It Sure is Hot Here

  We are Canadians, in the winter we grouse about the cold and the wet.  In the summer were wilt under the heat.  Historically there are about three weeks in mid-September that we like the weather but by our Thanksgiving Weekend ( 2nd Monday in October) it can be too cold again.  Right now the heat is not as big an issue as the lack of rain.  I have spent an hour or two watering our flower gardens each day lately.  

  Several years ago I bought a King 14 inch band saw. I have used this saw frequently and not always gently, and never had a problem. 

  Last week I splurged on The Woodsaver blade.  It was twice as expensive as my usual blade, however it tracks perfectly, my saw has no blade drift at all.  The blade tracks so straight that I dug my KREG band saw fence out of storage and use it  now.  I am flabbergasted at how well this new blade cuts.  It is very thin and sharp, now the question is how long will it last.

  My Swedish Grand daughters aged 3 and 5 arrive tomorrow and they want to work in the shop.  At this stage they are only painters although I may let the big one hammer some boards together if she whats to.

  

  I prepared for their visit by cutting out some garden snails for them to paint.  In the Girl's yard in Sweden there are swarms of real snails, this way Tova and Rowan can paint snails for Oma's garden.  Interestingly I had to use my jig saw  to cut out the snails, the new super blade is very thin and not interested in cutting curves. Aw well, you can't have a super re-saw  blade that is also a good compass saw. 

  To carry on with the Train shaped planter I bought some of my favourite wood the other day.  I love everything about cedar except the dust.  Cedar is light, has good grain and colour and is easy to work but the dust is toxic and so I need to wear a dust mask when doing almost anything with the wood.

  

  The box part of the planter is cedar.  I first glued it together with water proof glue, ( you can never have too many clamps. ) Then I drilled the butt joints and used dowel pins to add some strength to the corners.  I decided that I would use dowels because copper nails are silly expensive, the last I checked 1 1/2 inch copper nails were $0.25 each.  To my eye rust bleeding off nail or screw heads spoils the look of a project.   One day, when I win the lottery I will spent the money on copper nails maybe.

  This is a quick easy video re-minding use that a skid/pallet recycles in to something that every yard seems to need. 

'Turning a free shipping pallet into a planter. 

  Anyway, I expect to be a little bit distracted for a few days, the shop is great but nothing can compete with a Grand Kid.

cheers ianw