I'm going to have to check out the plyboo. I like the idea of bamboo's renewability, and it really can be tough and versatile. My speakers even have bamboo fiber cones.

Bamboo flooring has become quite popular too. It's very good in wet areas, which hopefully won't be a requirement when considering it as a material for your PJ , and it's tough as nails!

Well I did it...
I bought one of The OPPO DVD players.

I couldnt help it. The price was right, it came with cables, best rep in the business and then they said I could have it on my doorstep tomorrow...

What else could I do?

Wifes gonna have a bird!

Mmmm... Bamboo. Yes, I can see many interesting applications of that nice tough grass. Hmmm... I wonder if I can make a decent laminate from bamboo. That'd make for an intresting pj case.

Maybe I can make a projector with a "Gilligan's Island" theme.

Nice DVD player. It'll go well with your high-def TV.

I've been toying with the idea of a Flintstones PJ, but the birds keep catching fire....


(sorry, my humor gets a little warped around Halloween)

"you're dead to me can opener!"


i searched around for plyboo and couldn't find anything easily accessible. it does look like it will be expensive until the bamboo floor fad dies off.

The huge advantage to it is it's renewability. To make the equivalent of a single ply core only takes a few weeks. With ply, they have to use trees that are upwards of 20 years old...Although I have a specimen tree from a major wood company ( cant remember the name. tip of the tounge.) Its a gentetically engineered pine thats supposed to be doubled for growth. So far , I'm not too inpressed, but I'm told these take off expontentially.

So I think Im finally into the region where I can show this...
This is the new design for the stand. Scale is 1 block equals 6 inches. I have the math worked out for the curves and I will most likely transfer it into a paper template.

The plan is to rest the rocker points in the divots at the top and let friction take care of holding it. I am considering an adjustable cross brace to tighten it up. It will be like a dobsonian telescope mount in that regard. I should be able to take it off quickly or change its COG. My only concern at this point is the curves. I can tell you flat out that I seem to have the worst luck with jigsaws ever and I dont have a scroll saw...

This is just a hand sketch. Once the curves are done mathematically, they will flow much more nicely.

Click to view attachment

Oh yeah! and my upconverting dvd player arrives today! Yeah!

Okay...OPPO upconverting DVD player at 1080i...

...delicious!

I'm looking to purchase an OPPO down the road when I upgrade my LCD.

Can't wait to see how it performs (and we expect a full review of it too )

Dont really know what I can say that hasnt been said before. Seems like everyone is really jazzed about this player and I can see why. It makes a huge difference in the way you see things on larger TV's. No jaggies, PAL and NTSC, region free, and the thing will play anything I throw at it.

As an interesting side note, I have an original copy of the Vista Series special release of Tombstone. One day it just stopped playing on my machine. Tried another and then tried my computer. It failed on all of them. The OPPO just took it, read it, corrected for the problem and gave me the menu like there was nothing wrong. I was amazed.
I was thinking about writing a review, but Im not going to say anything new.

Bottom line: This is the best player you can get for the money.
This player just plain out ROCKS!

SJ

Sweet! BTW I read through your PLOG once, and I can't remember what the final LCD you used was (and it's resolution).

It was a CMV-520D. They dont make them anymore, but they make newer versions. I am planning a 17 samsung for my pro setup...

Hehehe...you made it through my plog? You are stalwart!

For those of you who requested it, there is a review of the OPDV971H Digital HD-Ready Up-Converting DVD Player I purchased in the Reviews section.

Cheers!

SJ

okay. Its been a busy AM, but I finally have a block of time to write this down...

Last night my wife was scheduled for an online event and I thought it might be fun to go hang in the shop. 10PM rolls around. Kids are in bed. Wife is geeking with her WOW buddies. Im on a third glass of wine, which means NO power tools...but I can go do some sketches and enjoy the smell and ambience of my shop. Stale gas, fresh sawdust and various chemicals...Ahhhhh Heaven!

