Invitation to Rod Kirby

[hobkirk]

Rod -

This is an open letter to you. We forum users in the USA wonder if you actually exist. We think your shop must be created via Photoshop. Or maybe your shop and wood chips are affected by being upside-down (Australia) [hmmm... I might be onto something...]

But we want to be fair - it would be rude to deny you your existence without giving you an opportunity to prove yourself.

So, in the spirit of giving you a wonderful opportunity, I would like to invite you to spend a couple months as my guest in Acton, Massachusetts, adjacent to Concord, home of the Yankee Workshop. Not only will I give you opportunity to prove you exist, but I will also allow you to prove that you actually can create an immaculate workshop. I will, of course, make a post in this forum that testifies to your existence... after my workshop looks like yours.... You can be my elder guru - I'm a rash 60-year-old novice, so I need to study under a master like you.

Thank you, Rod, for your contributions. I really enjoy your pictures and articles, even if you are from the Dark Side... [and I really hope you enjoy my peculiar sense of humor - or do you spell it "humour"?]

[LCHIEN]

I've met him. He exists!

[leehljp]

I met him in Tokyo! Neat woodworker!

[RodKirby]

Thank you

Doug - thanks for the kind words. Pappy and Jim Boyd can also (hopefully) testify to my existence.

Your offer is very tempting...

Here's another pic of my Shed (pre Dark side) - note the Texas frame on the wall - a gift from Pappy when I visited Houston in 2004...

[kmk]

He may exists.. but does his shop exist for real? or photoshop rendering or a showroom??

[TheRic]

It probally exists, he just never uses. He doesn't want to get it dirty.

[Never2old2start]

If you want a closer look just click on the picture. Very nice and clean workshop you have there Rod!

~ Paul ~

[hobkirk]

OK, I actually knew he existed. But I couldn't think of any other ruse to trick him into setting up my shop for me. Almost all of you "others" have wood shops that look like a "wood shop." I had my tongue stuck firmly in my cheek when I wrote my post.

[Could the cleanliness secret of Rod's "down under" - i.e., "upside down" - shop be that all the wood chips fall on his ceiling! Has he every showed us pics of his ceiling? Sometimes I scare myself!]

OK, to write at least one legitimate sentence...

Rod, what are the "Dark Side" and "pre dark side" references about?

And, in case it isn't 100% obvious, I love your shop. I simply couldn't do it myself, but I know I would smile every time I walked into your shop. I find the actual work was easier and more enjoyable on those rare occasions when everything had been put away and everything was clean.

I also am sincere when I suggest you post pictures of your shop with notes - it really is impressive, everything I've seen is thoughtfully laid out, and you have a lot of interesting ideas. FWIW, I would be glad to host your pictures and words for free if you don't want to bother but would like to have it done.

[scmhogg]

Doug,

In case you missed it, you are not the first to pay homage to our shop idol.





Steve

[RodKirby]

Steve!

That's embarrassing!

[RodKirby]

Doug...

Pre-Dark side = BT3X owner (the pic shows the BT3 rip fence handle)

Dark side = "other" tablesaw - for me - http://www.maoshan.com/tsc-10ras.htm

[just4funsies]

Looks like the tool of choice in that shop is a broom!

[RodKirby]

Wrong!

Looks like the tool of choice in that shop is a broom!

Feather duster

[gad5264]

Feather duster

Have you ever given it the white glove test?

[L. D. Jeffries]

Well it is nice to really know Rod is alive and well "DownUnder" Looking at the pic reminds me of looking at Norn A's. shop. Phew, how nice. But **** mine could be juat as clean! It's just I clean every 6 months whether it needs it ot not!!