| Electricity |
[Dec. 5th, 2009|09:39 pm] |
So, earlier in the fall, my mom sends a note to me and my brothers asking who wanted a Radial Arm Saw. Turns out my stepfather had been given some tools, including the aforementioned saw, and it was now taking up valuable floor space in their basement. I deferred to either of my brothers, as my tool collection is outgrowing my space, and I haven't had much time to work with wood.
The Radial Arm Saw is a Sears Craftsman, from the late 1960s. It's a bench-top model, that came on an optional stand. Turns out it there was a Consumer Products Safety Commission investigation of accidents, and the saw is affected by a recall. They can't fix it, so one can "cash for clunkers" it to get $100 off a new saw. Since I don't want to spend the money for a new saw, I'll use it and be careful.
Anyway, the saw and various add-ons were disassembled, loaded into my car, driven 300-odd miles, and stored in the basement. After fall progressed, I bought a mobile base for the saw, and started putting it back together. First thing was to move the woodworking magazines and books and bookcases where the saw was to go. I'm running out of places to put bookcases! I put the mobile base together, and then reassembled the stand. Then I hauled parts of the saw over to the workshop from storage, and started putting the thing back together. I even have the instructions! (original, and downloaded from the net.) I got enough reassembled that I wanted to see if the thing worked. There are no outlets where I put the saw! So I ran an extension cord, plugged the saw in, and it works.
But now there are electricity issues. My circuit breaker panel is full (sort of; it looks like there's an unused 220 volt breaker for a dryer circuit. My dryer is gas-fired). I have one lighting circuit in the basement with a few scattered outlets, and an outlet sharing a circuit with the porch outlets, and a 20 amp circuit wired to a single outlet dangling from its wire that I've been using for my table saw and router. Everything else is plugged in somewhere or another, or on extension cords and multi-outlets. This had to change.
To make a long story short, there's a new outlet for the Radial Arm Saw (and the scroll saw which will live next to it... for now), the dropped outlet is now supported by flexible conduit, and there are four new outlets in the center of the workshop and three on the walls. I walked over to visit my local Ace Hardware, and then made 4 trips to Home Depot (they're open on Sundays), buying and returning and buying (plastic boxes... no, change that to metal. Brown covers... oops, they don't fit, but the metal covers will work. Darn! I can't have 5 wires coming together in one box; go buy another box for the grand junction. And so on and so on and so on. I put a keyed switch next to each outlet, so instead of unplugging machines for safety (changing bits or blades, mostly), I can turn the switch off and remove the key and be just as safe.
I have an extra box cover to return (I found one in my stash). All of the new outlets are heavy duty and can take a 20-amp plug, but I bought the last 4 in the store and needed 5. I had another brand-new outlet, but it's white instead of gray, and normal instead of 20 amp. For a while, I was going to use it, but I changed my mind and want all the outlets to match. So that's one part I need to get.
To anchor the dropped outlet and hold the switch for it, I put in a single junction box. Without calculating the volume taken by the infeed wire, the outfeed wire, the drop outlet wire, and the switch. I can't cram everything in, so I need to buy an extender for the box, to make it taller. And somehow, I managed to return the cover plate for that box. I need it back! So that's the final trip to Home Depot, to return one more part and buy three others.
I did the final hook ups and wiring yesterday and today. All of the outlet boxes are attached to the concrete walls, there's conduit up to the ceiling on each one, everything is wired (except the one box that still needs the right outlet), and all the covers are screwed in -- except the one switch where it won't all fit.
So I was plugging in my machines, and I found a cord that's too short. Had I put the box where I first marked it on the wall, everything would work. But I changed my mind -- I think to make it easer to reach the box to plug and unplug and switch on and switch off -- but it just isn't gonna work. So I will take one box down, fill the screw holes in the wall, unhook the infeed wire, re-route it (the new run is actually shorter! yay for minor victories), and re-attach it. Moving the outlet will be an after-holidays activity.
Not completely done, but very, very close.
Now I can get back to re-assembling the Radial Arm Saw. |
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| Kids in costumes |
[Oct. 31st, 2009|09:39 pm] |
Trick-or-treaters report: the best costume combination came from two siblings. The younger one, a girl, had a very cute spider costume on, complete with two extra legs on each side that all moved with each arm.
