Why I love having a wood working shop and why I keep scraps of wood.

  I know that there are many people that have resolved to clean up and organize for the new year.  I regularly resolve to get organized, and just as regularly fail to do so.  However, there are times when I just get cranky and have to sort out the crap.                                                                                                             

                                                           

  

  A while ago, spring I think, we bought a unit from Ikea in which these fabric box fit. The boxes were intended for sweaters or linens or the like, we are using the boxes for office type stuff so the deep boxes are not that useful.

   My first stop gap solution was to make some inner boxes from heavily modified card board boxes.  The card board boxes showed the concept to be valid, but soon the lower box collapsed, the upper level tipped and the box was filled with loose pens, note books, and other miscellaneous junk. 
  
   My first impulse was to throw everything in the trash, luckily my second impulse was to think about a less violent and terminal solution.

re-enforced  cardboard top box
with wooden handle.

    The reasonable solution was go down stairs to the work shop and make a decent box to fit into the bottom of the green Ikea box.

  There is absolutely nothing special about this box, except it fits into the bottom half of the Ikea box perfectly and suits the purpose exactly. I even drilled two finger holes into the sides so that  it would be easier to lift this box out in the future.  I used left over plywood for the sides and a very splintery piece of old drawer bottom for the bottom of the box. 

  Since this box is totally hidden from sight I didn't finish it, though I did sand its edges.  There are lots of ways to do this type of project but I am leaning toward 'Old School' carpentry when I have a project like this.  'Old School",  hammer, glue and nails, no air nailer, or impact driver or pocket hole, or dowel or tenon or dovetails.  I have decided that it is fully appropriate to nail the wood together and get on to the next project.  

  If I have a New Year's Resolution, it is to use my time wisely, by allotting a given task an appropriate the amount of energy and resources. 

cheers, ianw 

Happy New Year

  Happy New Year everyone, I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas holiday with family and friends, I certainly did.

 I stopped making New Year's Resolutions years ago, I guess that year my resolution was to be honest with myself.  It would be nice to loss some weight, nicer to get my sugar under control more and especially nice to have lots of time to work/play in my shop.  This year I will try to keep things cleaner and try and make more and different things.  I also plan to deliver extra tools to the ReStore so that they can find a wood worker that needs them 

All Cube Chessmen awaiting sanding and stain.

  This afternoon after watching the Rose Parade I went down stairs and began work on a quickie project based on an idea from Woodworking for Mere Mortals. A while ago I bought a clear out bag of pre-cut hardwood blocks.  I didn't know what I would use them for but I knew that the time would come.  The set of chessmen in the photo are made from 3/4 and 1 inch hardwood blocks. I glued the pieces today and tomorrow I will give the a quick sand and the stain one half of the blocks dark. ( I have some very dark walnut stain that I'll leave the blocks to soak in for a while.

Christmas Wood Turning Project

  I saw this video today while catching up on various posts from various wood working sites.  Over the last few days we have had family with kids and cats filling the house up and taking me away from my computer.  I have three grand children that are the apple orchards of my eye, there is nothing on the world wide web that can compete with grand children.  I will catch up with email and video over the next few days.

Wooden Christmas Tree

  I have shown this video before.  I just admire the man's work and hope you do too.

cheers, ianw