Testimonies

 Hi James,

Good to hear from you. Things are good for me this Christmas season. My family is happy, and healthy. We have much to be grateful for. I hope all is well with you too.

Thanks mainly to your patient instruction, and woodworking expertise, I spend as much time as I can in my 'shop' - I've completely taken over our 2-car garage - my wife is finally speaking to me again ( just kidding ). Frankly, there's no place I'd rather be. The only thing keeping me from spending all of my time with wood is the occasional need to make money. I've bought lots of machines in the last year and a half - table saw, compound miter saw, circular saws, jig saws, planer, jointer, routers, etc... I'm hoping for a hollow-chisel mortiser for Christmas.

I've attached a .JPG which has a couple coffee tables I designed and built. The American Flag table was my first design (this is actually the 3rd try at that one). The other is a thick 'slab' of a table - it's 2 inches thick, and weighs over 100 lbs. I'd love to know what you think. I hope someday to be able to do this full-time.

Thanks for all your help. I hope you and your family have a truly Merry Christmas.

Warmly,

Brett

Brett C. Doyle, Director

Cameron Interactive Design

Middletown, NJ

Click on picture.

My comments: These are some great projects Brett!  You did a fantastic job! Keep up the good work.

James

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Charles L. Herring, M.D.

1203 sweetbriar circle

Kingston, North Carolina 28501-2613

Internal Medicine

Mr. James Hopp

6325 Rushingbrook Drive

Raleigh, NC 27612

Dear Mr. Hopp:

I wanted to write and tell you how much I appreciate you working on my Shopsmith and getting it running again so that I might continue and complete work on the grandfather clock on which I am working currently.  I resumed turning columns yesterday and it seemed to work fine.  Thanks again for your concern and willingness to do the work while I was in Raleigh, so that I could return home with a repaired machine.  I can't begin to thank you enough.  

The riser blocks really helped out with the lathe work and certainly takes the strain off your back.  Thank you so much for them.

Many thanks again.  With best wishes and kindest personal regards, I am,

Very truly yours,

Charles L. Herring, M.D.

March 10, 2002

CC:Robert Folkerth (My note: Folkerth is President of Shopsmith)

A note about the riser blocks:  The Shopsmith being a multipurpose machine is just a little too low when doing prolonged lathe turnings.  This puts a strain on your back.  I screwed two 2x4's together and routed out grooves in the 3 1/2 end to fit the legs of the Shopsmith.  This raises the machine about 2 7/8 to 3".  This is quite easy for you to build and you may even be able to come up with a better design.

James C Hopp, President of the Woodworking Academy, Inc. October 28, 2002, 10:49 AM