# My bench is done (for now)



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I showed some pictures of a bench I was working on in this thread http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4021. I Had some ideas for things that would help me. I like the idea of a bench hook...but it seemed like I would always be bumping into it. So I made one that was movable/removable. 2 actually, one goes in the dog holes on the vice. I made a little adjustable board jack to hold up the middle, seems to work pretty good. (and I can store my extra dogs someplace handy) I have lighting problems in my shop, I know the simple solution would just be buy more light and flood the place. But my little workshop is in the garage and the bench is under the door when it is open so the door blocks artificial light. Sunny day no problem, on a nice night when I want to work with the door up problem. I took a 1X" piece of ash and just turned the end to fit in any dog hole, I can move it anywhere I need it and clip a light (or 2) on it for task lighting.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

A closer look at the adjustable/removable hooks. With one cheap little vice I can pretty much do it all. Holding boards stood on edge longer than the bench is the next thing I am stewing on.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Very, very, very nice. as usual. Your going to really like having a place to lock a board down like you are doing there. For hand planing you can't beat it. Maybe you already had something. I know I hemmed and hawed over drilling holes in my plywood bench. Once I did it, it was so nice. I like the way you set the vice into the bench. But you only have wood on one side. What's your thought on that. I'm sure you have a reason. PS I'm back to regular work. Once I get some checks coming in regular, I have some sharpening I need done.
Chris


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## leejb (Feb 16, 2008)

Nice work bench Daren. You can make me one.:laughing:


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

Daren, that looks awesome, dude! What material are you using for the bench top? Could we see a few better pictures of the 'superstructure?' So's we ( me) can get a good idea what it takes to build up a sturdy work bench....

great job, thanks for the pics

smitty


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Chris, the reason I set the fixed jaw into the bench was so I would not lose any more travel. I put such a thick piece on the moving jaw so that I could drill dog holes in it I did not want wood on both sides. The bare metal jaw is smooth and anything that gets clamped is really clamped as much to the side of the bench as the vice anyway.

Smitty, there are pictures of about every step in the thread I linked in the first post.


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

Daren: man, how in the he!! did I miss that original post about your workbench? I remember reading the "OK...I wanna make a workbench..." but I distinctly don't recall seeing your threads.

My mistake. I'm sorry I overlooked it for it being such a quality post. Good info all throughout. 

On the topic of Hackberry, I have to say I like it....do you have more for sale? I think maybe I could build me a bench top out of it, too...let me know here or PM me.

regards,
smitty


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## Aaronmcc (Apr 12, 2008)

Very very nice.


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## daryl in nanoose (Feb 18, 2007)

Assume Daren


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## woodman42 (Aug 6, 2007)

Great looking bench Daren! Looks very well thought out.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Great looking bench Daren! What's the primary wood? 

Love those handplanes underneath too! :thumbsup:


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Daren
I knew there was a good reason. I just didn't think of it. That makes sense, your spanning a much larger area that way. I like it. 
Chris


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## crapenterallday (Mar 23, 2008)

Beautiful bench! how did you attach the apron to the top and the top to the legs? I've heard it has to be done a certain way otherwise it will crack and pull itself apart.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

crapenterallday said:


> how did you attach the apron to the top and the top to the legs? I've heard it has to be done a certain way otherwise it will crack and pull itself apart.


I don't see much movement. The wood has been in my shop for 3 years, I did not just drag it home from the store and throw this together , it has to be acclimated by now ? In the picture you can kinda see the 2"x3"'s that are glued/screwed to the bottom of all the top boards. The top boards are of course glued to each other and the skirt glued and screwed all the way around. The outer 2x3's underneath are glued/bolted to the leg assembly. In the winter when I have the shop woodstove going I would not be totally surprised by maybe some small gaps in the top boards at the very worst. The top was all 1/4 sawn which will help some too.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

knotscott said:


> Great looking bench Daren! What's the primary wood?


White oak legs/shelves, hackberry top, ash skirt, bits and pieces of turned osage for dowels and dogs.


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## mr_build (May 2, 2008)

*Nice Woodworking on the Bench!*

Nice bench! Solid woodworking. Now you just need some decking materials to build a deck in the backyard.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Daren I can't think of anything to insult you about on this crappy-looking, shoddily-built, excersize in vanity so I will just say hey, nice looking POC bro. :laughing: 

Honestly it is a freaking jewel of a bench. Very nicely done. I like all the features you incorporated they are very Daren; innovative, functional, and looks great. :thumbsup:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> Daren
> Tell me you have a die for those threads. If you cut them some other way. I'll fall off my chair.
> Chris


Stay seated Chris. I turned the dowels with 2 1/2" heads and 1 5/8" shafts. My Dad had a 1 1/2" wood tap and die, man did that thing work slick :thumbsup:. I am shopping for a whole set now myself.


