Blanket Chest

 This is the next piece in our bedroom furniture.  This gets the sheets and blankets out of my son's closet.  This project posed some design concerns.  The first one was how it was going to fit in with the rest of the bedroom furniture.  I am using a mission style.  I have kept open sides but the chest cannot have open sides or front.  There were a lot of different ideas that I had to accomplish this look.  The one that I settled on was grooving all the cherry parts and the walnut was in insert panel.  

Another design concern was the weight of the lid.  The lid is made of three pieces of 1 3/4" thick cherry.  The total weight of the lid is 35 lbs.  I did not want the lid slamming shut and hurting someone.  There is not a lid stay on the the market, that I could find, to handle a 51" x 21" top with that weight.  I did find torsion hinges from Rockler that I liked.  The calculator does work but it said my top was too big.  If I took the lid and divided it into two lids, it said to use 2  - 60 inch-pounds torsion hinges.  So it takes 240 inch pounds to open the chest.  The lid does not slam shut.  I am happy the way the lid turned out.

The lesson learned from the lid is that the case needs to be heavier than the lid.  It does once it was filled.  When it wasn't, it was a tipping hazard.  

Other designs features that are part of the chest:

• The bottom of the chest is made from tongue and grooved aromatic cedar,  It is said to repel bugs so I put it in our of tradition
• The top has two battens that are installed with sliding dovetails.  This is the first time using this type of joint,  I did not execute it as well as I had hoped but it still works to keep the top flat.  This was the part that I was most nervous about because if I screwed it up it is a lot of wood that becomes firewood,
• All joints are mortise and tenons.  I made these using a router instead of hand chopping them out.  This seemed to be easier then drilling and cleaning them out.  They were a more consistent making the tenons easier to make.
• Inserts are walnut.  I was going to make them out of maple for the contrast.  I am glad I didn't.  The cherry will darken over time.  The two wood tones will compliment over time.
• The front was originally going to look like two drawers.  It was not going to look as good.  I was also going to add an internal tray.  That also was removed.

I really like how the features come together.  This was a challenge in getting all the lines to line up and offsets look the same.  There are a couple of things that did not go as plan.  The parts for the sides should have been the same for the front and back.  I was off by 1/4".  It all worked out.  

The other design feature is the inserts are not glued into the center curved pieces.  This is to allow the wood to expand and contract.  It may never cause a problem but I did not want the joints to break over time.

I like how the project turned out and it fits with the other bedroom furniture.  The next piece is going to be the chest of drawers.  That is next year

New Guinea Pig Cage

My middle child got a pair of guinea pigs over the summer. One of the things that I wanted to do was elevate the cage we got so that we (I) didn’t have to bend down as much to pick them up and clean out the cage. I also wanted a place to store all the supplies they have instead of having them all over the floor. The base is made from scrap 2x6’s that were left by the previous owner. I purchased a sheet of particle with melamine on both sides. I also edge banded all the edges. I try not to use the convenience of Amazon for wood projects, but edge band was ½ when compared to the stores and twice as much. I cannot tell you about performance, because it is the first time I used iron on edge band. It worked well and cleaned up nice. The new cage is slightly larger than the old one. It seems to work well. We shall see how it holds up.

What Have I Been Doing?

 

MOVING!!! Long story short: The company that moved me out to Virginia needed to do some restructuring during the pandemic.  I was not part of the restructuring but was able to find new employment in northern Virginia.  This necessitated another move.  Good news was, I would be able to work remotish for about a year.  This allowed my kids one full year at school and so their school year was not interrupted.  This also meant that we had time to fix up the fixer upper we purchased.

The major repairs that we hired others to do.  We replaced all the windows and aluminum wrapped all the trim and installed new gutters.  The roof was replaced, and the exterior was power washed and painted.  We hired someone to paint the upstairs hallway, foyer, and kitchen.  This included the kitchen cabinets.  These were things that I either could not do myself or did not have the time to do it.

