Years go by…

I am sad to say that it has been years since I have posted on this blog.  Reading through it was an emotional trip by revisiting the person I was back then, what I had done, what I said, and what I built!  Time flies.  Absolutely flies.  At this point, looking back, now almost a Senior in college, I wish I would have had more time to build things.   Realizing my years have been dedicated to school work, studying, being a Resident Assistant,  internships, and working, isn’t a bad thing…My point here is–it’s not a bad thing to take a time out from the world that never sleeps. 

I don’t really have much else to say now but I felt like I needed to say something–to almost bring back that inner self, take a peek back into the years of high school– I wouldn’t have changed a thing, and some parts I certainly do miss.

Blessings to all.

-Spence

The finished product…

To view more pictures click here.

A winner…sort of.

The canoe on display at the beginning of the award ceremony.

The drawing for the canoe raffle took place May 17 at 7 p.m.  I sold tickets at the door and raked in about $250.  This brought my total raffle sales to $3940.  All of which has been donated back into the woodshop as planned.  The winner of the canoe was Mr. Harry White from Freeland, MI.  He has a daughter than attended Freeland as  senior this year.  Mr. White, after announcing his name, came up on stage and announced that he will be donating the canoe back to the FHS woodshop.  It was a very generous motion on his part and Freeland, as well as myself, is very thankful for his kindness.

Overall, the canoe was  a major success and new tools are being purchased for the shop.  These tools include a new Jet Pro drum sander and cordless drills.

Thank you everyone who has been a great help with my project either selling tickets, purchasing tickets, or helping with my canoe.  Things could not have gone any better and again, thank you for your time and effort in my senior project.

Best Regards always,

Spencer Toth

Only hours remain…

Tackling this project and spending over half of the school day in woodshop this week has allowed me to finally see how the canoe is going to look when completed.  The gunnels are on, the seats are made, and the decks are now in place.  My presentation for this project is Friday, May 15.  The canoe WILL be presentable and all pieces will be in place.  Wish me luck!

Still want tickets?  Click here

Questions or comments?  spncr2@gmail.com

A race to the finish…

The clock is ticking…

Less than two weeks until the drawing and I can finally see the finish line.  Every part of the canoe is now completed (for the most part) but the assembly and critiquing of sizes and shapes seems like the most important part.  Anyone can build a beautiful seat but if it doesn’t fit correctly or is off center, then what’s the point?

No I wasn't posing. Heavily In thought, my friend snapped a picture thinking it was funny.

The work has now become very exact.  By that I mean there is little room for error.  I’ll use my seats for example, again.  Cutting the pieces, drilling the dowel holes and gluing them together…no bid deal.  Routing a round over, sanding and more sanding..gets a little more involved…Then I had to route a 1/4″ groove in an exact rectangle for the cane which is the middle part of  the seat…dont mess up!..Finally cutting the seat center, square, and to fit inside the boat is the next step… better not cut too much off! And if i do?.. well then I’m back to step #1 and the whole process starts up….again.

Ya know the common phrase, “Measure twice, cut once.” Well with this project I am certainly living by those guidelines..

See me on YouTube yet?  Click here

Hurry! Get your Raffle Tickets!

Raffle tickets for my canoe fundraiser are still for sale but wont be for much longer! Dont wait until the last minute..  2 weeks remain until the drawing of May 17!

Where can YOU buy tickets?

• Spencer Toth (me)
• Freeland High School front office
• www.skeletonpath.com (online PayPal payment only)
• Woodcraft of Saginaw.  2268 Tittabawassee Rd. Saginaw, MI

Thank you to everyone who has helped me sell tickets AND to those who have supported my fundraiser by purchasing tickets!

Questions?  spncr2@gmail.com

Canoe Raffle!

The canoe that I have been working on for months is almost ready for a new home!  As I near completion I am beginning to develop my marketing plan to help spread the word.  The canoe is a school sponsored project and all proceeds will be donated directly back into the Woodshop fund.  This whole operation is my Senior project.  All seniors are required to build something related to their research topic in order to graduate.  This is my way of giving back to the community in which I’ve spent all my life.  Freeland has treated me well and I’m excited to show my support in this way.  Here are a few important things to keep in mind if you are interested in the raffle.

• Tickets cost $5 each
• They are available for sale at the Freeland High School front office, or you can buy them online with your PayPal account here. Don’t have a PayPal account? Create one here **Note: PayPal takes out $0.45 per transaction.  Therefore, your donation of a ticket online will earn the schools woodshop $4.55 instead of the full $5.  Payment is up to your discretion.
• The canoe is 16 ft long
• Handcrafted,  made of Cedar strips and covered in fiberglass
• Completely one-of-a-kind
• When completed it will be fully functional.
• The drawing will be held May 17, 2009 at the FHS Senior Award Ceremony.  The winner will be contacted by phone following the ceremony.
• Ticket purchasers MUST be within driving range of Freeland, have relative/friend in the community OR be able to provide FULL transportation of canoe if otherwise.
• **The winner is responsible for transportation of the canoe or possibly compromising with me.

I will transport the canoe to local events and stores to advertise.

Are you interested or have more questions?  Feel free to email me at spncr2@gmail.com or call at (989) 239-5022.

Thanks.

Mold Complete!

Finally, after weeks and weeks of staples and glue, my cedar-strip mold is completed.

My next step will be to sand it and then begin fiber glassing.

View more pictures of the compeleted mold here!

In Memory of…

I send out my best and deepest regards to the families and loved ones who were a great part of Freeland High Schools own graduate, Elijah J. “Eli” Mullen.  Eli, 19,  died Saturday this past December 28 as he was walking home from a friends and was struck by a truck due to limited visibility because of dense fog.

You will surely be missed Eli.  R.I.P.

Reputation…

You should know by now from my past posts that I love quotes.  I came across this one the other day and thought it was a keeper.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
~ John Wooden ~