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Daren,

Your bench looks great and motivates me to build one, What are the dimensions on it?


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

ecologito said:


> Daren,
> What are the dimensions on it?


34" high X 30" wide X 72" long


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Thanks a lot for que quick response. Since this is going to be my first major project I want to be sure that I get everything right and after looking at your pictures and some plans I started sketching one. I hope that at the end it would lookd a little like the sketch and half as good as yours


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

Daren, Everytime I see one of your projects it inspires me to get something done. I have been working on my garage to get it in order for a workable shop. As luck would have it, on my way home tonight I popped into a garage sale and found an old Wilton woodworkers bench vise for 10 bucks! Sucker was heavy and still had the original wooden handle. I snatched it up and now I need to get started on a bench for it. Thanks again for the inspiration! :thumbsup:

John


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## BigHUGE201 (May 14, 2008)

I love the work bench, i wish i had something like that in my shop at home


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

I started working on my bench today. As recommended I started with the legs. I have very little experience with wood and I decided to build the legs out of 1x3 aspen. I am using google sketch up to figure out measurements. I will post pictures soon. Any suggestions regarding finishing the legs?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I admire the way you are willing to build something in your living room. That's great. It shows two things:
1) You really love woodworking.
2) You probably don't have a wife. :laughing:

Are you going to insert the 1xs back into the ends of the feet? I would. It will give it a little more strength (not much but every bit helps) and it will keep "stuff" i.e. small parts, tools, dirt and grime, and spiders etc. from accumulating there.

Keep up the good work. :thumbsup:


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words TT

I do have a wife so that is why it takes for ever to get things done. I have to work while she is gone an put everything away and vacuum before she gets here :shifty:. She would have a heart attack if she knew what the balcony and living rooms looks like while she is gone haa haa.

I did fill up the legs and curved them a bit with a belt sander. I like the way it looks so far. Almost done with one set of legs, one more to go. After that I will start working on the top which I am a little puzzled about my best option. I'm not sure if should just buy a pre laminated top ready to be attached to the legs. Since I don't have a joiner or planer that might be my best choice. The other option is 3/4 inch plywood.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

ecologito said:


> I do have a wife so that is why it takes for ever to get things done. I have to work while she is gone an put everything away and vacuum before she gets here .


:laughing:, are we related ? Glue on the carpet is a toughy, take that work outside


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Daren said:


> :laughing:, are we related ? Glue on the carpet is a toughy, take that work outside



I haven't got any glue on the carpet (yet). Any suggestions about the bench top and finishing the aspen legs?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Looks great. I was going to suggest rounding the tops and think I even typed it, but I was afraid it would sound like I was trying to micromanage _your_ project! We were on the same page anyway.

Watch out taking advice from Daren on how to sneak your woodworking projects under your wife's radar. Daren stays in the doghouse. :laughing:


(For those that come along later and don't know me or Daren that's just a joke. His wife is a jewel.  )


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

TexasTimbers said:


> Watch out taking advice from Daren on how to sneak your woodworking projects under your wife's radar.


Or my advice on alot of ways about how to stay out of trouble with the wife, yea mine has patience of a saint or I would be in the doghouse. It's funny around here, there is curly oak acclimating behind the couch right now. Shhh, she won't notice till she moves it to sweep...then she will just roll her eyes :icon_rolleyes: and sweep around it. After 15 years together she remains pretty unfazed by anything I do, a little wood in the house or 1/2 her kitchen stuff dragged out to the shop for an "experiment" is small potatoes. 

