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The basics of woodturning and the joy of it

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Image source: carloserikmalpicaflores.net The quarantine period has had people falling in love with different DIY projects and hobbies, including woodworking and woodturning. Stay-at-home orders prevent individuals from attending physical woodturning classes, offering them the next best thing: online woodworking courses. How exactly can one get started in the hobby with just the bare basics? Steve Sorensen Select Staffing. Beginners in woodturning are not advised to purchase top-of-the-line lathes but rather to settle for ones that cost around $400. With this reasonable amount, an aspiring woodworker can have a lathe that is smaller in size and lighter in weight than most lathes, yet still possess that versatility needed for woodturning. The essential tools needed for the job can be stripped down to only five pieces which are the parting tool, skew, ½” bowl gouge, ½” spindle gouge, and spindle roughing gouge. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . Image source: thesprucecrafts.c...

Six awesome gift ideas for woodworkers

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Image source: toolkid.com Woodworkers often already have the tools they need once they consider themselves amateurs in the woodworking. Some may have everything they need, while others are still building their arsenal. Although, one thing is for sure: One cannot have enough tools. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing. Carpenter pencils with printed ruler should always be present in a woodworker’s shop. An abundance of these will be gladly welcomed. As these take on a different shape than a usual pencil, be sure to include a sharpener to ensure the tip is sharp and effective at all times. Glue applicator kits come in handy in every project to ensure that glue applied to the wood is uniform and clean. Glue applicator attachments can easily go missing in a workshop, making it a great gift idea for all seasons. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . Image source: thewirecutter.com A woodworker can never have enough clamps in the workshop. Gift a craftsman different kinds of clamps t...

A brief, side-by-side comparison of the two most-successful fantasy franchises

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Image source: weapons-universe.com In terms of book sales and box-office numbers, no other fantasy franchise has come close to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter.” And while there are other franchises such as “Game of Thrones” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” which have earned a strong following, they still don’t measure up to the financial success of both Tolkien and Rowling. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . These being the top two fantasy franchises, comparisons are inevitable. Below are some of the things that connect and separate the two. Villainous materials and companies Sauron had the One Ring and Voldemort had his Horcruxes. These objects were designed and created to let the big bad guys survive death and continue to terrorize the worlds of the heroes. Sauron also had his Ring Wraiths while Voldemort had his Death Eaters. Oh, and they were both referred to as the Dark Lord. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing. Image source: forbe...

How modern fantasy has taken a hold of the world

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Image source: wbur.org As far as pop culture goes, it’s easy to see why people have been calling the past 20 years the Golden Age of Modern Fantasy. Possibly the biggest driver of this is the extremely successful feature film adaptations of fantasy novels and comic books. From Peter Jackson’s LotR trilogy, to the Harry Potter franchise, and of course the string of blockbusters from Marvel studios, it seems that modern fantasy has taken a hold of the world. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . On a similar note, bringing the popular works of writers such as Neil Gaiman and George R.R. Martin to different mediums and platforms have allowed not just book readers, but fans everywhere to follow their beloved tales. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing. Image source: stmed.net In fact, HBO’s adaptation of GRRM’s “A Song of Fire and Ice,” “Game of Thrones” has been named as the greatest series in the 2010s. As critically acclaimed as it is controversial, GoT on HBO has broken records with view...

Making woodworking kid-friendly

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Image source: thesimplebalance.com Families are forced to stay home together to help stop the spread of COVID-19. With parents keeping an eye on their children 24-7 or vice versa, sharing interests has become a regular thing. Adults in the house who might be brushing up on their woodworking skills might think this is the perfect time to share the hobby with the young ones. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing. Before heading to the workshop for a kid’s first woodworking session, be sure to have a plan in place. One way to have an effective plan is to ask the child what their expectations are of the activity. Ask them what type of project they want to learn to build to eliminate discouragements early in the activity. Start things off slowly. Acquaint the child to various tools used in the workshop, and choose age-appropriate ones. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . Image source: adventure-in-a-box.com Encourage them to learn more about wood and its different kinds available for wo...

Six reasons to get into woodworking

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Woodworking is a whole-brain activity that has countless of benefits. People get into woodworking for the sheer pleasure of building something with their own hands, while others love it for its therapeutic benefits. Having been around for ages, woodworking is a skill that is regaining popularity due to its many positive effects on a person’s mental, physical, and emotional health. Woodworking reduces anxiety and stress . The skill requires focus. Zeroing in on a project allows a person to leave their worries behind and enjoy a little respite inside the workshop. When a person enjoys what they are doing, there is a good chance their mood will improve . The brain releases a hormone called serotonin, a chemical in charge of making one happy. When a project is done, a woodworker feels a sense of accomplishment, too. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . Acquiring a new skillset is always delightful. Woodworking, in its entirety, gives a person new skills and tools to master. It...

Four reasons why video games may be good for you

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Image Source: Minutemediacdn.com Many people often look down on video games, often dismissing them as absurd and a waste of time. But believe it or not, playing video games actually have a number of benefits that might make you want to consider giving them a try. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . Here are four reasons why video games may be good for you: 1. Pique your interest in history – A lot of video games simulate actual historical events in very precise details, allowing gamers to understand better and explore events of the past. According to studies, the characters and places in a game can spark a child’s interest in learning more about the culture they’re immersed in. 2. Enhance your social skills – Gamers are often stereotyped as anti-social, but it is actually the other way around. Video games often require players to interact with real-life people for collaboration and division of tasks to advance to the next level. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing . Image Sour...