The older one was... wait for it... a can of bug spray. Very well done, home made, a plastic container for the body (parallel sides, so not the usual trash can, and a white bucket with a hole cut out of it (for the tike's face) for the spray nozzle. |
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| 80s Pop Music |
[May. 23rd, 2009|10:11 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  apathetic | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Read... | ] |
Waaaay back, when I lived in NJ, I saw a laser show at the old Hayden Planetarium. The usual late 80s-early 90s pop. I remember two songs distinctly. Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer. And there was a second song, by someone I didn't know. "Dear God.. give us love for the lonely... da-da-deee-daaah-dummmm... Peace in our restless world." A few months later, I heard the song again, on the radio at work (thanks, Rich T!), and found out the artist was Midge Ure. I made a mental note of it.
I was reminiscing the other day; Gillian performed in an "80s show" Check out the video Anyway, to make a long story short, I got the Midge Ure CD "Answers to Nothing" from Amazon. I forget now the link between Gillian's 80s show and buying the CD. |
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| I lost a dear friend today... |
[Apr. 10th, 2009|07:42 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  melancholy | ] |
My constant companion for almost 15 years, Sidney, died earlier today. I miss him dearly.
His health had been fading quickly these past two weeks. It was his time. I will always have regrets, that I didn't do enough for him; he wasn't my highest priority this past week, when he needed care the most. All I can do to console myself is to remember that he lived his nearly 20 years in his own style. He took to me almost immediately, and became "my cat" (or I became his human), a bit to the chagrin of his original owner. He was quick to purr, warm and snugly, but demanding when his care was not up to his own very high standards. He could be quite territorial, and defended his turf with the weapons he had, earning Crystal's (and my, for a little while) enmity through the destruction he wrecked.
Tomorrow, I make him a small pine box, which will be buried next to his feline companion of 14 years, Miss Mouse.
Here he is, about 3 years ago, enjoying the sun:
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| What I do when noone is around |
[Oct. 25th, 2008|11:35 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
It's been ages since I've spent any time in my workshop. Aside from running down to get tools for some household repair or another, and putting them back, or just piling them inside the door.
So the first task was to tidy up a bit. Then I put a new plastic bag in the "dust collector". Then I had lunch and futzed around on the computer a bit. Then I got back to work; today's project is gluing together some boards I had selected earlier to make shelves for my sofa table bookcase project. After nearly seven years, I want to finish the shelves, and get it moved into place.
The boards had warped just enough that I sent them across the jointer, and then through the planer. So now what could have been 7/8" thick shelves (~21 mm) are going to come out around 5/8" (15 mm).
The second shelf gets jointed and planed and glued up tomorrow morning, and then I mow the lawn, and clip shoots off of the trees we had cut down in the spring, and get ready for C's return tomorrow afternoon. |
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| Voting |
[Mar. 1st, 2008|07:44 pm] |
One of the frustrating things about living in Ohio is that I don't get a good idea for all the things that will be on the ballot ahead of time. I remember, when I was a vote in New York State, receiving a copy of the ballot from the board of elections some time before the election.
I know I have a primary decision. I'm supporting Obama. If Clinton wins the nomination, I'll have no problems supporting her in the general election. But I think Obama is the better candidate.
I think there's a primary election for Congress as well. Back in 2004, I donated money to the Dem. candidate running to unseat first-termer and former City of Dayton Mayor Mike Turner. She's running again, I donated to her campaign again. But I know nothing about the other three candidates running.
There are two local issues, 38 and 39. 38 is a local school bond, 39 is to support our local community college.
The school bond issue is a tough one. Our school district has four buildings: our local elementary school (built 1948; expanded 1956), an elementary school in a nearby village (built 1923) about 6 miles away, the middle school for both villages (it was our village's old high school, built 1922, with additions in 1951, 1956, and 1961), and the high school, built half way between the two villages in 1968, with an addition built in 2000. the village has a parcel of land adjacent to the high school, and wants to build a single K-12 building on the new parcel of land. 9.54 mils additional. The high school gets partially reused for offices; the other three buildings get disposed of. All the proponents of the issue will say is "it's less expensive this way". Both grade schools and the high school are over capacity now, and classes are spilling out into trailers; there's room at the middle school.
