End of November, wrap up.

   So I finished my version of the Eldris knife.  I really like the handle, it is very smooth and comfortable with a wax finish. The blade is 85% fully sharpened and will shortly be razor sharp.  It turns out that I am glad that I didn't spend money on the real thing.  This is sort of a knife solution looking for a problem to solve.  It will sit on a shelf  with lots of other knives but at this time I can not see a special use for it.

  I have a project coming up that will require a bunch of dowels.  I have plenty of 3/8 dowel rod in my shop.  If you buy dowels for assembly they are usually fluted, the flutes give the glue someplace to go when you are setting the dowels.  

  I made my own 3/8 dowel fluting jig.  I drive the dowel through the hole, the points of the screws cut into the dowel and 

  end up cutting fluting for the glue.

   This little fellow has hung around awaiting the cast for his arm for at least two seasons. While waiting for glue to dry the other day  I finally remembered to make the repair. I can't remember were this flower pot ornament came from, but that is not reason enough to just throw it away.  This is the sort of cute thing that Grand children love.  And cute little things remind me of my cute little grand children.

   My wife was trying to make a Christmas video for our church yesterday.  I went into the shop and made a cell phone holder using a 1/4-20 nut and some wood scraps. It is nice having a shop and tools.  This holder is one of those things that may get used once a year.  I saved the cost of a shopping trip and the purchase. When the phone size changes this holder will not be discarded with the hundreds of tonnes of other quick, easy, cheap imported plastic junk. It can be  easily modified to fit the next  phone or used to light the BBQ either way, bonus.

 This is the big job on my bench now.  Our wheel barrow needs some serious restoration. The wooden parts are weathered to death.  I am gluing some hardwood boards together to make the handles. (that is were the dowels are going to be used). I suspect all the nuts and bolts will have to be cut off and replaced and the barrel needs to be sanded and painted. (maybe even patched in a couple of places.)

  Why restore this thing?  It has given years of service and is not anything special. Why not spend $100.00 and get a new and probably better wheel barrow?  Mostly I fix things because I can.  Also I really condemn our throw-away culture. We have the money to replace this but I have the time to repair it and it will probably last us the rest of our gardening lives once repaired. I would rather not add this to the local landfill site. 

cheers ianw