I am not sure how you are going to use your bench. But I think 2 layers of 3/4 ply would make a fine top. Anchor your leg assembly to the bottom ply and laminate the other one to it ? Like glue and screws from the bottom side. With a solid wood skirt all the way around. Just my opinion if you are limited on your wood options. I don't know how wide of a bench you need but one 4X8 sheet ripped in 1/2 would give you 24" and a 2"x4" for a skirt the top would be 27" wide, that is pretty decent sized.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

The bench I'm using now is plywood. I got it from Craig's list for $20 with a good vice. The problem was it had 2 X 6 top that had twisted and had gaps. I used 3/4 MDF shimming everywhere there where gaps till it was perfectly flat. Then I used the rest of the MDF for the top. I was happy with that till I decided I wanted to be able to use dogs with the wood vice I put on it, and I didn't think the MDF would hold up to the sideways pressure of the dogs. So I put 3/4 plywood on top of that. So now it's 1 3/4" + 3/4" + 3/4"+ 3/4". I really like it. That's one of the reasons I've been dragging my feet on the maple work bench I started. The point of all this is I don't know if I'd be content with just 2 layers of 3/4 plywood. I like to be able to pound the crap out of things without the table feeling like it's flexing to much. Then again if the 2 layers of 3/4" weren't enough you could always just add a few more layers. Just my cents. Also I'd spring for good plywood and urethane the heck out of it.
Chris


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

Beautiful bench Daren. That thing would be sitting in the middle of my kitchen with the pots and pans hanging overhead.


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

*Update*

Here is an update on my bench. I had a couple of hours before my wife came back home and everything had to look like nothing never happened:thumbsup:

I am almost done with the legs, I will finish with the shelf under the table and the top. I should have time this weekend to finish it. As soon as I am done I will have time for my second hobby, Remote control planes, now I will have a better table to work on :smile:


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## leejb (Feb 16, 2008)

ecologito from your pics that looks like its going to be one sturdy work bench.:thumbsup:

Daren I have you beat as far as time with the same woman, 46 years and she even helps me make sawdust. But guess who gets to clean it up.:yes:


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

It's really shaping up eco! Can't wait to see it when it's done. Don't stop posting the progress pics though.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Looks like you're making quick work of it, Ecologito. A new table is just one project on my list and it's hard to decide what to start (who said anything about finishing) first.


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

My wife is out of town visiting her parents so I went to Lowes, got a 3/4 inch thick sheet of Birch ply to finish with my bench. I thought about having it precut and a 5x3 board would make a good seize table top. With the leftover I still have a 3 x4 board that could reinforce the center of the bench. I got home and finished with the legs.

I've been working in the living room today so I set the ply on top of the legs and I thought it was a great seize. :no: Before attaching the top to the legs I decided to do final assembly in the spare room where the table will be placed. :thumbdown: It took me a while to figure out how to get it through the door. Once inside the room I realized that this table is going to take a lot of room. I love the fact that my R/C planes can sit on top of the table and there is plenty of room but my wife is going to murder me when she sees the seize of this thing. :huh:

I will post better pictures as soon as the camera is back in town (If I am still alive). Now is NASCAR TIME !


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

I think I am almost done for now. I will shall see if the sides that are not 2 layers of ply can take it. IF I have to I can always trim it to a 3x4 . Right now it is a 5x3 table. Pretty good seize to build remote control planes.


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Hi, 

I have a quick question for you guys. I am almost done with my table and I am working on the table top edge. As I was trying to move it around I noticed that the table is not as stable as I thought it would be. It is not flimsy but not as strong as I thought. I can make it rock left and right and I want to reinforce it against it. What is the most efficient / aesthetic way to do this?

Thanks.


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

Daren said:


> With a solid wood skirt all the way around.


Daren suggested a wood skirt all the way around - 
Is there a structural advantage to a skirt? A practical one? Aesthetic?


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Devildog, yes yes, and yes. Structural advantage is it helps keep the table square and level. With legs similar to what Daren and Ecogolito used it shouldn't be a real issue, but others use a different leg design and the skirt makes a huge difference in structural integrity. Practical advantage is that it generally gives you a couple of extra inches of "true" hardwood in areas that are likely to get the most use, thus preventing "rollover" or "tear out" at the edges of your ply top. The aesthetic advantage is personal taste, obviously but most of us actually like the look of the wood rather than the laminations of a ply top.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

ecologito said:


> Hi,
> 
> I can make it rock left and right and I want to reinforce it against it. What is the most efficient / aesthetic way to do this?


If you tie the legs to the top better the top will sturdy the legs. Off the top of my head and you may get better suggestions, here is an idea. Take another board and run it length ways between the legs down the center of the top from the underneath side. Screw it to the legs and the top. The board should be so you are screwing into the narrow side (stood up, not laid flat) from the top and you can get 2 screws in each leg on both ends of the board. Did you glue the top to the legs as well ? If not I would and the same with the reinforcing board I am mentioning.


