Planing is difficult. It is repetitive enough to let your mind wander, but when you're just about to reach enlightenment, you catch the edge of the cane on the back step and have to go into focus mode. That, mixed with the fact that it does require some "grunt work" (as Frank called it), makes the planing days pretty tiring. Am I enjoying it? I'm loving it. I'm always up for a challenge. First we calculated out the rough measurements for the cane and set the planing form. Since early morning math hurts my head, Frank got to do the numbers while I wrote them down. Next we measured the first piece of cane to see which side needed planing. Enamel away it was, if my brain is right. You plane, then re-clamp and back plane. After that you flip and move up the form, then repeat the first step. Voila! You're 1/24th of halfway done! After we had all the mids and butts planed (tips get something different, not sure what yet), you move on to final dimensions. You reset the planing form and repeat what you did earlier with a smaller, more delicate plane. In eight solid hours, I got all the mids and butts to rough dimensions and finalized six strips. Somewhere around 3:30, Frank said to me, "Your arms will hurt tomorrow". I woke up this morning and couldn't even lift myself out of bed. I have to remember Frank's saying: "It's not the power, it's the technique. Like casting a fly rod". Have to remember...
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