So I wander out to the shop and open the door, which wasnt closed as tight as I usually do. I take a deep breath and notice that the shop smells great, but also has a whiff of watermelon. So I peak at the floor and sure enough there are wet tracks...but only one set...
'Great', I think to myself. 'I have inherited a stalker..or worse...'
So I turn off the flashlight and flick the lights on and start humming. I am puttering around arranging things and basically doing busy work. I realize that my drill bits are all over the place, so I start to reassemble the case etc...
This goes on for about 20 minutes. Im just kinda buzzing around and I know she's up there. Trouble is which one and why would she come back? So I finally get tired of the game and walk to the bottom of the stairs, flick on the upstairs lights and go "You can come out now. I know youre up there."
I hear a distant "Thank God!" and she starts coming slowly down the stairs.
Nice ankles by the way...Strappy shoes...uhmmm.
Tight pants, tight shirt, loose hair and a really sheepish look.
(Damn! XXXXX you lucky bitch!)
She's so precious I could eat her.
( Hmmm...I wonder if I could persuade her to...STOP! Hey! Married? Ring a bell? Huh? Oh yeah...Focus Jack, Focus...)
"Uhmmm. I'm really sorry." she starts off. "I came back for my...ahhhh...you know...panties." She practically whispers the last word. ( Jeez! If she said that in an english accent I would go off the deep end!)
"Uhhhh. Okay. Sure. Not a problem. " I hear myself saying.
(Oh Jack, You are the MASTER of smooth talk...)
"I didnt think anybody would be in here this late at night. You never come out on Thursday." she says.
( Well at least she isnt running away from you... Hey! What does that Thursday thing mean??!)
"You know my schedule?" I ask dumbly. Quite frankly I'm still intoxicated by her looks. The three glasses of wine dont help either...
"We may have been out here a few nights." She walks by me and trails her hand across my chest, closer to my neck, so its not too intimate. ( Huh? Hey! Personal space...nice nails!)
She stops by my table saw. I notice that the panties she was retrieving were made out of green shiny material. ( Whoa! I sure would like to see those on her! Those are shiny!")
"You like em?" she holds them out with both hands. ( Yikes! Jack? You MAY be in an odd space here?)
"Me too." she laughs " They're XXXXX's favorites too!" ( Damn I wish I was a lesbian right now!!)
"Uhmmm. They're very...ahhhh..nice." I say. "You should probably go. XXXXX will be wondering where you are." ( Smooth Jack, REAL SMOOTHHHHH...)
"Yeah, youre right. "She says as she runs her hand along the table extension of my table saw. ( I will NEVER sell that saw!)
"You should move this saw. I bumped my hip on it last time." ( OOOOO!!!! Can I see?)
Without so much as a skip she pulls the side of her pants down, exposing a very creamy hip with a small squarish patch of greenish purple faded skin. ( Jack! You OWE it to her to kiss it and make it better!)
"Sorry about that. Hope it didnt hurt too bad." I say. Right now I am watching myself and getting the feeling like I shouldnt be here. My curiosity is telling me to stay but my feet are shuffling.
"Its still a little hard." she says Here FEEL!" She grabs my hand and guides it towards the spot.

The following conversation took place in Jack's head between the hours of 10:35:16 and 10:35:17...
Bad Jack: Dude! Thats what we want! Sweet victory!
Good jack: Uhh..No! it s not. This is dangerous Jack! Been here before! Remember?
Bad jack: C'MON! Its just a little feelsy! I'll be good! I promise!
Good jack: Your promises dont mean shit! As soon as you touch her, that part of your brain that cant talk is going to take over for us both and your are going to do something you will regret?
Bad Jack: What? Feel up a good looking babe? Wake up!
Good Jack: No...youre gonna hurt Kath! Stupid ass! You gonna throw all you have away for that?
Bad jack: But I WANT it! I REALLY WANT IT!
Good Jack: NO!
Bad Jack: Hah! Were touching her! Uhmmm Damn does that feel nice! You should try this sometime! What could be better than the forbidden fruit?! ? C'mon you could be young again or at least feel it!
Good Jack: Jack! Get a grip!
Bad Jack: God! You are such a wussy!
Good jack: Youre reign is over!

"Hold up!" I say. ( Bout friggin time! That was the longest second I have ever felt.)
"I'm sorry. This isnt right. I'm not even sure what THIS is.." I pull away wondering if I could ever be a cad without killing myself.
"What? I was just showing you my bruise." She says pulling her pants back up. Then she stops. "Oh...You didnt think that I..." she deliberately lets the words trails off.
"Well I didnt really know...I...uh..." ( Jack forgot how to talk! Hahahahaaaa!)
"Awwww... Sorry Sweety! Wrong team, but you are sweet. Most people would have gotten really mad." She laughed and then leans up and kisses me high on the cheek. ( Ha! Great! Now youre her Grand dad!)
Then she was gone. ( Oh Thank you! That was surreal! Hey you dont really want to clean now do yah? I bet "Futurama" is on somewhere...How about some popcorn? Chinese?...)

I couldnt honestly tell you if the giggle was hers or the Universe laughing at me.

