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

Proportion, Ratio and Measurement.

  Woodworkers can obsess over many things: hand tool vs. power tools; sharpening, how why and when and don't even raise the question of finishing.  Some plane, others scrape and I a mere carpenter, sands. One thing that we all have to do some of the time is take/make measurements, either metric or imperial.  That is how we get the custom book case to fit the room or the end table to fit the space.  Sometimes I feel we drag the ol' tape measure out when it isn't necessary. Much of wood working is about ratio and proportion, 'if it looks fair, it is fair'.*

  In this blog I want to talk about making my easel,  a video might be a better format, but I decided long ago to be a blogger and leave video for the professionals, so here I ago.

  I wanted an easel that would sit on my desk but was also tall enough that I could use it while standing as well as seated.  An easel is a pretty basic two piece hinged item.  First I looked on the internet for some ideas and then went my own way, as I usually do.  At no point during the building process did I use a measuring tape.

  Once I decided what I was going to do I picked out two 2 x 4's from my collection of reclaimed wood and began by ripping them in half, more or less, on the table saw.  After I had the pieces for the four legs I ran them through the planer reducing them to 5/8.  I cut the boards to a length that suited my needs by placing it on my desk to try out.

   Based on what size of water colour paper I use most often I chose the easel's width. There was pallet wood available to make support cross pieces. I rip cut and planed  a  couple more boards to make the cross pieces and a ledge to hold the papers.  The whole project went together with pocket holes and glue. In the previous video you can see the easel clamped to the table while I attached the hinges.

 When it came time to write the last blog was the first time an actual measurement with a ruler was made. The easel fit my needs and is a pleasing proportion. 

  I've made a couple of projects from my last batch of pallets.  The spruce in the last pallets is actually nice to work and sands smooth and clean. My next project is a bowl featuring 30 degree joints and I'm about about half done. I've got a jig to make before I can finish. 

*fair: The word is a cognate of Old Saxon fagar, meaning beautiful, pretty or peaceful. Since the days of the historian Bede, in the early 700s, it was used to mean good-looking. "Fair of body."