Merry Christmas around the globe from the Demers family

As we quickly approach Christmas and the beginning of a new year, I want to take the time to wish all my readers around the world, Peace on earth and to all a Merry Christmas (or whatever you happen to celebrate)

Heather, Ruddy and myself

2015 has been a very trying year for us, here is hoping 2016 bring some better "news".

It is also the reason why I started this blog, as a much needed distraction to help me cope with everything going on in our lives. Some day it's working, some days not so much...

Nonetheless I managed to make some progress in my little hand tool shop in the basement, and we survived the Snow Armageddon of 2015.

Snow blowing my way up my driveway, 125 ft of it... 

Some people think that a beard keep you warmer in the winter.

I beg to differ :-)

Blogging has forced me to look at my shop surrounding in a different eye. Since lots of my pic are taken inside it, it has started a cascading effect of organization and beautification projects :-)

First was the bench wall makeover, I fixed the wall then primed and painted it.
I got two walls done and a third in quasi progress...

From this

To  this; Two plane tills and a saw till

and the next wall

and this wall...well lets just say I'm not done with it :-)

It looks a lot better with only those LEDs on :-)

Managed to also built two long needed shop projects:

A dedicated sharpening station

And a saw bench/mortising bench.

It often comes in handy as a small assembly table and finishing stand :-)

My existing small joiner bench also got a due over, and its leg vise got rehabbed

In order to complete my shop make over and make it even more functional, I still need to build a proper base for my small antique tool chest and, gasp, yet another till... A boring till :-)

Other projects will include a better way to store/use my growing collec...er I mean assortment of Miter Boxes :-) and probably more storage options.

Oh, and I also need a mate for my saw bench. This time I think I may do a Schwarz's traditional English version.

Another long overdue project is to start in earnest clearing up the garage, AKA the power tool shop.

This year I added two new additions, a wood lathe and a power jointer

The Rockwell/Beaver lathe

The Delta 6 in jointer kit from Ralph 

Still a work in progress, need more space...

This year, I also managed to squeeze in some renovations projects for friends, into my busy social calendar :-)

But I would be remiss if I did not mentioned some of my new friends I made thru this blog.

Ralph Boumenot of the Accidental woodworker and his wife Diane, which we met during our little excursion to Boston this past June.

Our wifes mentioned numerous times that we are very much alike :-)

Found out we even share the same birthday, if someone broke the mold after us, it was after we were both born, spooky (cue music from the Twilight zone :-)

Others I have yet to met, but share kind spirit from across the globe:

Ken Hatch of the I'm a OK guy from Tucson Arizona,

Jonas Jensen of the Mulesaw from Mors Denmark,

Brian Eve of the Toolerable from Germany 

Gerhard Marx of the Jenesaisquoiwoodworking from Namibia, in Africa

Stefan Schreiber of the Blue Spruce woodshop, from North Rhine Westphalia, Germany

And many others who have left comments on my numerous posts, I thank you all for your encouraging comments.

So here is to 2016 hope it brings to you all, health and happiness where ever you are.

Cheers

Bob, who should hopefully be back in the shop and on line blogging more often in the new year.

Peace on earth to men of good will