Social Distance Shop

  Needless to say life is not 'business as usual'.  We did have the Grandchildren here for a few days and have had a few family members around but by Wednesday we have settled into a quiet life.  Nearly everything that takes us out of the house save for basic shopping is closed down.  This maybe a sort of blessing after all, only time will tell.

  I have been spending time in my shop naturally.  I find myself puttering around doing some long delayed maintenance and organizing as well as projects.

  

  The table and chairs are painted and into action at my sister-in-laws. This furniture set is at least 20 years old. Isn't wood great, with a little effort and a splash of paint another generation will have hours of playtime.

http://blogthetoolstore.blogspot.com/2016/09/claras-clock.html

Clara's Clock

  I while ago the clock's bright tape face began to peal off, I fixed it today. It was time.  

  

  Generally I don't write reviews of tools.   I was at the Leamington Home Hardware Tool Expo at the end of January 2020 and was talking with Jeff and he was promoting these new saw blades.  I thought it was a good idea and bought a blade with my own money.  This is not a promotion. I have been using the blade on my sliding mitre saw for a few weeks and am satisfied with its performance.  It might be a bit more aggressive than my previous blade, but that could be because it is brand new sharp.  The cut is smooth enough that I am using it to cut a picture frame currently.  I will add a further comment when I turn it around and try the other side, next year sometime.

  Last weekend's shop project was fitting a cover on the upper bunk.  I don't know what inspired my Grandson but he decided he wanted a covered bed.

  I had three thin pieces of wood, off cuts from something, squaring a 2 x 4 I think.

  Since I was balancing two kids in the shop. My Grand Daughter and I were binding our own wooden covered note books like the ones done October 2017.

 

   Kieran and I designed the extension brackets for the hoops and he cut them out on the band saw and sanded them.  Next he used the drill press to predrill the screw holes and we attached the brackets to the bed frame.  While this was going on Clara was sanding the book boards and using the drill press to drill the holes in the boards and the pages for her book.

  I used this project to introduce another and historic wood joinery method. With careful drilling and screwing the thin wood strips could have been attached to the brackets but I wanted the Boy to do his own project.  We put glue on the hoop and clamped it in place while we wrapped the joint with strong string. The back two against the wall where out of my reach so he and his sister did the work, which was great. I know that lashing is always decorative in modern life but....knowing things like this is good for you. (I believe)

  To finish this off we made a draw bridge door, why? why not? I used foam core for the door.  I have found foam core really useful as a building material for kid inspired projects. They can cut it themselves and it is lighter and cheaper than plywood.  The hinges at the top of the door are multi layers of Duct Tape, again cheap and easy for short lived kid projects.

Table, Two Chairs

  The table was done a while ago, all it needed was to be cleaned up a bit and mostly re-assembled. The chairs on the other hand came with NO legs.   I designed and turned eight legs and recently re-attached them to the seat and back.

  Making the legs was an interesting process. I used some off cut maple stair treads that fell into my hands a few years ago.  Maple was quite wonderful to turn and it was easy to get  it super smooth.  The legs and table are unfinished, my sister-in-law needs to paint the set before turning it over to her grand kids.

  Assembling the chairs was an interesting process:

 First I set up a temporary jig to measure each leg.

  This way I made sure that each leg was the same length to the shoulder at the top.  For a couple of legs I had to cut a little bit off the bottom end.

  This jig helped me hold onto the round leg as I pushed it through the band saw blade. In this photo I am cutting the tenon, but it works just the same.  

  

  The sockets in the underside of the seat were 3/4" and slightly different depths so I assigned a leg to a position, measured the depth and trimmed the tenon accordingly.

  For assembly I dampened the socket and tenor slightly, applied Gorilla Glue and press fit the leg. Once all four legs were attached I used gravity to hold things in place.

  Those lead diving weights are heavy enough to sink a large buoyant man.  With the glue dry I feel that the legs are sturdily enough attached that they don't need braces.  After all the chairs are for really little people.  If need be I can add bracing later.

   I am onto picture frames and hoops for a covered wagon bed, there is always something to do, hooray.

 cheers ianw