Large Flower Pot Cover

  Few things are more enjoyable than making something that someone needs.  My daughter has a container plant on her deck that gets blown over regularly so the request was made for a large wooden box to contain the plant pot and ballast against the wind.

  The only thing more enjoyable than making useful things is making it with the help of a Grand Kid. This weekend my grand son and I used reclaimed lumber to make a big box.

The base of the box is 15 inches square with 15 inch sides. 

 The skids I picked up last week are now turned into something useful. My grandson did the majority of the work on this project. He cut a skid apart and did most of the measuring, drilled all the holes and drove all the screws. 

 

  My role was to be the extra set of hands that held things while he drove screws, or measured. This was a great project in which he added the use of two new tools to his experience.

  I introduced the bandsaw and drill press a few years ago but this time I thought he was ready for the sliding mitre saw and belt sander.

  

 My grand son is a big boy just finishing grade seven, also he is thoughtful and cautious, so I am pretty comfortable showing him power tools, knowing his nature.  First we talk about safety, what to do and what can go wrong.  Then I give him a slow motion demonstration of how to use the tools.  On the sliding mitre saw for the first few cuts I held the wood for him so he could concentrate totally on the blade. By projects end he was making cuts by himself.  Things aren't to the point that he can use those tools alone in  my shop but I'm confident that he can manage without me having to hover over his shoulder.

  The belt sander smoothed the worst spots on the box and we then used gel stain to sort of even out the colour.

  Not only was this a great way to spend a while in the work shop it continued Kieran's  workshop evolution.  In the past he was impatient to finished and never bothered to sand or stain/varnish his work.  The sanding wasn't great but it is a step toward greater pride of purpose. 

  Next time more attention to detail will make for a more attractive result, I am sure.

cheers ianw

  

Finished Rocking Chair and New Plant Stand

 I got the little rocking chair repair complete, save painting.  I decided to leave the chair unfinished since I think it needs to be painted, and of course I have no idea what colour the next owner will want.  The replacement part is made from oak and cut with the band saw and shaped with rasps and files. I had to bore out and replace 8 or 9 dowels to put it all back together. Ya got to love Gorilla Glue.

Last Tuesday afternoon my friend came with another excellent plan.

  I have made a few things for D & E and always I am supplied with a very, very detailed plan. D and I worked away for about 90 minutes, including coffee drinking time. This planter used two 2x2x8 and two 1x2x8 and when we were done there was less than 12 inches of left over wood. A really good little project for a shop the size of mine and.....easier with a good plan to follow.

  I am  working on finishing up things that have hung around. Next some box tops.

cheers, ianw

Social Distance Shop

  Needless to say life is not 'business as usual'.  We did have the Grandchildren here for a few days and have had a few family members around but by Wednesday we have settled into a quiet life.  Nearly everything that takes us out of the house save for basic shopping is closed down.  This maybe a sort of blessing after all, only time will tell.

  I have been spending time in my shop naturally.  I find myself puttering around doing some long delayed maintenance and organizing as well as projects.

  

  The table and chairs are painted and into action at my sister-in-laws. This furniture set is at least 20 years old. Isn't wood great, with a little effort and a splash of paint another generation will have hours of playtime.

http://blogthetoolstore.blogspot.com/2016/09/claras-clock.html

Clara's Clock

  I while ago the clock's bright tape face began to peal off, I fixed it today. It was time.  

  

  Generally I don't write reviews of tools.   I was at the Leamington Home Hardware Tool Expo at the end of January 2020 and was talking with Jeff and he was promoting these new saw blades.  I thought it was a good idea and bought a blade with my own money.  This is not a promotion. I have been using the blade on my sliding mitre saw for a few weeks and am satisfied with its performance.  It might be a bit more aggressive than my previous blade, but that could be because it is brand new sharp.  The cut is smooth enough that I am using it to cut a picture frame currently.  I will add a further comment when I turn it around and try the other side, next year sometime.

  Last weekend's shop project was fitting a cover on the upper bunk.  I don't know what inspired my Grandson but he decided he wanted a covered bed.