There are issues. By moving staff at the elementary and middle school out of our village, the staff there would no longer be subject to the local income tax (1%); our village claims it will lose $91,000 in annual revenue. Negotiations among the four governments (our village, our township where the high school is, the other village, and the other township, where the new building is slated to go) have reached an impasse.
I have issues. They just spent money on an addition to the high school; could they not have forseen that such an investment wouldn't pay off? I like neighborhood schools; I'm uncomfortable committing the school district to bus nearly every student to school. Had the plan been to add a wing to the high school, build a K-8 school in the village, and a K-5 or K-6 school in the other village, it would be easy to pull the lever for "yes".
On the other hand, the state of Ohio kicks in $34 million if the levy passes. If the levy is defeated, will the state money be there next time?
Supporting the community college is easy. |
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| Crys's News |
[Feb. 24th, 2008|10:14 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | birth announcement | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  bouncy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | the monotone harmony of computer fans | ] |
The grandson came into this world at 8:33 am Sunday, February 24. Mother and son are doing well. Grandmother was present for the birth. |
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| Happenings |
[Feb. 23rd, 2008|10:30 pm] |
Crys is dashing east to arrive at Bethesda Naval Hospital before August Oakley arrives into this world.
We got the phone call on the way home from a movie (No Country for Old Men) and dinner (at Quaker Steak). She packed, I checked the route and weather, and she left. I'm keeping my phone close by for news... |
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| Bowling... |
[Feb. 16th, 2008|11:43 pm] |
Anyway, woodturning progress.
In the last picture, the bowl wasn't even round. I rounded it out (bending two of my gouges in the process...), and cut it down to leave a tenon sticking out of the base.
Trying to do any hollowing with the bowl in this position is frightening; the flutes of the spur drive are too close to the chisel, and my elbow too close to the unguarded belt. I tightened the idler shaft down, so the belts are now taut. I'm certain a finger would get lopped off if it got pulled into the pulley.
So the piece got turned around, the tenon held in a three-jawed chuck, and the hollowing commenced.
I want to get the bowl a quarter of an inch deeper, and then figure out how to loop some kind of saw blade in to cut off the post. Then I finish forming the inside. There's a get-together at the local Woodcraft store on Thursday evening; I had hopes of having this piece finished by then. Now I can only hope to have the bowl formed, show what I've done, and ask about finishing the base.
One more view:
Now off to bed... |
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| Trees |
[Feb. 16th, 2008|10:32 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | sore | ] |
| [ | music |
| | American Pie | ] |
Guess what we found on the morning of January 30? No heat in the house. And the back deck was impassable.
I borrowed an electric chainsaw from one of my colleagues at work (thanks, Hassan!), and got things cleared away. Logs are stacked in the back yard.
Gillian and I were sweeping the last of the twigs from the deck. I noticed, yet again, that there was a branch on the roof. The branch was stuck on the roof because it poked through the roof! We've had a 4" hole in our roof for nearly three weeks!
Insurance company has been contacted, and I'll be talking to roofers on Monday. If they're not taking President's Day off. Of course, we're going to have a day of rain tomorrow. I taped a board and a plastic bag over the hole, but I have no hope that the tape will hold in any wind. It just wasn't sticking down.
And then there was a little accident with the ladder when I was getting down. I'm just scraped up (and so is the siding of the house,) but it could have been much worse.
Anyway, with two more limbs off the Norway Maple in the back yard, I can't help but think that it's time to take the tree down. There aren't that many limbs left alive (three or four smaller ones, depending on how one counts.)
I'm hoping to turn it into lumber; I'll make room in the lumber rack in the garage. Wood-Mizer makes portable saw mills, and I have the names and numbers for half a dozen owners of their mills, from 15 to 60 miles away. Another thing to do tomorrow afternoon or on monday. |
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| I promised pictures |
[Jan. 30th, 2008|07:47 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | lazy | ] |
This is near the beginning of my woodturning adventure. The log was split with a hand saw, and then squared up and the corners chopped off on the band saw. It took me a couple of tries to find the center on the round side; I just kept moving the point until the vibrations were minimal.