Here is what I contributed to the fixing up:

• Painting: every room in the house was repainted. You can tell where I started painting and where I finished.  My painting skills improved with each room.  Most rooms were two toned and I like how they looked.  If I do it again, I would not use the yellow color.  Here are some of the key things that I learned in the process:
•  Painting.  Prep work is key to a good paint job.  I removed a lot of the cracked caulking around doors and moulding and replaced it.  It made a huge difference.  When I learned the trick with wetting my finger to even it out, it got a lot easier. Filling in all the nail holes and dents with filler.  There was a lot.  I think I used a medium tub of filler on the house.  For the most part I used a roller and a 2” trim brush.  I didn’t need to buy more equipment than that.  I did get a bucket for the trim work.
• Replace the deck boards.  That was a pain.  There were several that had rotted and so I replaced all 19 full length boards.  It was a 16’ wide deck.  This is where I used Home Depot to deliver the boards.  The big take away on this project was the fact that deck boards are 1” thick not 2x6.  Thank goodness I caught it before they delivered the order and I was able to change it.  I also replaced the decks on the stairs. It was a bigger pain than it was worth. After the deck was stain, it looked good
• Patched water damaged drywall.  The roof was leaking in one place over a room.  There was also some water damage in the basement from a previous overflow of the sump pump.  Both areas needed to have dry wall patches.  They looked pretty good after I was done.  I was impressed with the first time doing these patches.
• Grass.  Not going to say I did much in this area. I laid down seed and hoped it would grow.  I think I doubled the amount of grass on the property. I am not going to say it was a lot, but it looked better.  We also added some mulch and flowers which did make it look nicer.
• Caulked all the bathroom fixtures.  Not my favorite thing to do.  I don’t really like silicone and I really don’t like cleaning and scraping out moldy silicone.  I did it and the trick is to use soapy water on your finger to spread it out.
• Cleaned and more cleaned.  I understand the meaning of deep cleaning. I would say that I should do it more often, but it was a pain.  Then maintaining it was another project.  I am glad we only had to do it for one weekend.

Glad this is over.  Now it is setting everything up again.

If you would like to se the pictures of the home you can go here. These are professional pictures.  Sorry I do not have the before pictures.

Year in Review 2020

New home, new state, new job are just a few of the "new" things that happened.  There was also a loss of job, a pandemic and a shut down.  This year was very much unpredictable.  I was able to get some woodworking done.  I found a guild that I was going to until meetings were canceled.  I did not find any locations that take handmade toys, so I did not make any.  In August I found out I would be moving again after the school year so I am not as motivated to set roots down and establish the charity connections.

My favorite project was probably the desk.  It did not perfectly as I had hoped, but it is a simple looking desk that is well built.  The other furniture was a nice change of pace to the toys that I was making.  I had the opportunity to make a lot of mortise and tenon joints and work with some really nice cherry.  I also gave my hand tools more of a work out than they are use to.

Tools I picked up this year.  The list is small, but they are large.  I picked up a planer.  Now that I am buying lumber in the rough I have to do more processing.  I picked up the benchtop Dewalt.  It works well for the amount of lumber I use.  I also updated my cordless tools.  My current set did not hold a chare and were only 14v.  I upgraded to the 20v and purchased an additional driver and circular saw.   I now understand why cordless is becoming so popular.  I also purchased a couple of small tools and they were game changers for me.  I bought a Woodpeckers square and ruler.  The company is known for precision tools.  I learned quickly that the big box squares are not square.  Layouts were better and they are enjoyable to work with.  I also purchased a couple of marking tools.  I have also enjoyed using them.

I did not have any new toy designs.  I am not sure where to go at the current time and looking for some inspiration.  The furniture designs are not published.  There are several plans for mission style bedroom furniture.  I did not want to add mine to it.  It was also nice just to make and not worrying about the quality of the drawings and instructions.

From a business standpoint I did ok for what was going on.  My Etsy sales doubled and the interest has increased a lot.  I have received more toy sales that I have "free" shipping on everything. I have had several people reach out about projects and personal designs.  Some I can do others I cannot.  I had to turn business away this year.  Usually I have one or two projects during the holidays this year I had six solid requests.  I was only able to custom make 4 toys.  Winfield has slowed down a lot.  My designs are stale there.  I have thought about reaching out again to add more, but they have not been very responsive in the past.  I have signed up with a startup web page that just sells plans.  Traffic is light right now but time will tell.

I am not sure what next year is going to bring except another move, another lumber yard, hopefully another club.  

A year of cleaning the Kitchen

 I made it a goal this year to clean the kitchen every Saturday for an entire years.  I just want to preface this post with "this is not a cleaning post and I do not consider myself as an expert cleaner. "  I will never say "it is not clean until..."  because most likely I didn't do it.

I will start with the assumption "If I tell everyone that I am cleaning the kitchen every Saturday, everyone will just leave all the dishes for Saturday for me to do."  In part that was true.  My wife did plan dinners depending on what pans were clean towards the end of the week. The kids complained when they had to load the dishwasher, but they always do that.  I also found myself falling into another assumption.  "Do I want to have the fight with the kids to clean the kitchen or do I just wait until Saturday to do it."  It would be easier and less of a fight.  I think that happened just as often.

