Everything I need to know about grits, efficiency etc. of sandpaper I learned over 40 years ago in high school shop (had a great teacher). What they did not teach me in high school was how to be a business owner. And as a business owner, my objective is to make a profit (the more the better), so yes I track all my costs, including sandpaper, but that is not the main reason I like scrapers. I find them to be more efficient and I really like doing some things the traditional way - by hand. It may even take more time but I find it is pleasing to create a shaving with a molding scraper or smooth out a table top with a finely tuned cabinet scraper. But hey, if you (not you Mr. Macks, somebody else) like lots of noise and dust, by all means pick up your ROS - the more amps the better.

I agree with you whole heartedly.

I love scrapers, I use them all the time, the more I use them, the more I reach for them. Just like every tool, there is always more to the tool, if you're open to learning.

Wide ranging experience makes it easier to see the right tool for the task at hand. Do it quickly, do it well and always have fun!

Great teachers change your life. When I came to my jewelry professor in college and told him I wanted to make a pair of polished sabers, he taught me how to sand 1/4" steel plate from rough to mirror.

As a business owner, I've had to learn to be efficient. I believe that's the best way to lower costs. I know good tools, good wood, and a clear idea of the goal is worth the cost. We're (I mean me, not you) so sucked into the idea of framing everything by dollars, it blinds us to how negatively this effects our choices.

I've had to learn techniques which are the most productive with the least time and effort expended, to be able to keep quality and creative elements in the forefront. To look at commonly used methods in strip building and discard those which waste time.

To think about strips and how they naturally create a fair curve. The less done to those strips the more fair they remain. But, you have to focus on aligning joints and keeping strips on the forms to take advantage of what the strips do.

So, what value does this have for home builders.

Anyone can build a stripper. And it will look great.

I want to be that teacher who shows you how to build it an easier, faster and in a simpler way, so you can focus more thought on the creative choices.

Fun to share ideas!

Please call me Rob