More Gecko Stuff

  On July 30th I posted a blog featuring the travel box for Nacho the Gecko that Kieran and I made while he was here.

  He then went home for a week and while he was gone. I decided to make a solid home for Nacho that could be left here. We had a card board gecko house that K had made a while ago. A gecko likes a cool damp environment, he is misted several time per day, good for a lizard, not good for his card board cage.

 I followed the basic size and shape of the card board effort and used softwood lumber and screening to make a home away from home for Nacho.

 I made the frame from 7/8 inch spruce construction lumber and used screws and glue to assemble the frame.  My gravity clamps are holding the screening down while the glue sets.

the finished unit

  The finished unit fully decorated and ready for habitation.  I have it on good authority that he likes his home away from home. 

  Another D.I.Y task I completed this week was the deck sealing of the out door benches at the Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre.  Couple of years ago the centre was renovated and a very nice court yard was added.  In the court yard are three U shaped benches made from 2 x 4 lumber.  The contractor varnished the benches, which looked nice for about a season and a half. Now the varnish is gone and the wood is exposed. I spent nearly three hours thoroughly cleaning and soaking the boards with deck sealer.  It is one of those volunteer things that guys with shops, drop cloths, brushes and gear can do for their community.

  

  I think that we should support our community and if I can be supportive while doing something satisfying it is a win/win.

cheers ianw   

 

Feb. 8th 2012 - Spoons and Spoon Hold Down

  I took a week off.  I spent part of it away from home. And then I spent a couple of days not working my my shop.  My back likes to have a few days now and then to just relax and read a book.  

  When I returned home I saw a post about a foot operated hold down for spoon carving. I had recently been fiddling with a small spoon and thought a hold down was just what I needed.

Then I remembered I had a foot operated hold down hanging on the wall.  My hold down uses rope instead of a wooden lever but it works fine and stores away in almost no space at all when not in use. Stores so well that it can be forgotten.  I need to paint it red and hang it with my other shop jigs.

 Once I  I got the spoon clamp back into action I completed the centre(walnut) spoon and the right (pine) spoon quickly.  I used my hooked knife to clean out the bowls and then basic tools and sand paper to finish the spoons.  I put hemp oil onto my finished spoons, two treatments seem good enough. These spoons are used to scoop stuff like coffee beans or oatmeal, stuff that is dry.

 The fancy spoon (bass wood)  on the left just needs finishing  work.  It was started before the Covid-19 thing when I was going to a carving club at the Ancaster Seniors Achievement Centre.  I found it, in a drawer awaiting completion. For the spoon to be useful it needs some more shaping and final sanding.  I am eagerly awaiting the reopening of clubs and social centres, and when they reopen I will start some new things.

  The other thing I am working on is an 18 inch hex topped plant stand. I opted to make the top from two pieces of Baltic birch plywood rather than solid wood. Now I am end gluing real wood all around and will then decide what to do about the top. Dark stain seems the most likely possibility.  A plant stand needs to be sturdy and low key. 

 I started carving the spoons while the glue dried on the edges.  There are quicker ways to edge this project, I am just not in a hurry right now.  I nearly always have a couple of things percolating in my shop at any one time.  That way I can distract myself enough to let the glue dry properly.

  Anyway, I am back and covered with saw dust.

 cheers, ianw

spring is coming, it was 12 Degrees on the back deck this afternoon.