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| Inspirations |
[Jan. 20th, 2008|01:10 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | Inspired | ] |
| [ | music |
| | 120 Hz hum of electric motors. | ] |
Inspiration #1: my maternal grandfather teaching me to turn wood on a lathe. He loved building up shapes out of segments, often of contrasting species of wood (e.g. white maple and a darker wood like walnut or cherry) and turning them into bowls or vases.
Inspiration #2: when I was a teenager (and my maternal grandfather had taken ill), our family went to visit my paternal grandparents, and we brought back my grandmother's father's lathe. Delta, 1938. I never met the man, but I'm sure I would have been fond of him. Anyway, it was set up in the basement of my parent's house, and I noodled around with it a little bit.
Inspiration #3: a year ago, I finally retrieved that lathe from it's resting place in a shed at my brother's father-in-laws house. Last spring, I rearranged enough of my workshop to get it set up, and to buy new belts for it.
Inspiration #3: last spring, at the Miamisburg Starving Artist show, I met a wood turner, and we had a nice talk. I bought a piece he had done, "as inspiration". A very nice flat dish or plate.
Inspiration #4: last thursday, I finally made it to "Saw Dust Sessions" at the local Woodcraft store. One of the demonstrations was of woodturning.
So....
I have a chunk that was trimmed from the backyard tree (a Norway Maple; probably planted as a yard tree when the house was built in 1903..). about 8 inches in diameter, 10 to 12 inches long. I split it in two with a hand saw, and cut up one half just to see what comes out. I am going to turn the other half into a bowl. Should be a small bowl, about 7 1/2" in diameter. I'll take lots of pictures, and let you all know what comes out. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 15th, 2007|07:51 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | whine | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | bored | ] |
| [ | music |
| | The droning whine of a computer fan | ] |
Jeeeeronimo, I haven't had anything to say in an awful long while.
The dining room inches nearer completion. Y'all can see it next time we have a party. Three different paint colors (lower wall, upper wall, ceiling), a new light fixture (stained glass!), chair moulding (that I made myself), and a two-piece crown moulding. The crown moulding didn't come out nearly as well as I had hoped; everything else is great. The last piece of crown moulding ended up over 1/2 inch short. I chopped a six inch piece off the end; I'll cope the end of a new piece (that is long enough!) and just hope the joint line isn't too noticeable. I just don't feel like doing it now.
I'm finishing 9 days of bachelor living; Crys has been traveling to see family, and comes back tomorrow. She cut her trip a day short because of bad weather, and drove a longer route home. I need to get some energy and clean the house.
Sometime today, a large dead limb in the Norway Maple in our back yard broke. The butt end is still up in the tree, just resting on the part of the branch that didn't break. The twigs are shattered in the snow. It's up high enough that I can walk along the path underneath it without stooping |
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| The magical moment |
[Jun. 3rd, 2007|12:09 pm] |
There's a magical moment, on warm summer evenings, after the sun has gone down. It's the border between twilight and night, when the last embers of the sun's illumination becomes irrelevant before disappearing completely. The street lights come on, yet they are still outshone by the sky. And then man-made incandescence overtakes the twilight.
I frittered away friday night, surfing the web, conquering the galaxy, playing bridge. Old, old games on an old computer. So I didn't turn in until nearly 4 in the morning, and didn't sleep well. So yesterday I was totally unmotivated to do anything. It's just me and the kitties. Very little got done. I did pay the mortgage and the rest of the bills, though, so I can keep living here another month. Breakfast was late, lunch was late, dinner was late. And I had a beer. It wasn't quite night, so I went for a walk, to drop the water bill off at the village office, and the rest of the bills at the post office. It was as much to get out of the house and get some exercise as anything. And it was magical. My favorite time of day for contemplation, I think.
