bravo!

    Wow, Megan was my favorite in this competition before I knew you were in it... Now that you're in it the equation changes... hard to call... Megan seem's pretty scrappy... think this is going to be a photo finish!

    ReplyDelete
  2. willAugust 30, 2009 at 7:24 PM

    I think lignum vitae is too soft for practice wood - try Mesquite, Black Ironwood or Madrone. And learn to do drilling with the lights off or simply close your eyes and do it by "feel".

    No soft music in the background - no indeed. Play something like Black Sabbath or Poison - really loud - that way you'll refine your concentration skills.

    Finally to steady your hand push-ups aren't much value. I suggest repeatedly pushing your hands into hot sand while chanting, "Let me at them!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Michael RahalAugust 30, 2009 at 7:44 PM

    I give you an A+ for effort!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Cottage WorkshopAugust 30, 2009 at 8:23 PM

    While reading this awesome post I heard the Rocky theme in my head. Wax on, wax off Kari-san!!!
    http://richardmagbanua.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Megan FitzpatrickAugust 30, 2009 at 8:53 PM

    Oh man – I am in some serious trouble. 30 in 1 minute?! Time for me to start working out with something other than 12-ounce curls...

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousAugust 30, 2009 at 10:11 PM

    If you think about it - for various reasons there should be more than just one somewhat narrowly defined competition at the WIA.
    How about ripping a 10 ft pine board with the saw of one's choice,
    ...

    Alfred

    ReplyDelete
  7. msiemsenAugust 30, 2009 at 10:12 PM

    Kari,
    You are a nut! A true Olympian! I look forward to seeing you in action. Megan is an experienced champion and may try to get the Romanian judge on her side. I haven't heard much from Heather but she may go Tonya Harding on your knee with a ball peen hammer.
    I will make sure that you get the "Well Oiled Brace".
    Mike

    ReplyDelete
  8. msiemsenAugust 30, 2009 at 10:15 PM

    Alfred, I missed your post. There are 6 events in the Olympics. Ripping a 3 foot board, edge planing same board, crosscutting a 12 inch board, boring a 3/4 inch hole, cutting a dove tail and cutting a tenon.
    Mike

    ReplyDelete
  9. montanamarkAugust 30, 2009 at 10:19 PM

    If you wanna win you gotta get serious! How about a 3/4 masonry bit and your front walkway for practice?

    ReplyDelete
  10. DougAugust 31, 2009 at 2:13 AM

    I have a feeling that just about anything solid for miles around your shop will have 3/4" holes in it soon!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kari HultmanAugust 31, 2009 at 7:20 AM

    Thanks guys! I've been laughing like a ninny at all the comments. :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. WoodblokeSeptember 1, 2009 at 4:27 AM

    Hi Kari - that's gota be the best upper body workout I've ever seen...better than pulling pints in a pub! - Rob

    ReplyDelete
  13. ScottSeptember 1, 2009 at 3:27 PM

    I'm still in shock over 3 things. The length of your lignum vitae, the number of holes you drilled in it, and the fact that you used junky as a description for it.

    Love the blog, keep it up.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Kari HultmanSeptember 2, 2009 at 6:44 AM

    For those who fell for my covert photoshop tactics, that is actually a 6' piece of walnut that I "lengthened" and "drilled holes in" in photoshop. In reality, I did not drill a single hole in that pretty piece of wood. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  15. JonasSeptember 3, 2009 at 2:09 AM

    You sure don't need to practise your photoshop skills!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Dave ArmishawSeptember 6, 2009 at 2:57 PM

    My goodness, I didn't know when I was "roughing-in" homes and cottages with a brace and bit as an electrician in the '70's that what I was doing was going to become an art-form!

    We didn't get any extra marks for form back then, though... lol

    Dave

    ReplyDelete