What I can tell you is that I am locking my shop from now on...

That sound you hear is me lightly sighing, an odd grin on my face, elbow on the table, chin on my hand, head shaking ever so slightly as I re-read that post.

One ring to rule them all.

And you thought Tolkien meant Sauron's? heh

Gollum!

I lead a "strangely charmed" life....sigh

I recounted your post to my wife, who thought it was hysterical. Her first comment was "he better put a lock on that thing". I can only assume she meant the workshop! LOL I told her you had that covered.

I've had one of those 1 second conversations with myself. It's even worse when you can't tell who's 'bad' and who's 'good' Damnit, they're both dressed in white robes, and have horns.

As for that giggle, My answer would be "both." However you seem to have passed that little trial without TOO MUCH mishap.

For my part, I'll take the time to say "I told you so." You said that the Universe would probably leave you alone awhile. I said "Don't count on it."

Its only once in a great while the the universe makes me feel like a live toy...for the most part I enjoy the "little gifts" it brings me...

In my head, I can actually hear the voice of the first officer of an Arcturan Megafreighter in the original radio version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy saying "You do live an interesting life, don't you Mr. Beeblebrox? Mr. President sir."

It has been a while since I have read SJ's thread. I decided to stop by today. Not sure what to make of this. I am still scratching my head.

OK. I went back and found the original story. Makes total sense now. I felt like I was 14 again reading the Penthouse letters. And I thought all of that was fiction.

Extraordinary!!!! Simply Extraordinary!!!!

I think I'm going to build a dedicated work shop and see what turns up.

My luck, it will be a wart hog...

LMAO, I was just thinking the same thing. But with my luck it would be two dudes, not chicks
So SJ, when can I plan my trip there? Need to be sure i'm there on one of those days.

Well, thinking back, you said there would be some awkward moments in store for you. Wait for rent check time now! I have asserted for a LONG time that God has a well developed, and somewhat twisted, sense of humor. And, I know He's spent more than a few days heartily laughing at me. Since you are a Tombstone fan, I'll leave you with a quote, kinda.....

SJ, you're an oak.



Later!

"Wyatt, I am Rolling!"

Well, a tiny bit of progress this weekend. mapped out the coordinates for the full size panel against the scaled down version and made a transfer paper for the model. Its going to be about three feet tall. Now I have to start working on the transition curves. Im thinking that I will use the old straight line graph trick. No sense reinventing the wheel... unless I really need to

SJ

is she a true red head, by crackey?

Yes.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Progress? Naaahhh! We dont need no steenking progress!
Tonight I brave the elements with my three year old princess, and my Stephanie with the pink hair...
Forecast for tonight? Rainy and 42...


But the national project Im working on is almost done, things may return to normal soon...
...maybe...
...but, I seriously doubt it...

Lock! Lock? what are you thinking? forget the lock and put in Hi res (color) video monitoring!!! Just to well, ah you know, make sure that bruise doesn't get any worse

( shiny green panties does sound interesting)

Actually, my wife asks me nearly everyday ... "So, did he put a lock on it yet?" lol

Locks? Blasphemy!

Well, the door has a lock on it and all was quiet..until tonight.
I'm beginning to think Red is stalking me. Ala Fatal Attraction...

The attentions of a beautiful woman are rarely abhorred, but I am starting to wonder if the universe didn't have a much longer game plan in mind for me...

Figures it would happen on Halloween. Quite possibly the only day this cover could have worked....

I think I'm in trouble...

(whats worse, I might have been here all along and just never realized it...)

FOCUS,, your fressies !!!!

MWUHAA

See Jack? Well developed, and somewhat twisted sense of humor.........

I had the pleasure of escorting my "cowgirl princess" (Don't ask.....5 year old daughter....) and 4 ft Tony Stewart around a neighborhood this fine eve. Mom came down to take them, so I was doomed to do it. Can't really deny her when she drove 8 hours after riding a ferry from 4 miles out in Lake Erie to Virginia to do it. It was a blast, though, watching the fun they had.

Keep us posted on your twists and turns, please. It's definitely been fun reading so far.

Later!

What I wouldn't give to have a redheaded stalker. (female of course)
Only thing i've had that even comes close was a dog with redpaint on it following me..

Happy Halloween. I accompanied a three year old princess myself and a jedi for good measure!

someone set fires on the road next to mine and for some reason the fire dept wouldn't put them out until they shut off the power.. so I was in the dark for 2 hours :angry:

Heck, I'm told that I'm in the dark pretty much 24x7! Two hours doesn't sound like a lot.