Today, it's work around the house. I already moved a pile of mulch away from the garage -- don't want it to provide a path for bugs (and I mean this in the generic creepy-crawly sense, not the insect order Hemiptera sense) to get from ground to framing timbers. Lunch, mow the lawn, rearrange furniture, vacuum, snuggle the kitties some more, and maybe even get into the wood shop and make shelves for the bookcase. |
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| Projects |
[May. 27th, 2007|06:08 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  cheerful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | None | ] |
Project #1: the newspaper bin is finished. Here it is, between the second and third coats of Boiled Linseed oil:  . The flash make it look a little more red than it really is. It is a bit darker than the bookcase it is on.
Project #2: Major milestone. You know how I've been saying for (I think) a bit over two years now that sheet plastic is the modern new ceiling material? Turns out, I was just saying that because it's flexible. I couldn't repair the dining room ceiling with drywall (dryceiling?) because the plumber left the trap of the new drain for the bathtub extending below the level of the ceiling. In addition, while the drain may have been leaking, there was a bigger leak he didn't find. Any faults with the drain were not the cause of the ceiling becoming the floor anyway. So I'm not happy with the plumber, and will not be doing more business with him, nor referring him to those who ask.
Anyway, after four trips to two different hardware stores, I have finally re-plumbed the drain. The trap is tucked above the ceiling (by about a quarter of an inch). I did have to put in two elbows (a 90 and a 45) and a length of pipe in a stretch that was just straight pipe originally. But the drain pipe had to be routed around obstacles. I hope the zigs and zags don't make it more prone to clogs.
Saturday, 2:00 PM. Plan is in hand, the old (too low) trap is removed, and taken by foot to the local hardware store. I am fixed up with a reducer (with a smaller plastic washer-nut thing) a length of pipe, a trap assembly (one U-shaped pipe, one 90-degree bend pipe, and the U pipe can be separated from the elbow pipe by turning a big plastic washer-nut thing. Two 45-degree bend pipes, a container of primer, and a container of cement. I go home, read the dire warnings on the can, and get some newspaper to keep the deck from getting stained. I cut the 1" bit I need from the length of pipe, and glue it into the U-pipe and the reducer. The tub side of the trap assembly is complete!
I glue the first 45-degree elbow to the 90-degree elbow, and then glue the second elbow to the first. I was trying to make an elongated S-shape to connect what would be the higher top of the trap to the lower drain pipe. While I sit and admire my work, I come to the horrible realization that I put the second 45 on wrong; together, they made a 90 instead of an ess! I try rotating the second piece, and was elated to find some give. The cement hadn't totally set up. So I grab the two sides of the joint and twist with all my strength. It rotates. 45 degrees. I pause for breath, and resume straining at this nearly immobile joint. 90 degrees. Another breather. 135 degrees. Almost there.... and then the cement took full hold. I gave it my all. I grabbed a big wrench to turn one side, but I couldn't get the other wrench at hand, my biggest crescent wrench, around the piece of pipe. It was done, my mistake was permanent. I walk back to the hardware store, and buy two more 45s and the 90-with-a-washer-nut. I'm out another $3.15, and walk back home. It is now 3:30, and the hardware store closes at 4:00.
This time, I'm determined to get the pieces put together correctly. I get out a black magic marker, and assemble the pieces. 90 right, 45 right, 45 left. I notice that my first attempt was even worse than I thought; the first joint was also completely backward. Absolutely satisfied that I have the pieces assembled the way I want them when the cement is dry, I dray a single line across the first joint. And two lines across the second joint. This next glue-up is going to be perfect!
So I separate the well-marked pieces once again, and open up the primer and cement jars. First I daub the purple primer on (warning! says the label. This will kill you. And it stains!). Then the blue cement. Then I twist the joint together, until my lines line up. Perfect! The second joint is as flawless as the second. There's purple stain and blue squeeze-out on the white pipe. It is colorful. I like the combination. Untidy... But the pieces are assembled.