  I had three thin pieces of wood, off cuts from something, squaring a 2 x 4 I think.

  Since I was balancing two kids in the shop. My Grand Daughter and I were binding our own wooden covered note books like the ones done October 2017.

 

   Kieran and I designed the extension brackets for the hoops and he cut them out on the band saw and sanded them.  Next he used the drill press to predrill the screw holes and we attached the brackets to the bed frame.  While this was going on Clara was sanding the book boards and using the drill press to drill the holes in the boards and the pages for her book.

  I used this project to introduce another and historic wood joinery method. With careful drilling and screwing the thin wood strips could have been attached to the brackets but I wanted the Boy to do his own project.  We put glue on the hoop and clamped it in place while we wrapped the joint with strong string. The back two against the wall where out of my reach so he and his sister did the work, which was great. I know that lashing is always decorative in modern life but....knowing things like this is good for you. (I believe)

  To finish this off we made a draw bridge door, why? why not? I used foam core for the door.  I have found foam core really useful as a building material for kid inspired projects. They can cut it themselves and it is lighter and cheaper than plywood.  The hinges at the top of the door are multi layers of Duct Tape, again cheap and easy for short lived kid projects.

Marble Run and Black Cat

   On the week end my Grandson and I made a quick marble run from scraps in the workshop. He did the cutting to size on the band saw and the whole thing is glued together with hot glue.  He was clever in making the run in sections that went on stairs, it has lots of room for expansion.

 While her brother was making a marble run Clara   made and painted a black cat.

  Projects like this show the difference in age and stage between the two kids.  These also show the real value of having a home work shop.  Making things like this are a great opportunity to do fun things together. 

cheers Ianw

A New Year

  Happy New Year everyone.  I hope that 2020 will be a good year for you, your family and your workshop.

  I was into my shop on Saturday for the first time in 2020.  Naturally, the thing that needed to be done first was to clear away and clean up the tools and wood chips from our recent wood carving experience.  This last time I  let my grandson down tools and walk away, usually we are more professional and  clean up when we are done. He has very good workshop safety habits, not quite as good clean up habits.  Well...safety first.

  Once I got going on the clean up I used the new year momentum to carry me into the back of the shop,(the part never shown in photos) where I spent some time with the shop vac and the garbage bin.  I have all my large tools on wheels and there is room for everything, just not enough room for everything to be out at once and so it can get chaotic and dusty in no time.

  My latest project was a simple task.  

  When a project is taken on I make a budget decision,  what am I willing to spend on that project? How much Money, Time and Energy.  

  Money, Time and Energy are in finite supply.  Not in limited supply but definitely in finite supply.  While at university I wrote an essay exploring the reality of M,T,&E.  As a younger person I often chose to spent time and energy to save money. Now that I am retired I can spend time to save money, and as a retired person my time is pretty flexible.  Alas, as a retired person with ongoing back pain issues energy is the limiting factor in all my  shop now.

  The project, I needed to make a frame to fit inside a large light fixture. The wooden frame will be fastened to the ceiling, the metal light fixture will be screwed to the wooden frame.

16 by 62 inches, and weighs a tonne.

   This light will have LED lights hanging down and the lights will be covered by stained glass shades made by my wife.  An electrician, with a helper are coming next Monday to put it up. 

  Had I chosen to spend a few dollars and buy two 2 x 4 x 8 this would have been a twenty minute job, even with the half lap joints in the corners.

  What did I do?  I went to the garage,  dragged out a reclaimed rough 4 x 4 that I picked up off the side of the road last spring.  

  The beam was twelve feet long so I still have a fair bit left because I decided to rip it into 2 x 4 size anyway.

  This was a case of spending time and energy to save money.  In reality I wasn't worried about saving money, I just wanted to make some saw dust and play with my toys and use a piece of wood that was hanging around the garage.

  I ripped the beam on my band saw after using the jointer to get a square corner by jointing adjacent sides.  The piece was a bit long for the size of my band saw table so I needed to dig out my roll stand. (seem in above photo).  The stand was not tall enough so I had to find a box large enough for the stand to stand on, all for one cut.

