Shop Song of the Day - "She Said" by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

I just posted about my Bose + iPod combination for music plus hearing protection in the shop and I thought I'd start a fun little list of the "Shop Song of the Day" as presented by my iPod Shuffle Play.  I listen to a LOT of music and I've got loads of different stuff on my iPod so you never know what may turn up on this list.

Today's Song... "She Said" by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

This song explodes from the headphones with the very first note and the band never lets up as they rock out the story of a man turned werewolf.  The lyrics are really something if you listen closely and take them all in and if you ever see the music video be prepared for some very unusual imagery.

With further "Shop Song of the Day" postings you'll get a better idea of the full spectrum of music that fills my shop or headphones as the work dictates.  I really enjoy having music in the shop as a near constant companion as it can make the most tedious tasks a little easier to bear.  And who doesn't need that?!?

MVT - The Apple iPod and Bose Quiet Comfort Headset

I know what you're thinking... what does this combination have to do with woodworking?  As a woodworker who spends considerable time around noisy machinery I'm concerned about protecting my hearing.  For years I wore a noise reducing headset as my preferred hearing protection.  Then my too-generous brother gifted me with a set of Bose headphones.  This new combination allowed me to use my iPod, which normally resides in an iHome dock, when I'm using machinery.  This has been a big boost for me as I absolutely LOVE to listen to music while working.  The only drawback is that the headphones require a cable connection to the iPod... for now... which has to be routed in such a way to prevent snagging on wood or equipment.  It's great to don the headphones, queue up the Shuffle Play, and be surprised by what comes up next!

As for my iPod, I have an old first generation Nano which served me quite well through thousands of miles of business travel.  Eventually the hard drive gave out and I was faced with the prospect of replacing my trusty old device.  I opted instead to replace the spinning microdrive with solid state Compact Flash memory and I also performed a battery replacement making my iPod good as new.  This wasn't difficult at all and you can find a wealth of information and instructions on the web.

Woodworking with music AND hearing protection all in one... a perfect choice for Most Valuable Tool!

MVT = Most Valuable Tool
This is a topic that comes up regularly in the online woodworking forums and there are as many choices as there are woodworkers.  What tools are most valuable to you?  Are they the ones that you use on each and every project, or the ones that perform some unique and irreplaceable function?  Are they the ones you've owned forever or the latest addition to your arsenal of tools?  From time to time I'll post profiles and reviews of some of the Most Valuable Tools from my shop.  I think the results may surprise you!

Greetings!

Welcome to my new blog! I'll be posting an eclectic mix of hints, tips, product reviews, and miscellaneous ramblings from the shop of a full-time woodworker. I hope you find something useful or perhaps entertaining in my postings. I live for my time in the shop AND I making my living at it so I'd like to think I speak as someone who knows a bit about woodworking. But as much as I think I've already learned there's much more out there to explore in tools, techniques, and the variety of wood we use to pursue our passion for creating objects of beauty and utility. Join me as I spend time working wood and posting From the Wood Shop.