Now back inside. I line things up, approving of the way things will fit, but noticing that the water supply lines are closer than I thought. I couldn't fit this long assembly in without removing the original elbow and a length of the old pipe cemented to it. So out comes the Makita jigsaw (my dad had a similar tool, only made in the 1960s, sold by Sears with the Craftsman name on it, housed in a silver steel body, rather than blue-green plastic. He called his a Sabre saw.) and soon the plastic-dust was flying. The drain is now open until I finish the job. No using the bathtub. The cut isn't far from the waste stack, so I decide that using that toilet puts the floor of the dining room at risk of a bit of a mess. I get the assembly, line it up, and it just won't fit. The supply lines interfere. I try pushing and prodding. No good.
What do I do? Reroute a supply line so the new drain fits? I draw a sketch of the situation. Work out new routes for the supply line. I notice that my working experience is getting worse. There's a drip coming from the bathtub (I never did figure that one out...) And it's really starting to stink up there at the top of the stepladder. I stuff a rag into the gaping sawn-off mouth. What to do? Try a different angle? Maybe if I hadn't put the 45 bends all in the same line I would be able to angle things around? It's upstairs for more allergy meds and quiet reflection.
At 6:15, I came back downstairs. Took another look at the plumbing mess. That I must fix. Yes, if I twist the trap around over here, and then put in a 45, then a length of pipe and another 45 should work, I thought to myself. The local hardware store is closed, so it's into the car for a trip. I get there at 6:45, find the plumbing parts in the back, grab a new trap, and the two different 45s. To the checkout, with the store closing around me. I notice that they're open all weekend; my local store is closed Sunday and Memorial Day. I get back home, arrange the parts the way I think they should go, ascend the 3 feet up to the ceiling, pull the rag out of the pipe, and discover that no matter how I twist, lengthen, or shorten, the angles are just not going to work. Defeat.
This morning, after a very slow start, a cup of coffee, some delicious fresh-baked apple bread (thanks C!) I took another look. It hit me; I needed to start off with the trap at more of an angle, and then use a 90 degree elbow, not a 45! Then a length of pipe, and the 45 should be just right. Sure, it makes the drain a little longer overall, but that's OK. Back into the car and then the store. I wander the store after finding my 90 elbow, and pick up some sanding dust masks. And some peanut M&Ms. They always cheer me up when I need a little boost. And then back home. I climb the ladder, pull out the rag, and am surprised and pleased that this time, my plan works! I twist and rotate the pieces until everything is lined up. I run to the basement, pick up the remainder of the piece of pipe I had cut on Saturday, brought it up stairs, marked off another 4" length, descended into my lair and returned with a smoothly cut length, just the right size. Pieces assembled, and Voila! They all fit. Happy, happy, Joy, joy. Well, i can't say that at work any more, because the second Joy gave notice and left the group last fall. So we're down to a single Joy. But anyway...
It's magic marker time. None of the joints are right on the eight marks around the molded pieces of pipe. So, as accurately as I can, I make one mark on both sides of the first joint (90 to 90). Two marks across the second (90 to straight pipe). Three on the third (pipe to 45), and four on the fourth joint connecting the 45 elbow to the pipe attacked to the drain. Let the marker dry for a few minutes. Then disassemble, back out to the deck, more newspaper, and another glue-fest. One mistake; I started off putting cement on the 4-hash side of the 45. Oops! I got the other joints together as quickly as possible, and just hoped that the "extra" cement wouldn't be a problem. I assembled everything back at the ceiling, and it all fit! Two hours for the glue to cure.
Two house later, I interrupted C making dinner, and asked if she would watch for leaks. I ran water into the tub and down the drain. No leaks! I put the stopper into the tub, and started filling it, and went down stairs. With only a little time before meal preparation would reclaim my assistant, I climbed the stairs again, shut off the water, pulled the stopper, and went back down. The tub drained, without any leaks. Success at last... as long as the weight of a full tub and someone in it doesn't flex things enough to cause a leak. |
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| Godiva's recovery, and ours... |
[May. 15th, 2007|07:50 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | exhausted | ] |
Godiva had her leg put back together today. She will take a month to heal completely. We need to keep her sedated tonight, so we have pills to help her sleep. Fighting a cat to get a pill down its throat is just the thing to help one sail peacefully off to the land of dreams...
Now all we have to deal with is the bill. I didn't ask before the surgery, because the reassuring sheet from the vet said most surgeries were between $350 and $750. This one was $750, plus $750 for the operating room. We'll be on a tight budget all summer.