Now, , which of course no longer has anything to do with SJ's PJ exploits. "The Legend of Red" continues....

I'm tryin' to figure this out. How does reading the plog of the luckiest PJ builder in the universe (you know, the one being stalked by a verifiably natural red head lesbian who uses his work shop for her extra-curricular activities) make me gay? I must truly be in the dark, Blake, repeat IN THE DARK!

plot think I losing here..

worry not, Dallas dream sequence is like what happening here..

afternoon wake will occur all for,,

sam you all have,,, as he desires you be to....

test is you endure all....... hehehehehehehe

for be you anal'yediseded

I love Halloween.
Always have . Probably always will. Its just a great night to be silly and have some fun.

So last night Im getting my gals ready for the mad dash. Madison has become Stephanie from lazy town. Its the pink wig that really does it . Cassie has maintained her focus and will continue to be a princess, Cinderella to be exact. We get ready and I am luxuriating in the idea that not only has my national project gone well, but nothing odd has befallen me and the world is calming down as life retreats into the ground for a long winter. Im also a great lover of Fall.

The town I live in is a hamlet of about 4500 people which includes all outlying properties as well. Naturally, it is small and everyone seems to know you. I have a reputation as being kind of a crazy scientist type. The folks in the local hardware store are always amused at my latest fun thing. Its a nice town.

So we are out and about last night, begging candy and constantly watching for cars as our children indulge in the modified pastime of Halloween. I have hooked up with a friend of mine and we have merged out two family units into a sort of tiny mob. My goddaughter is with them. She is a radiant 13 and stands nearly as tall as I in a period dress from the late 1700's. She has a fine sense of humor and we are clicking well.
The world is right tonight.

My wife decided to take the cars down to the firehouse where everyone was congregating for the basic small town get together. Typical stuff. Popcorn, games , gross things and adults sweating it out in the name of our children.
Its americana at it's finest.

This leaves my friend, my goddaughter, my kids and my friends young man to meet them at the firehouse. So we mosey and visit and beg sugar from every bright house we see. Cassie is having a good time and Madison is running head with one of her friends.

Since there is a chance of rain I am wearing my long Aussie duster and my grandfather's Stetson. One of my neighbors complimented me on my costume. His wife came up behind him and told him I dress like that all the time. Like I said, its a small town.

Suddenly I hear "Well!, There you are!"
I figure its for someone else, so I keep talking to my friend. Suddenly the voice gets louder and says " Hey Cowboy! You dont look so hot! Come here and I'll make you all better!"
She practically shouts it out loud. At this point everyone within a 15 yard radius turns around to see whats happening.
There is "Red", dressed to the hilt, looking at me like Im a steak.
"Jesus Christ..."mutters my friend.

Every man loves a good outfit on a woman. No matter how politically correct you are. Sure , when your girlfriend or wife asks, you say that she looks great just the way she is, but a little wrapping always makes a present more fun. Fredericks of Hollywood has laways been know for making chintzy flaky versions of what men want to see.
This was NOT from their store.
Imagine if you will that Victorias Secret made a nurses costume. Getting the picture now?
Starting at the bottom, she had 3 inch clear heels on which were lovingly wrapped around a pair of mile high legs adorned in white fishnet stockings. Garters clearly showing, hooked into wide panels at the top. Quality linens. A VERY short skirt and nurses jacket deliberately pushed up and out and a very deep cut of cleavage, skillfully blushed to make extra use of the profile. Very full lips and the flaming red hair, teased out to where Jersey girls would be jealous. She was actually trick or treating and was carrying a strawberry purse. That, her lips and her hair were the only colored things on her. I must say the contrast was remarkable.
Now I have a "thing" for nurses. I spent a good deal of time in college working my way through the nurses program, which was most likely the result of an encounter I had at the age of 17 when I tore up my chest.
Some things seem to stay with you. My friend knows this well and even hired a stripper nurse for my bachelor party.
Here's to good friends!