About the floor.  There are two philosophies that I have heard.  One is that you sweep the floor before cleaning the kitchen so you don't worry about the water that gets on the floor.  The other is that you sweep the floor after you are done, so you can wipe things onto the floor and then sweep it up.  I am efficient (that is what I will call it), so the latter was more appealing.  Besides, sweeping water is like mopping the floor, right?

When I cleaned was determined early on.  I tried to clean the kitchen before the kids woke up.  This way it was done before the breakfast dishes and before the three tornados come through.  Later in the day made it hard to get the motivation to do it.  I also made a point to clean the kitchen before I did any woodworking in the garage.  It is the philosophy of get what you don't want to do first.  I was hoping that my kids would get this concept.  They did not.

I hoped that this goal would do a couple of things.  The first would be a cleaner kitchen and it did that pretty well.  If I had done the deeper cleans periodically it would be better, but I am lazy.  I hoped it would set an example of work for my kids and show them to get things done early and consistently makes the job easier.  That did not happen.  They still do not understand why they have to do things they hate to do.   I was also hoping that with a clean kitchen the rest of the house would not be too bad so we could invite other over to meet new friends.  I think everyone knows how that went in the year 2020.

I don't know if I will continue this through the next year.  It was a good thing for me to do and it was somethings that I could accomplish over and over again.  What will next year bring, I don't know.

Anderson Family 2020

 

Dear Friends and Family,

We had all intentions of writing a Christmas letter this year.  Well, that did not happen just like the family pictures we wanted to take.  This year did not turn out like we had expected but there are many things that we are be grateful for.

This year was going to be a new section, not just a chapter, in the Anderson household.  I received a job offer that moved the family at the beginning of the year.  We moved across the country and settled in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  The move went surprisingly well.  We were able to purchase a home in a sought-after community. We are very happy where we are.  So here is an update on the family.  We will be omitting the names of the kids because this is going on a public site

I am back working for American Woodmark after a brief time at idX. I was able to find a woodworking club until March, but they did not have any toy drives.  I have made some toys, but I have been focusing on building bedroom furniture this year.  I have had my best year on Etsy, and there has been a lot of inquiries in the neighborhood.

Katie had been keeping herself busy by being a fulltime stay-at-home teacher and mother.  She recently started teaching English to Chinese kids though the online program VIP kid.  She is really enjoying it and the kids seem to like her also. 

Number one is enjoying himself in middle school.  He has joined the strategic games club at school and is mastering the ninja rope outside.  He enjoys climbing things even though he cannot always get down.  He is getting taller everyday and staying healthy.  We are hoping he will be able to run track in the spring.

Number 2 probably had the hardest time with the pandemic because he needs to be around people.  He is doing will when he is in school and with others.  He enjoys Legos and Minecraft.  The best thing that has happened out here for him is all the bugs he has been finding and all the animals.

Number three is definitely the youngest and thinks he can get away with anything.  When he is in trouble, he turns on the charm.  This works on everyone else but his parents.  He is enjoying the First grade and doing everything that his brothers are doing.  He is becoming quite the reader

This year we have been able to visit the Natural History museum, Air and Space Museum, and the National Zoo.  With social distancing the crowds have been lite, and the hands-on exhibits have been closed.  We are liking it here on the east coast.  The pandemic has made it difficult to make friends and meet people, but we have overcome despite the challenges.

Hope you and your families have a happy holidays and stay safe.

With Much Love,

This Year’s Christmas Ornament

This was a crazy year for me.  I had the nativity ornament already picked out.  The wood choice for the family ornament is poplar.  There is not much special about poplar.  It is considered a hard wood even though it is pretty soft.  This wood is always in stock in my shop because it is what I use to make the toys that I designed for the first time.  It is also what I make most of my toys I donate.  It paints very well and is inexpensive.  Poplar will always have a place in my shop. 

It came clear in April that another ornament would need to be made.  I found a couple designs and saying on Etsy about this pandemic.  The ornaments I found were laser engraved.  I took them and cut out then used paint pens to paint the designs in paint pens.  The lesson learned from this project is that carbon paper does not wipe off with a little bit of water.  It is my first-time using carbon paper where I was not going to sand it off.  I wanted to copy the lettering, but it was not going to work out.  I used my own handwriting than a decorative lettering.  I will not be offering these to the public because I took the design from someone else.  These are going to family and coworkers.  When I started these, the coworkers were not very many so they were made out of solid wood.  I had a team of four and a couple of others in the office.  I was let go due to the pandemic.  After a short time, I was rehired by the parent company of the company I worked for in California.  This made my coworker pool increased a lot.  I took some ¼” plywood and painted one side white.  I then cut out and painted them.  I actually like the white painted ones better then wood ones I made.

