Hello GGs,
Please accept this as my first "bio."

My name is Matt Sanfilippo and I am a relatively new "listener" here
on the porch.  I recently discovered this list on the recommendation
of Christopher Schwarz from one of his blog entries...and boy am I
glad that I did.   I have rarely enjoyed reading a list group as much
as I have this one so far.  You are a very polite, enlightened and
entertaining group of Galoots....and I have already learned a lot in
my quest to move more toward galoothood.

First, I'd like to say that I enjoy the whole spectrum of
tools...those with tails and those without.   I am a bit of a gadget
freak by profession and hobby, so I will probably never give up the
powered variety.  I have a split personality...I recently built a CNC
machine in my basement out of MDF, black-pipe, roller-blade bearing
and an old PC.  Don't really know what I am going to do with it, but
it works and I guess that was the point.

On the other hand, I "love" old tools and new "old" tools (ie, newly
made by individual craftsmen).   I have a small number of old tools
that were my grandfathers, and a few more that I have acquired in
recent years. Including a couple that were purchased from Lee at
TheBestThings.

I would like to be a "blended" woodworker, to use a Chris Schwarz
term...I guess that rather than being a Normite or a pure Galoot...I
am a "Schwarzite".

I am experimenting with my first shooting board that I just
constructed and a LV low-angle jack plane.  Works great.  Again,
slipping back to the "dark" side, I couldn't leave the ancient
shooting shooting board alone and I added a UHMW runner for the plane
to reduce friction.  Necessary?  No...but fun to try.

Personally, I have a wonderful and supportive wife and two great kids.
 A 7 year old boy that spends a lot of time with me in the wood shop
and a 3 year old girl that might too someday.   I am very lucky that
my wife supports my wood and tool addiction...as long as every now and
then something actually exits the shop in a completed form.

Professionally, I'm Director the Center for Sensed Critical
Infrastructure at Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to that I ran a
technology division for a large engineering and energy firm.  During
the dot-com era I worked as a venture capitalist.

I'm also an active board member of the Pittsburgh History and
Landmarks Foundation (PHLF).  A preservationist group that focuses on
historic architecture in the Pittsburgh area,Sorry for the long post
and I look forward to soaking up your knowledge!  If you are really
bored, you can check out my blog at  http://www.intheworkshop.info/
where I sometimes post some of my workshop thoughts.

Matt Sanfilippo
Pittsburgh, PA
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Welcome to the Porch Matt. Pull up a rocking chair n set a spell.

Just spent some time perusing your blog... I gotta say I just love it...
folks, we got ourselves a new brother in arms. Prone to zealous mental
gymnastics when resolving a problem, inclined to obssess about all the
small details just cause it's fun and, need I say, robust in his use of
the English language.

A CNC machine made from black pipe, MDF and spare parts? What a hoot and
it's great. I know I have that old rusty #5 here somewhere. I wonder if
I can make a Millers #41 out of it this weekend?

Best Gary

Gary Roberts Dedham, MA toolemera@m...
http://www.oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/gRoberts/grr/index.html


On Wednesday, November 29, 2006, at 11:52AM, "Matthew Sanfilippo"
 wrote:
>Hello GGs, Please accept this as my first "bio."
>
>My name is Matt Sanfilippo and I am a relatively new "listener"
>here....
snipped........
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Thanks Gary! I am honored by your comments. Any time I am called zealous
and obsessed by folks that I thought were zealous and obsessed, I get a
little concerned...or maybe happy....

Glad to be here, Matt

On 11/29/06, Gary Roberts  wrote:
> Welcome to the Porch Matt. Pull up a rocking chair n set a spell.
>
> Just spent some time perusing your blog... I gotta say I just love
> it... folks, we got ourselves a new brother in arms. Prone to zealous
> mental gymnastics when resolving a problem, inclined to obssess about
> all the small details just cause it's fun and, need I say, robust in
> his use of the English language.
>
> A CNC machine made from black pipe, MDF and spare parts? What a hoot
> and it's great. I know I have that old rusty #5 here somewhere. I
> wonder if I can make a Millers #41 out of it this weekend?
>
> Best Gary
>
>
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