  After I ripped the 4 x 4 I cut it to length on my sliding mitre saw and opted to use half lap joints, mostly for the heck of it, partly for the inherent  strength.

  Have you ever looked for half lap videos on You Tube. "How to Make a Half-lap Joint".."Half Lap joints three way". etc.  If you have a quiet evening there are videos that are a half hour long or more.  I picked a couple of short ones to share.  

  I cut my joints on the band saw and by hand.  The short pieces were cut on the band saw the 62 inch ends where cut by hand.  I used a combination of hand saws, planes and chisels to get the joints aligned and fit together.  

  All together I spent the entire morning fiddling around in my shop.  What a great start to the new year.  

Cheers Ianw

Oak is a wonderful wood

Before and After

  Last week I replaced an oak spatula that has seen years of work in Eva's kitchen. With a band saw or jig saw and a bit of sand paper you are able to make a new spatula in about 30 minutes, including coffee drinking time.

Sections of Oak church Pew

  Our church has replaced several rows of pews with very nice, comfortable chairs. I was lucky enough to be given six 12 foot sections of discarded pew.  My long term plan is to make an stand up dresser like the one I made forty years ago for my brother.  Only this time out of oak, not plywood.

 Currently however I am making crosses from smaller off cuts from the pews.

  Once finished the crosses will be strung for necklaces.  I think there are people at our church who would like a cross like this as a reminder of their connection to our particular church and their faith in general.

  Carving small oak pieces is not so much carving as it is shaping.  I cut the rough shape out on the band saw and then work with small files and sand paper to smooth out the piece.  It is quite relaxing. There remains several off cuts that will be cut into crosses of various sizes.   

  Another project I was working on, it is really a shop tip for Canadians. One evening while cleaning up my bench I took out my drawer of small washers and make a bunch for future use.

  Now that pennies are no longer legal tender I can punch and drill them making perfectly serviceable washers for wood working projects. 

  The workshop season is returning.  I have several things I want to do with my shop space to make working easier as well as get back to making things on my lathe. 

  Enjoy the autumn weather and carrying on making things.

cheers, ianw

  

 The road less traveled.

January 1st 2019

  Happy New Year one and all.

  Over the holidays I have been able to work on one project.  I saw a pattern for a wooden puzzle on Pinterest and decided to make a prototype from available material. ( skid wood)
  The first thing I did was make a full size pattern.

  The puzzle is an 8 by 8 square.  It turned out to be a band saw project for the most part.  I ripped a board three inches wide and cut the three square pieces, and then two inches etc...

  Once sanded I stained and varnished the pieces slightly different colours at random. If the wood were nicer I would make a frame and have the puzzle as a coffee table ornament, perhaps.  These pieces will instead get put into bag. One thing I did was stamp how many pieces completed the puzzle (13) and what shape it is to be 8 x 8. Knowing how many pieces make up the puzzle at clean up time a piece is less likely to get forgotten. ( I hope) My grand kids like puzzles, though my wife found it a bit of a challenge to assemble when she tried the other day, they can try it next time they're here.

  It is now going to a quiet couple of days before the typical routines resume, and I am going to take advantage of the quiet to read, listen to music and putter about.

 I hope you had a good holiday season and are looking forward to a fine 2019.

cheers, ianw

Christmas Projects

  It is great to have a work shop handy. On the weekend I was able to work on a simple project with my Grandson. He used both the band and jig saws to cut out a circular frame for his sister and Oma to make into a wreath for their door.  Once he gets totally comfortable with the jigsaw he can make all sorts of things on his own.

  

  Today I cut out rings for Eva and her sisters to make into Christmas wreaths to sell at a church sale this coming weekend.  I make the rings from door skin and since I have the tools I used them all.  I cut the rough outside shape with my variable speed jig saw, then I drilled a hole in the middle and cut it out.  The outside was cut more carefully on my band saw.  To smooth out the edges I used a sanding drum chucked into a corded drill. I have had the sanding drum kit for years and consider it a must for an hobby wood shop.