That is this year's ornament.

Catapults

I think I cope with stress by designing and building weaponized toys.  The ping pong ball guns and now the catapult.  I can remember the stress I was under when I made the trebuchet and the rubber band Gatling gun. The intent of the catapult design was for science.  The design was to allow to figure out the best angle of trajectory, where the rubber band should be placed, and the length of arm.  

I probably oversized the catapult.  The length of the catapult is 24” and the plans need to be printed on 11x17 paper.  I don’t regret the size; it works well.  I might come back and make a desk top version.

The saw tooth design is so the dowels can be moved to change the angle of trajectory, where the rubber band is placed.  It also allows for the arm to easily be replaced.  Over the process of making it, I realized the location of the rubber band was not important but how many rubber bands. 

My kids assembled most of the catapults.  The oldest choose not to participate.  The younger two glued and screwed most of the pieces and cut the dowels to length.  They installed the hooks and placed the location of the dowel stops.  I actually think that I was able to teach the middle child some tricks. 

Here are the mechanical advantage lessons that I think I taught him.  If he remembers them that is a different story. 

• Wedges to split glued parts that are not supposed to be glued.  We used a chisel to separate a clamping joint that got stuck together with squeeze out
• Lever arms, we used a screwdriver to put in the multiple hooks required for the project
• Blade pinch, he learned what happens as you pinch a blade when trying to cut material. 
• What happens when… The catapult has several different options that can change trajectory and tension.  He was able to figure out that different angles caused the marshmallow to fly differently.  He was also excited when I added a second rubber band and told him I doubled his power. 

Overall, the project went well.  They are a little bigger than I thought they would be. They launch marshmallows and ping pong balls about 40 feet.  The kids had fun.

The past 60 days

I really don’t know how long it has been since we have been under “shelter in place” orders but 60 days sounds like a good round number.  I typically do not post these entries to the public on my blog but I feel the need to share my feelings. 

It has been interesting watching my social media feed.  I liked seeing all the fun things that people were doing.  Honestly it also sometimes made me feel jealous that I may not been included, or it was impossible for me to do.  Now, these types posts have gone and replaced with memes and spiritual/uplifting messages.  These messages are nice/funny/uplifting, but I cannot connect with them as I could with people and pictures.  It is lonely on social media these days.

I consider my self one of the fortunate ones.  I am still employed.  My family and I are healthy. However, I have, as a new manager, to make decisions that affect others.  I have had to let talented employees go, cut hours and have seen revenue streams dry up.  I have friends and family lose employment and health.  It is not fair.

I took my family across the country away from friends and family at the beginning of the year in hopes to start something better.  We were here long enough to start to make acquaintances and building friendships to have the doors slammed shut and connections fade.  We wave to our neighbors and to people we see. I have plenty of people around me but no one to talk to.

We had plans to do so much with the kids.  We are grateful that we were able to make it to DC once before the shutdown.  Parks and trails are closed.  There are so many things that we want to do that we crossed off the calendar.  The kids are bored and feel they need to occupy the time with screens.  I want to go places, but places are closed.

When the news started that we might shut down, I planned out some projects to fill any extra time that I might have during this time of uncertainty.  These included a couple of nightstands with traditional joinery, the projects with the kids, and some home improvement projects.  Many are almost completed, and I am running out of the things that I planned to do.  There is nothing to do anymore.

I am hearing that things are opening with conditions attached.  Slowly, and some quickly, states are starting to go back to a new normal.  Information is confusing and often contradictory.  We are trying to do what is asked.  These times are uncertain and confusing.

I am using technology to connect, have meetings.  Face to face social interaction has been replaced with face to screen.  My company is starting to invest in better AV equipment to cut down on travel expenses.  We are connected in several different platforms. It just is not the same as discussing a problem in a room, face to face.  I see and hear others but do not feel and connect with others.

If you have read this and are concerned, don’t be.  I am fine.  Things are different and they will be for some time.  We will get through this.

