A String of Small Projects

  I was away on holiday for much of June and so several repairs piled up at 10,000 Villages. They had a window leak and some of their products got stained or rusted.  I had a couple of things to clean up for them. 

  Every shop should have a selection of wire brushes. Wire brushes are the best tool for removing rust or staining on metal.  A wire brush in a drill driver can also be used to texture soft wood to create an interesting effect.

  The other day a friend dropped by to have some 1 x 4 ripped and cut to length.  As he said, it is so much easier and accurate to have these cuts made by  a table saw and a mitre saw than to fuss around with a circular saw.  Especially as he is not a handy man type. 

  

  While in Sweden I picked up a couple of heavy bladed utility gardening knives.  The knives were cheap but didn't have sheaths.  This morning I glued up some wood and made a solid wooden sheath to protect the blade and the user. 

  The other thing I did this morning was whittle another spreader knife.  These latest few things have been whittled  (carved)  from split out pieces of fire wood.  I have made spoons in the past but have come to believe that the best wood for spoons is split wood rather than cut. Wood that is split follows the grain and makes the whittler follow the grain too. Things look nicer and are stronger.

  I have a baby's crib to rebuild and a flower pot stand to build as my next larger projects but for now I am pretty happy with these smaller things. My grandson is coming for a while later in the month and I think we need to make some Bee Houses. 

 

  I think that should be fun.

cheers, ianw