That's one sweet miniature and I'm sure it would be quite useful.

Does it regulate the gas consumption to maintain longer runs? What is your gas consumption v. last years?

Al

Where did you get the slicer portion? Looks like a great gift idea.

Epoxy resin. Make sure to do it before any oiling up.

I hate to point this out but TransFast ¹ is water only do you mean TransTint?

The term "rubbing alcohol" has become a general non-specific term for either isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol (ethanol) rubbing-alcohol products. Either should work fine with TransTint.

¹ Read the label carefully as some things on the same shelf have Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana et al) and I have no idea how that will affect TransTint.

Things like price change, find a trusted buddy, tell him you need his help to sell stuff if things go south, and give your bride his name. That's what I did.

Thank you for posting this video about the marvelous Japanese joinery. Maybe those masters have big problems too, but they don't have to work with dust masks, ear protection, face protection, and ongoing awareness of potential danger. Power tools are great, but hand tools seem more rewarding.

I think it was Popular Woodworking about 5-8 years ago had an article with a template on making these. Not hard but the hole location can be important for balance.

You don't mention what kind of cutting you plan on, but if the Forrest blade is an all purpose blade I would nix that in favor of two separate Freud blades, a 24 T rip blade and a 60 - 80 T crosscut blade. Combo blades are like all season tires; sort of OK at everything and but not really good at any. Ideally, I would get full kerf blades, but I've had nothing but good results with Freud's thin kerf Diablo ripping blade, so if money is tight those would be my choice. I've had the Diablo resharpened once already so the cost is getting pretty low.

John

I'm sure some other folks will have suggestions for woodworking books but you should let her see literature and catalogs for things you would like in the shop. Like more hand tools, chisels, LN planes, or better power tools. Let her work with bad things like dull HF chisels, bad hand planes, a short 6" jointer, and so on. When she struggles with bad tools you gallantly step in and suggest a nice upgrade. She will be forever grateful - and so will you.

Actually I have a friend whose wife would be an outstanding woodworker but she only has passing interest. Her husband and another friend were trying to reassemble a table saw top, could not figure it our after 1/2 hr. She walked in, asked what was the problem, they told her, said you need some kind of bracket, maybe like this one over here. See if it works. It did. 15-20 sec max.

Good luck