Ping Pong Ball Guns

In this time of quarantine and isolation, it has been hard to keep the kids entertained, busy and learning.  I have been trying to teach the scientific process and working though problems to a solution.  I am an engineer by career and degree, so these attributes are important to me.  I saw a plan to make a rubber band gun in a magazine.  I didn’t think it would be too hard to create experiments that would entertain the kids and allow them to look at data to come up with a solution.  This project was not as easy as I thought it would be.  Here are some of the highlights that I learned.

Setup:  I created a board with 11/32” holes spaced at ¾” from the centerline.  I was able to get 10 sets of holes.  I drilled 7/36” holes on the centerline and spaced them 1” apart.  I drilled 3/16” holes in a clothes pin 1” apart and put in 3/16” dowels.  Created spacers in 3/16” thick material.  Sorry, I did not take pictures of the test board.

Experiment 1

What height should the rubber band be placed to have optimal distance?  We set the rubber band holder and the clothes pin distances as constant and raised the clothes pin by 3/16” spacers. (This was the thickness of scrap I had. 1/8” would also work.)  My youngest helps with this part.  We had a sample size of 6 at each height.  The neat thing about this experiment was there was definite height that was the optimal height.

Experiment 2

What should the space between the pins that hold the rubber band be?  We set the height at the optimal height from the last experiment.  Unfortunately, we could not set the clothes pin distance constant.  As the pins get closer together the potential energy of the stretched rubber band is decreased.  Yes, I did consider this and had a solution, but I did not do it.  To compensate we moved the clothes pin back after we moved the rubber band pins in three times.  This did muddy the results.  There was a couple of spaces that did create very consistent results.  I did a sample set of 10 on this experiment because the middle child, who likes science, was helping me.  That was not a good idea because he had about the same attention span of the younger child.  Should have kept at 6 samples.

Experiment 3

How far back should the clothes pin be?  The rubber band pins and clothes pin height remained constant.  We were not too concerned with distance and consistency on this experiment.  We just wanted to see what distance the clothes pin could hold the rubber band without misfiring. 

Results

So, with all the data and observations, we determined the best dimensions for a rubber band gun.  I took some clip art and blew up the back section to trace patterns.  The kids and I traced and cut out the guns.  Attached the cross piece to hold the rubber band and the clothes pin.  The kids were excited and the wife not so much.  The oldest decided the ping pong balls were not that impressive so he has tried shooting other things. 

Here are some of my observations on this process.  Some are design related and others scientific.

• Bernoulli's principle – It was actually pretty cool to see this in action on the height of the clothes pin experiment.  Depending on the height of the rubber band it would put a top or bottom spin on the ball.  Top spin would make the ball just drop.  The bottom spin would cause the ball to float.  It made sense the optimal height was just below half the diameter the ball.
• Eight-inch rubber bands degrade quickly.  It only takes 5-10 stretches of a rubber band before it stretches over 8”.  We did account for this and change the rubber band for each experiment.  Where this proved to be difficult was experiment 2.  The distance that gave the most reliable results was when the rubber band stayed in place on the pins.  When the rubber band did not have the tension to keep it in place the results were not as consistent.  This was because we would have to put the rubber band after each shot.  A little high gave the ball more top spin and a little low and we would have more bottom spin.  On the guns we ended up wrapping the rubber band around each pin once to hold it in place
• Ergonomics and gun holding is a pain to figure out.  The trigger finger is not the index finger but the thumb.  That makes it difficult to hold.  It was a lot of cutting.  Cardboard only helps so much because it is only 1/8” thick. 
• Angling the clothes pin does not help a lot.  It actually could create a problem if angled too much; the rubber band might not fire.
• Clothes pins are cheap and break easily.  This could be because I made them not well supported and replaceable. 
• These guns are super inaccurate and unreliable, but fun and sort of safe to shoot. (doesn’t leave as big of a mark as the rubber band gatling gun; not speaking from experience)

It was a lot of work just for a two-piece wood project.  Worth it for the kids and glad they had fun.  Sorry no plans for this one.  It is better to make your own on this one.

My first published piece

About a year ago I got in contact with editor of Woodworking and Crafts magazine.  The found a couple of toys that they wanted to put into their publication.  We talked about timelines, payment and requirements.  Then it began.

It started with me making each of the units that they wanted to put into the magazine.  Thank goodness for friends that allowed me to barrow their expensive camera equipment.  I would not be able to product the quality images that were required.  Even having the experience with a camera, I still had trouble getting good pictures that where the depth of field was in focus. I though setting up for a cut took time.  Setting up for the camera takes so much time.  I would need to get into some weird position to get the picture to describe the operation.