Red saunters up to me, doing that "step forward, pivot out slightly, swing the butt then step again" thing that usually means its time to get naked. In the meantime Im realizing that not a single person is making a sound and I am literally in the middle of my town. I am so dead!
She trails up to me and hangs her arms around my neck and says in avery breathy tone "Relax baby, Nursie's gonna make it aaaalllllllll better..." ( OHHH CRAP!!!!!)
She proceeds to do the "pre-kiss nuzzle" and I do what any sane person would do.
I raise my arms and hold them at about 10PM and 2AM.
Men need to know that they can get caught in a kiss if they do this one simple thing. In my family if a lady kisses you, you have no right to refuse and we are taught as early as can be that to rebuff a personal gift like that is just plain mean. So men in my family are taught that if someone kisses you you wait until its over and then politely refuse the next. Naturally we are born victims at Christmas time. The key to "does the man really want it" is if he uses his arms. If your arms are up that means you are being polite and. If you embrace her, then you are a cheating bastard and your wife WILL kill you.
So I keep my arms up while she proceeds to try to get very intimate with me. Its all I can do not to answer back. Its tempting. She smells great and she is trying hard. ( Jack there are people watching this! Just stay calm and dont move your arms!)
She is laying into me with the head nuzzles and the kisses. I can remember her naked and the touch of her skin and and all I can think about is grabbing her and "getting a little Captain in her". Captain Jack is who SamuraiJack becomes after several drinks...
Yah, I got a lotta Captain in me...

At this point I am seriously considering answering her requests for my tounge. ( Argh! C'mon Matey! Send the bitch back to me now!! First I'll clap her in irons then keelhaul her until she joins me crew! Then I'll dress her like a cabin boy and play Senator with her! Argh!")

"BABE?" I hear. ( Its only your wife, pay her no mind!)
Im caught. Thats it. I am done for. She comes up and seperates the two of us by her mere presence. If there is a god, he really should just strike me down right now...Just to get it out of the way.
"Sorry dear," she says a tad icily"He's spoken for." ( YES! YES! Im saved!)
"Sorry about that darlin," I say with a sheepish tone. Not because I had been caught but because most of the town had seen it.
Red looks at me and says "Hey! Youre not John!" and then drops her head. "Oh My gosh, Im so sorry! she stammers at the ground and shuffles her feet. She is practically gushing at this point. If they were dogs, I think Red would have rolled over. "I'm gonna go now. Sorry Miss! ....uhm...Bye Cowboy!" She does that skip thing that ladies do when their dress is too tight and they have heels but need to move really fast.
Waves of adreneline and panic are now dripping off of me. Im feeling like my skin has insulation on it and Im wondering what she is going to do. Im figuring a smack. Women still seem to think its okay to hit men.
Instead she gives me a big kiss, which I CAN accept. It last for a good five seconds or so.
She is still a great kisser.
"MY Man." She whispers. "C'mon Cowboy, time to rescue the princess." and the tiny mob joins back together and moves on. My friend and I hang back a bit as Kath corrals Cassie.
Ray smiles at me and goes "How did you manage that? "
"I have no idea, " I say.
"Well, its okay. I dont think she saw it."
"Saw what?" I ask.
"Your arm moved." He grins
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did NOT!"
"Did Too, Too, Too!"
"Hey!, Quiet down back there!" My wife yells back to us. "Dont make me reach back there!" she jests.
Ray and I just crack up.

After we got the kids to bed, my wife brings me a glass of wine and mentions the nurse. "So was it good for you?" she asks.
"Well, it did get my attention." I say."You mad at me?"
"Nope. Its like you always tell me, All men are idiots."
So we spent the rest of the night watching TV and cuddling on the couch.
Red is going to be a problem. Im hoping she will grow out of this. She seems young and a little bored. Dangerous combination.
In the meantime, Im going to take pains to avoid her.
In the meantime the universe is doubling over with laughter as she places yet another tempting object in front of me. All I can do is smile and try to be good.


Is it any wonder I love Halloween?

*cough* So how are the speaker stands coming along?

Who cares.

They are done. Its the table and the stand for the PJ that are waiting in the wings. This whole experience seems to have made me a bit shy about my shop for some reason. I think it might be time to take back my space. Maybe a good cleaning and a pee on the bushes outside to mark my territory...

My mom-in-law is coming for Thanksgiving so my wife says I need to finish the stand before then...
"You should go out and spend some time in the shop, dear..."

What am I going to tell her?
"Gosh Honey, I would but theres a crazy redhead out there with a serious lack of boundries..."

Guess I will just have to conquer my fears and do it. If I stand fast nothing should happen, right?

Hmmm so did I miss the pics of the final stands? I will have to rewind and look for them.

No dream sequence for me. Just music of Life

Red is like a hook/worm. If I bite, I get fed, but get caught too...
Tough keeping promise though...

Must remember love/sex boundary and become like Cash...

You mean these right?

Sj, two things..

1. red heads are the devil
2. you're a selfish bastard! that was a great description of her costume, but we need pictures man!!