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Hi,

Here is what I did to make my bench a little more sturdy. The piece leftover from the sheet of ply that I used for the top was glued and screwed to the back legs. Now it is rock solid. I need to finish with the bottom shelf and the frame around the top. Being this my first major project has been fun and I've learned a lot. :thumbsup:

Thank you guys for all your help.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Good solution. Since the bench is against the wall you don't need access from that side. I am sure that stopped any racking problems you had (and as a bonus will keep stuff on the shelf from falling back where you have to dig for it) :thumbsup:


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Thanks a lot Daren for the kind words, now I have pleeeeenty of room to build more remote control planes and make some saw dust. The next step is to find a good source of sustainable lumber. I am not trusting Lowes that much even though the sell "common" stuff. I will search for urban loggers near Cleveland.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Great job. Looks good too. I like that sign laying on the shelf. :laughing:


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## ecologito (Jan 27, 2008)

Here it is, I am finally done, after finishing with the frame for the top, the shelf and 2 coats of finishing paste wax here it is. I have plento of room for woodworking and build more R/C planes. :thumbsup:


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Very good


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## adeptr (Jul 8, 2008)

Daren..........very innovative bench. I hope to begin building my own bench in the near future. Nice Job!!

Dave
http://www.oldaveswoodshop.com


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## [email protected] (Mar 29, 2008)

*Great Woodworking Bench*

I like your woodworking bench. You can see mine if you look close enough at my shop pictures at www.woodshopics.com. Would you mind if I added your workbench to the shop pictures on my website? I can cut and paste them and use some of your verbage.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> Would you mind if I added your workbench to the shop pictures on my website? I can cut and paste them and use some of your verbage.


Who are you asking ? ecologito or me ?


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I had kinda forgot about this thread. I have done further "customization" to my bench...with chisels, pencils, stain/glue/varnish, hand planes...it gets used and abused .


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Daren,

Of course I have to ask, what's the end-view diagram for - general reference or was it a specific project ???


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Well TT that was a thing I did during a discussion with a customer of 1/4 sawing a log. The bench also functions as a meeting table  , plenty of coffee and other beverages had graced that bench. He had an 18" oak log he wanted milled just like "he saw in a book". I drew it out with a big compass and combination square (9" quarter log) to show the potential yield/vs waste sawn 4/4".
From all outward appearances the log looked very nice, just a little small for 1/4 sawing IMO...but the customer is always right (for the right price :shifty. I did mill the log the way he wanted, unfortunately the carpenter ants had already been there and really made a mess of some of the wood.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I knew it was a 1/4 saw diagram, just didn't think about it being part of a conversation. Now you can just walk peeps who want 1/4 sawn from small logs, over to the workbench and say "Well it's like this Homer Woodworker, in a perfect log here's the yield you'd get, but in *your* log . . . . . " :no: :laughing:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

TexasTimbers said:


> I knew it was a 1/4 saw diagram
> 
> Now you can just walk peeps who want 1/4 sawn from small logs, over to the workbench and say "Well it's like this Homer Woodworker, in a perfect log here's the yield you'd get, but in *your* log . . . . . " :no: :laughing:


I knew you knew.

And that is why is it still there , save that step next time (and there will be a next time :huh


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I know you knew I knew that, but I don't know if you know that I knew you knew it. You probably do, but I just don't know it.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

You guys are saying there is something drawn on Daren's bench in that picture? I don't see anything except some stains and holes.
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> You guys are saying there is something drawn on Daren's bench in that picture?


This is what we were talking about. TT recognized it as a layout drawing for a small 1/4 sawn log end, but did not know the reason I drew it.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

That picture wasn't there before. Unless I'm crazy. I think I was just getting an X for the upper picture. Now it's there.


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## John in Tennessee (Jun 11, 2008)

Great isn't good enough to describe that bench. That and other projects I have seen here takes God given talent. What I wouldn't give...


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

John in Tennessee said:


> Great isn't good enough to describe that bench. That and other projects I have seen here takes God given talent. ...


yeah but Daren says he is just "a hack woodworker". He doesn't relaize it frustrates others who do not have his level of talent to hear him say that as he kicks out beautiful works from his humble shop. :no:

Honestly, I think he could actually bump his level of artistry to another level if he wanted, but he likes to "kick 'em out pronto" and is afflicted with the same disease I have. "No challenge. No fun. Move on to the next thing."


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