The good news is that I did not need to do a lot of the editing.  I did have to write up the procedure and a little summary of the project.  This is where they helped out a lot.  I think they looked at my summary and title and said “This will not do.”  Then started over.  This is what I had written:

The Tug Boat

The tug boat is small, but crucial in moving the larger ships in the harbor.  Its compact size makes it a simple toy which young children can enjoy.  This boat can float or be played with on any surface.  It has crevices that little fingers can hold and play with it.

The tug boat has been a simple project that I have been making for several years as a gift for baby showers.  The design came from the desire to make a simple project where different species of wood could be mixed instead of using paint to add color.  

They obviously are better at describing the project than I am.  I had to submit a sample of the project as well as the write up and pictures.  Then is was a waiting game.  I was notified a couple of months ago that I would be in the winter issue.  It was exciting to see it in print.

Family Reunion Ornament

This summer my family got together for my grandfather’s birthday.  He passed away several years ago but since it would be his 100^th birthday it was decided it would be a good reason to all get together.  The last time that we were all together was 20 years ago.  A lot has happened since then.  If my grandparents were still alive we would have had 4 generations there.  We went to a ranch in central Utah over the July 4^th weekend.  It was a lot of fun.  This blog is not meant to share about my family so the project that I did was make a Christmas ornament. 

Wherever my family goes we pick up a Christmas ornament to show where we have been.  I decided to take the front sign of the ranch and modify it to fit the family reunion.  I pasted the pattern on 1/8” plywood and started cutting.  I needed 19 and so I stacked 5 together and cut them out.  Looking back 5/8” thick plywood was a little thick for #3 blades to handle.  I ended up messing up two stacks.  It happens. 

These were not the easiest things to cut out but it was fun to create a pattern. 

Lego Banks

This year our family plans to take the kids to Lego Land.  To continue to reinforce good behavior and some responsibility for this trip, I made them banks.  They are shaped as Lego bricks and made from scrap wood.  I purposely did not put a noticeable plug to get the money out.  The bottom is not glued in, but the joints are tight enough it is very difficult to take them off.  The kids loved them and they are excited to put money in them.

I did make parts for 6 of them.  The other three will have coin bank plugs and the paint will be a little nicer.  I will be selling them when they are complete.  I think they came out well for a weekend project.  I would probably use poplar dowels for the pegs instead of oak if I make more.  

2017 Christmas Ornament

I found next year's ornament early on and so I have already started cutting it out.  This year the wood is pine.  I have had problems in the past with blow out and chipping on the back side.  I had some 1/8" hardboard so I decided to put a backers on the stacks in hopes to minimize the chip out.  It worked, but I had these ornaments of thin board.  I could just throw them away, but I decided to practice on them.  I wanted to try something else in my air brush other than shellac.  I found some pearl gold air brush paint at a local craft store.  I used 1/2 a bottle on the nine ornaments.  Looking back, I do not think my settings were correct.  The paint was a lot thinner than than shellac.  I should have dialed back the amount of paint going through the nozzle.  They turned out ok.  The paint was not as consistent as I would have hoped, but that is my fault.

This weekend was not as optimal as would have hoped.  I had a lot of finishing to do and several projects are presents.  This was the last finishing day I had before they needed to be shipped out.  While I was setting up in the morning I heard a loud weird noise.  Looked around and did not see anything out of the ordinary and continued to set up.  The neighbor across from us was setting up for a yard sale and came over.  He asked if I knew there was a downed power line in our yard.  Upon inspection there was a downed line in our backyard.  The live end was in the neighbor's yard, but my yard was still off limits.  We went and did a couple of things as a family.  When we came back, the wire was cut back but not repaired.  Good news was the power was still on.  So I started my finishing.  Half way through my first coat the power was cut.  They estimated it would be turned back on at 8:30 in the evening.  I used what air I had in my compressor to clean my air brush and clean up.  Now I have to figure out how I am going to finish these presents in time.

Planter boxes

Over the weekend I decided to make planter boxes despite the fact that I had a lot of other projects that I needed to complete.  My family needed some time and this was the weekend to do it.  The local fair ground was having a farm day so we just made it a themed Saturday.  I took the kids to Lowes to pick up some dirt.  Then we went to the farm event and had a great time.  We even picked up some plants.
I was hopping that the kids would be more interested in building the planters but they got bored real quick.  The planters were simple.  Four 2x4's screwed together to make a square.  The squares were stacked on top of each other and screwed together for depth.  Our herb garden was only two 2x4's tall and then we made three that were 4 tall.  The planters were open on the bottom so they just sat on the ground.  The dirt went in and then we planted the plants and seeds.
I know that this is not a good time to plant, but the kids enjoyed it and if it doesn't work out we can do it again in four months.

