I'm Kevin. I live in Salem, Mass with my wife and little boy and I build software.

We've been using this hacked together silverware separator for the past couple of years. We made it out of a reclaimed dish drying rack, and as clever as it was, functional it was not. So, after several not so subtle hints, I decided to buckle down and make a new one today. I started out by cutting some rabbets and dadoes into some 1/4" oak strips. I bought a Stanley hand miter saw last year that I really like. It's got simple saw stop that really helps with cuts like this. Once I got everything ready to glue, I realized that I didn't have any way to clamp something this big. I tried to imagine what Dave, Melissa's Dad, would do as he is the jig master. After some thought, I put together a little gluing jig from scraps that kept it tight and square. Worked like a charm!

It is currently in use, but not quite finished. We opted to not use the tung oil and wait to get some food-grade oil. So, it might be awhile before it's done.

I also had a chance today to play with a new toy. It's a set of Power Grip carving tools that I grabbed last weekend from Rockler for $35. I opted for them because they were relatively cheap. The other brand, Two Cherries, that they carry cost $30-$50 per tool, so it made more sense to learn with something a bit more affordable. I was very impressed with them - incredibly sharp and accurate. I'm having a hard time imagining what would make the other tools that much better.