  So that was an easy job that didn't require all those tools, but, it sure is quicker and easier with the right tool.

 Next I made a small wooden stand for our latest decoration from 10,000 Villages, we love the local store and the entire organization.

 The metal silhouette of the Manger scene  needed a boost to be seen over the edge of the window frame.  The wood is left over skid. I glued two pieces together and cut them to size with my band and table saw. Having a shop  with tools  makes it so easy....doing these various little things is No Sweat.   Having a shop and tools also makes it easier to customize your project. For example this green piece of wood 18 1/2 in. long, 2  in. thick and 3 in. tall.  A 2 x 4 wouldn't have done the job, something needed to be customized in the shop to show the silhouette properly.

  The last thing I'm working on actually needs a bit of skill not just available tools.

  If you know your children's stories this is Pettsen and Findus and they are carved Christmas ornaments.  I drew the shapes from a story book and then copied the shapes onto basswood.  I cut the shapes out on my scroll saw and have carved low relief.  Next I sanded the pieces and gave them two coats of spray sealer so that they can be painted in their characteristic colours.  I'm hopeful my little Swedish Grandchildren will like Findus and Pettsen on their tree.

  

  If you are planning Christmas gifts from you shop, better get on it. Christmas Day is less than a month away. ( not that the grand kids are keeping track or anything.)

cheers, ianw

Labour Day 2018

 Hey, one and all.  It is very warm, very very humid and wonderfully quiet here today.  After the last two weeks of Grandchildren, and family weddings peace has returned.  I am drinking coffee, listening to "Kind of Blue" and already sweating while typing this.

  Once the children headed home yesterday I spend a couple of hours in the coolness of my down stairs shop.  My work area has been an ever evolving thing, and this last project (bean bag game boards) drew my attention to something that  seems obvious, now.

  

a current project on the three raised work jigs

  A few years ago I made the two I-beams to help with assembly and glue ups. Also a few years ago I salvaged half of a work mate top as a mini work bench.  Since I did not have a unified Work Bench Theory in place the mini-bench and the I-beams where not the same height .  One of the things I did yesterday was cut the mini-bench height down. I am moving toward the "Unified Work Bench Theory", I am considering consultation with Dr. Sheldon Cooper as he will shortly out of work.

  I made an anti-racking solution for clamping the mini-bench to my work table.

anti-racking solution hanging close
at hand.

solution installed.

  Having the spacer readily at hand makes clamping more efficient.  

  The combination of mini-bench and I-beams provides many different clamping solutions now that they are the same height.

  The other thing I did yesterday was customise guide blocks for my 12 inch band saw.  Several years I added a second band  saw to my shop.  Now I have a 14 inch King band saw with a 5/8 x 3 tppi ripping blade and a 12 inch Delta with a 1/4 inch turning blade. Since the Delta is older I could not get 'cool blocks' in the right size to replace the nasty metal blade guides.  I decided to buy  over  size guide blocks and cut them down to size.

  

left side the original metal guide block.

  The difference in size is significant.  My first thought was to sand/grind the extra mass off. Sanding presented two problems: it was slow ( I hate waiting), also it was difficult to hold onto the block without risking finger tips.  I tried a variety of pliers and clamps and finally found a rasp removed material fairly quickly, but not quickly enough to suit me.

  

   Finally I settled on cutting the block to size.

    

   Since I had no firm idea of what  'cool blocks'  are made I did not what to risk a good saw blade.  In a drawer I have a fine toothed Japanese saw, which is missing teeth in several places. (it hit a nail biting experience, early in its life) but the remaining teeth are still good.  This saw became my sacrificial lamb if it knocked out more teeth, oh well.  I still don't know of what material 'cool blocks' are made, but it cuts with a fine toothed Japanese saw pretty well. I was able to cut sections off the block and then was able to hand sand the remainder off to get a good fit

  The lower set of blocks look fine for now but I  have parts to replace them when necessary.

  As it is Labour Day I am not planning to labour.

cheers ianw