The only issue I had with the entire project was the screws.  I got deck screws with the star head.  a box of 2 1/2" and 2".  Both promoted they came with a free bit.  What I did not realize is that the screws had different size bits.  I could not use the same bit for both screws.  This was slightly aggravating.

Old Tradition Revised

When I was young, my parents took the Christmas tree and hung it from the ceiling.  It sounds odd but it was very practical.  How many stories are there on social media of kids and pets knocking over the Christmas tree.  This tree hung the fragile ornaments and some of the handmade ones collected over the years.  Now with toddlers of my own, I want to have ornaments on the tree without the fear of some of the more fragile ones being broken.

The hanging tree was not really feasible in my place so the next option was to make a hanging tree.  The objective was to have a place to hang the fragile ornaments that we as a family are collecting through our adventures.  The wood is bass wood so that I can put pins in it and gives a nice display piece that can be hung on the wall.  I made two because there are only going to be more family adventures.

 The other piece that is almost completed is the display case for the nativity keys.  I have been asked how I am going to display these keys.  Well this is how. 

 It is is a walnut frame that has the saying "For unto you is born this day a Savior which is Christ the Lord".  I like how it came out.  Glad I did it.  Sorry, I don't have more detail pictures on the lettering.  They came out blurry.

A Little Personal Touch

I never did post this project.  I do not know why but I just never took pictures of it, probably because it is so simple.  A few months back I made a "giant" Jenga set.  It can be called several different things but it is a bunch of blocks that are stacked on top of each other.  This set currently sit in my office and every once in a while blocks mysteriously move.  My set is made out of 6/4 lumber (1 1/4" thick).  It stands a little less than 2 feet tall.  The set is slightly shorter than the 2X4 versions that are popping up on the web.  These literally are 2X4's cut and sanded with all the imperfections included.  I made mine out of poplar.  This really isn't the purpose of this post but it is useless information about a very simple game to duplicate.
I am learning that there is a draw to the hand crafted or antique piece.  It may not be the aesthetic or quality of the piece.  The main draw for me is the story behind the piece.  That is becoming more and more interesting to me.  So back to the Jenga set in my office.  A coworker wanted to have me make one for their son in college.  Not a problem.  The blocks were easy to make.  It took a little bit to finish them because I sealed and oiled them.  I wanted to do something thing more than just had over a box of blocks so I made a box, a cardboard box.  It wasn't much but it was a little bit about the presentation and a little more about making something a little more special.  Most of my things have a story behind them.  There might be a skill I learned or a a change in a common design.  I am beginning to understand why it is important to write the story. 
This coworker was the person who introduced me to the sand paper vendor that I currently use.  It is a poor correlation but I obviously used this sandpaper on this project.  Honestly, this sandpaper (Uneeda) is far superior to the other stuff that I have used.

Year in review 2014

It is another year over and one more begins.  It was an interesting year for me.  There were some changes made last year that affected this year and some unexpected surprises. Here are the highlights of the goals I had last year.

• I wanted to finish the monster trucks.  Check, done and complete.  I am grateful they are complete.  It was a fun little project but one I will not soon repeat.
• Catch up on the Wood Magazine construction equipment.  I did and I am now three behind.  They have a front end rear loader, cement truck and crane that I have not done.  Honestly probably will not either.  These toys have become more intricate and fragile that I really do not want to build them.  In addition the hardware alone for the cement truck was $54 plus shipping.  Really not worth it.
• The CNC equipment has been a lot of fun to use.  There have been some projects that have been posted on the blog from this piece of equipment.  I still feel guilty sometimes that I am cheating when I use it.
• The Christmas project was completed and I have requests for more.  It will be featured later when I take pictures and post it.

So in review, here are some of the highlights of the year.