Pictures to follow... |
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| Happenings |
[May. 12th, 2007|07:18 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | busy | ] |
Brief happenings.
Yesterday, Godiva jumped down from where she often hangs out on top of Sidney's house. I have often thought that the open wire of the top was a hazard, and I've been meaning to do something about it for a couple of weeks now. Well, something happened. Godiva got her left hind paw stuck between the wires just as she leaped down. It twisted her leg something fierce.
We took her to the vet this morning, and he sedated her, and took X-rays. Broken leg. It's all taped up now, and Godiva now has an appointment with a veterinary orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday. She's now living in Sidney's house, with the door closed, to discourage movement.
We have carpenter bees outside. I'm going to get up close and personal with the wasp poison this evening, and plug the holes later this week. <http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef611.asp>.
My woodworking project is nearing completion! The upper frame is all assembled, and has received 2 coats of oil. I'm thinking that 4 coats should do it. The glue holding the front of the lower frame is drying now; it will get its first coat of oil tonight.
Tomorrow is yard work. Mowing, weeding, clearing brush. Maybe flower purchasing and planting. We do have 9 sunflowers, grown from seeds from a volunteer that popped up last year, in the gardens and doing well. |
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| A new project... |
[Feb. 24th, 2007|11:36 pm] |
I've started a new woodworking project. The cardboard box in which C places the newspapers after she reads them is just falling apart. So I'm going to make a new, wooden box out of wood. Some nice, rich, cherry we bought at an auction a year or two ago. I still remember the farmer's granddaughter asking what I was going to use the wood for, and being visibly relieved when I said I was going to try and make furniture out of it. She shared the story of how her grandfather cut down the tree and sawed it into boards years ago.
Anyway, I started the weekend of the 10th and the 11th, with some measurements and sketches. I came up with two ideas, presented them to C, and she chose what I felt was the more conservative design. Four paneled frames. I made some more sketches, and decided that a second box was needed, to keep the unread newspapers in. At first this box was going to be underneath the main box! Silly me. The new newspapers go on top. More sketches, and then a full-sized drawing that showed some design problems. C asks whether it will be a valentine's day present. There is a pace to these things. I said yes, but didn't say which year.
Then comes a tally of the parts. Turns out, I need to cut 52 pieces of wood, each to a precise size. And then cut 64 precisely matching mortises and tenons. Trivia: that's old french for "mouth" and "tongue". The tongue goes into the mouth, and the two pieces of wood are as solid as one.
So I pulled two boards from my lumber pile, marked out where each part would come from, and started cutting the boards apart into pieces. Then some work flattening a face and an edge of each board. Today, I planed each piece to the proper thickness. Three (of six) sides of each piece are now defined -- the top and bottom face, and one side. Tomorrow, I hope to have that up to six, cutting the second side, and then the two ends. Then I cut the mortises, and then the tenons, and then I can dry fit everything together, and maybe post a picture. Then I cut some delicate curves, assemble for real with glue, finish (haven't decided between oil and polyurethane), and present. |
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| Summer Misery |
[Jul. 28th, 2006|09:15 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sick | ] |
I have a cold. It really hit me on Wednesday, so I have been miserable for three days now. Monday and Tuesday it was just a sore throat.
I hate suffering through a cold in the summer. It isn't cold. But you have one.
It is amazing how much snot can pour out of ones nose in a day. I emptied the box of tissues on my desk about noon, and have been running to the bathroom for TP. I'll bring another box in on monday. |
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| More kitten news |
[Jul. 13th, 2006|02:57 pm] |
Got back from the vet earlier this morning. Kitten is suffering from ear mites and worms, and nothing more serious. Medicines for both are being applied.
Kitten is female and 12 - 16 weeks old (so I'm saying her Birthday was March 30).
We're trying on the name "Godiva" due to her color. Loni just didn't stick. "Go" for short.
To stir up discussion, declaw or no? I understand the operation is chopping off the tip of the toe at the last knuckle, and it affects their balance skills. She will be a strictly indoor kitten. |
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owned_by_2_cats's journal
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