Today I was back in my shop for a bit, of mostly clean-up. All of the jobs done in the last three weeks were in a rush to get ready for Christmas and many of the bits and pieces just got pilled onto the nearest available flat surface. (Not very efficient, of professional, but...)
Today's blog is about keeping your eyes open when you are out and around. On November 24th I blogged a photo of the blanket box I picked up on the side of the road. I had burned the heavy paint off the box and sanded it in preparation for stain and varnish.
I would say that the result was pretty good, Rustic, but still pretty good. I had an extended debate with myself and my wife about stain colour. Initially I was thinking something colourful and child like, orange, red or pink, but cooler heads prevailed. This blanket box is solid pine and may well last my Grand daughter years and years, and pink may not be the best decor colour down the road.
Who ever built this box did a very good and solid job. All I had to do was burn the paint off and then sand, and sand and sand. First I used an orbital sander to remove the last of the paint and rough spots but I finished with a 1/3 sheet finishing sander. Larger flat panels can be smoothed and flatten with the larger surface better, in my opinion.
The only thing I added to this blanket box was an additional floor of aromatic cedar. I cut 1/4 inch by 3 inch pieces of cedar and glued them onto the pine bottom. The tools boxes are holding the thin cedar down while the glue sets.
Now the stored items will smell nice and be in a moth resistant environment. My Grand daughter is only six, but one day she will have lovely things in silk and cashmere and other flavours of cloth favoured by moths.
It is amazing what you can gather up when you are aware as you travel about. This next item did not come for free, it cost $15.00 at a thrift store. Just before the holiday I dropped off a couple of bags of clothes are our local thrift store and decided to look in and see what they had for sale. Usually we just drop things at the appropriate door and don't stop in.
I picked up a Grand Daughter clock.
It is 60 inches tall and needs a couple of small repairs to its case work. In the store the sign said $15.00- decorative only.
I figured if the works were shot, who cares. The face was worth more than $15.00. I liked the hinges too, so I paid the money and brought the clock home. I discovered all that was necessary was to replace the battery and it runs fine, and chimes too. The pendulum, which is ornamental only, was in the bottom box of the clock case with the instructions on how to set and run the electric works. With a little bit of fussing this clock will be a good as new.
If you are aware of what is out there and have a few bucks in your pocket you can save good things for the future.
It might be a good New Year's resolution. Be a Maker, a Saver and a Doer.
cheers, ianw
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