Jetson's Clock & Steve Ramsey

A few posts back I mentioned a new table saw.  Like most people these days, before I make any major purchase, I try to find a decent review of the item.  I had my eye set on a Porter Cable table saw, and a quick search pulled up not just a review, but a video review of the model I was thinking about getting.  That's where Steve Ramsey comes in with his video blog "Woodworking for Mere Mortals".  Steve reviewed the Porter Cable PC270.

After watching that one video I wanted to know more about "Woodworking for Mere Mortals".  I started thinking about all the woodworking programs I grew up watching, like Norm Abram's  "The New Yankee Workshop" and Roy Underhill's "Woodright's Shop".  Those were great programs, and those guys are very talented, perhaps too talented at times.  I wondered if that's what Steve was getting at, trying to make woodworking accessible to the average guy with an average budget.  I'm hooked on Steve's blog now, it's an amazing site, full of great masses of practical knowledge on woodworking and Steve's sense of humor is equally rewarding.

For some time now I've been fascinated by what some people are calling Googie.  It's a type of architecture that originated in the early fifties and flourished in the early sixties in America.  I think it had a great deal to do with post war optimism.  So when I started putting together my office I decided to go with a Googie theme.  Sure, no one there would understand, but I'm the IT guy so, I can get away with being a bit odd.  Stay with me, this isn't totally random.

This weekend my daughter Kylie and I took on one of Steve's projects.  It was the Jetson's Wall Clock.  Since we both wanted one, we worked together to make two of everything.  It was exhausting work believe it or not.  We managed to get it done by working most of Saturday night and then again Sunday afternoon.  Here are a few shot's Kylie took during the work.

We made quite a mess, but we both ended up with a fine Googie clock. George Jetson and maybe even Steve Ramsey would be proud.  Here's a couple fetching shots of mine at work.  I'm quite proud of my little office, and it's Googie look, now I just need a small Tiki or two.