Picture Frames and a "tankard".

   Since the grand kids were here I have been working on a couple of custom picture frames.  For these small projects I opted to work only with hand tools, for a couple of reasons.  One, small bits of wood are easy enough to work without all the power of mitre saws and routers, also small pieces and power tools together sort of scare me a bit. The other reason is hand tools make almost no noise and so puttering around in the shop in the evening, listening to music is good for my soul.

  Making the frames with hand tools is slow, but satisfying.  Over the years I have collected a shop full of fine tools, good saws, knives, planes and jigs. I cut the frame material in a mitre box, trimmed the ends on a 45 degree angle shooting board.  Then I hand cut the rabbet for the glass and cleaned it up with my rabbet plane. Once everything was cut and sanded I glued the ends together using my lead weight gravity clamps and my KREG Klamp table.

  It is interesting re-learning a method of work. For the first frame I fumbled around looking for measuring tools and angle gauges and deciding which saw etc. etc. etc.  On the second frame I knew what I wanted to do and in which order.  Now I need to make a better mitre box before I do the next set of frames.

  I spent many hours in my head designing the other project.  I got the idea that I wanted to make a rustic tankard from which to drink my favourite cool beverages.  A wooden tankard sounds good, but I opted to ask my Sister-in-Law to throw a pottery body upon which I would attach some sort of carved, rustic wooden handle.   

The pottery body is very fine.  

How to attach the handle? 

I didn't want to glue the handle to the pottery, too permanent, ugly and too difficult to modify should I have a better idea down the road.

The current result:  

The deer antler handle is comfortable and feels nice in my hand.  Antler is very easy to work on with sand paper by the way.  It is glued to a thin strip of wood, which is glued to a layer of leather and the lashing is waxed hemp cord.  The handle is secure. but not as aesthetically pleasing as I want.  Also, I want to see how well the waxed hemp holds up in  real life.  I have another body so I can try another version without having to take this one apart.  

It is getting cold and wet, the season for painting and wood working is upon us. 

cheers ianw

What takes time in the Shop

 First thing to remember, it is summer and summer is about being outside.  This is motorcycle and bicycle riding weather and so the shop is of secondary interest.  As my wife noted last evening however I do like to putter around in my shop.

 So, what am I puttering at? I have three/four sort of on going projects currently.  One is trying to save chairs from the church's Sunday School room.  

  These plastic chairs crack over time from being bent back so much. As you can see this one has been glued, unsuccessfully.

  I am going to try a combination of glue and re-enforcing wood.  I hope the wood will reduce the flex and get a season or two out of the chairs, before they go to hand fill.  Clamping was a challenge since none of the surfaces are flat.  Anyway, that is why you always need more clamps. If this works it will save our church a few bucks, since there are many of these chairs that need to be fixed or replaced.

  Another thing I am working on is another box top.  This one features an oak lid that was a glue up of off cuts.  After the lid was glued and squared I hand cut the rabbets.

  Hand cutting rabbets uses a bunch of tools.  I made the original marking/layout with my marking gauge.  It is easier with a marking gauge than with a ruler and pencil. I then cut the rabbets with a small cross cut and rip set saw and cleaned the cuts up with my 1/2 inch rabbet plane. The rabbets could have been cut on the table saw or router table, I just felt like a quiet time.

  I am working on a carved top with an inset knob to complete the lid.  I don't have a use for the box right now, but....it at least has a lid.  I think I have finished all the box that were setting on the shelf at the back.

  Also:

I was given a really good book of children's wooden toys a few years ago and finally am getting around to using it, thanks Rich and Jenn.  I am making a rolling hippo whose jaws opens and closes as it rolls.  

  These are most of the parts, the sides of the hippo's jaw remains and I need to buy (or make) so 3/8 dowel for axles etc. 

  I am not seriously applying myself in the shop currently but fiddling with one thing or another helps fill my days.  It would have been an especially tough year without the available distractions of wood working and water colour painting.  

 

cheers ianw