• The biggest and most noteworthy is that I have started to design.  It has been so much fun and rewarding.  I designed a dump truck at the beginning of the year and things just started to fall into place. Two of the projects were directly a result from requests.  I am currently working on the city trucks version of my designs.  I hope to have them completed end of February.
• We moved again.  The garage is slightly smaller but I did buy a miter saw and a drum sander.  I actually purchased it with money that I had earned over the past two years.  I am far from funding my hobby but I felt like it was an accomplishment.  I am still far from a lathe.  I am still going to need some type of dust collection in the garage before I think about a lathe or planer.
• I joined the Inland Empire Scroll Saw Association.  Small little group of relatively old people, but they have a lot of fun and have a lot of talent.  It is a little bit of a narrow scope of wood working but it is something that I am learning and growing in.  In November they have a toy drive of all handmade toys.  The group donated over 1500 wood toys.  I think I added 9 to the mix.  We will have to see what next year brings.  I have committed to make two of everything, one for my kids and one to donate.
• I was contacted about my alien nativity.  It was some one interested in making one for a school and where I had purchased the plans.  He was from England.  It was a nice little reminder of why I created and maintain this blog and how small this world has become with technology.  I also found the shepherd plans and so my nativity is complete.  This was also the first year that I displayed my nativities for all to see at the Upland Creche festival.  I do not know if there was any comments but it was nice to show them off since they do not get displayed much.

My favorite projects this year.

• First was the train.  Let's face it, it is an awesome train!  It was a challenge and was my first big design project.  There were things that I learned and it was enough of a challenge to keep the project interesting until the end.
• A close second was the excavator.  It actually scoops!  The design was the challenge of project and I was always anxious to see it all the moving parts would work together.

I don't know what next year will bring.  I have some ideas but I really don't know.  Here are some things that I would like to accomplish.

• I am going to continue designing. I have about three designs in process and hope to add some more.  I am thinking I need to design some toys for girls but not sure what to make.  
• I am going to stick with the scroll saw association and see where that takes me this year.  I have learned that my toys are simple in the way of design.  I like being intricate with the scroll saw designs.  I do not have a Christmas project picked out next year. Maybe I will take it off.  
• I hope to get a website launched.  Several people tell me I need to sell my stuff.  I think that I will start with plans.  I really have a fear of not making deadlines.  If I miss a deadline, I ruin a kid's present.  

It has been a fun year.  I am looking forward to 2015.  

Thoughts on making Nativities

I have made a couple of Nativity scenes and will probably continue to make them.  I probably think too much and over analyze things.  Although this is not a religious blog, I would like to share some of the things that go through my mind and challenges I face with each scene.  It starts with the pattern.  In my life this event has great importance.  The birth of our Savior had been prophesied for melenia prior to his birth.  I choose patterns that I feel will portray the significance of this sacred event.  Here are the parts of the nativity from the easiest to cut to the hardest (It does not matter the pattern or set).

• Star -  This little aspect of the Nativity scene guided the Wise men to the baby Jesus.  Honestly the artistic stars look better than the large balls of burning gas.
• Camel - Not ever sure if there was a camel in the nativity, but I am sure that the Wise men had to ride of something.  Granted these Wise men came some time after the birth of Christ. 
• Stable - This is a structure and could be made in several different ways.  At the time it was for animals full of imperfections and probably just barely standing.  Yes it did protect the Baby from the elements.  It was a temporary place. 
• Angel(s) - Not sure where the angel comes from in the scene.  If it is the scriptural account, they should be with the shepherds.  I guess there were angels present in the stable where they are commonly placed.  These angelic figures are represented incorrectly with wings, so I figure they must have some sense of humor or be used to being made with wings.  If you wonder where I get my idea of angels don't have wings; I firmly believe that we are created in the image of God and his children.  He doesn't have wings.  We will also be resurrected to our perfect selves.  I am pretty sure I never had wings.  I apologize to all the angels out there.
• Wise men - They provided a valuable testimony of the birth of our Savior.  They did travel a great distance and watched and waited for the sign of His birth to appear.  They knew of His importance before He was even born.  They were men of importance and I expect they were humble enough to know that if I messed up, they would understand.
• Sheep - My guess is there was sheep in the stable.  They were very common and used as sacrifice in that time.  The lamb was a used several times in the Master's teachings and was a representation of Him when sacrificed.  The lamb needed to be white and without blemish.  I feel I have saved the sheep I make from sacrifice because there are definitely blemishes on them.
• Donkey - This beast of burden carried the mother of Jesus while she was nine months pregnant.  First of all, what and honor for the donkey to be given such a responsibility.  Secondly, I have to wonder if the donkey knew who he was carrying and took extra care and tried to make the journey a little easier.  
• Shepherd - Probably the lowest in rank and privilege and stature that saw the baby Jesus,  but one of the more remarkable.  Angels came to them to announce the Saviors birth.  They went immediately to see and then proclaimed it through out the area what they had witnessed.  I also have to reflect on the role of the Savior as the true shepherd.  His shoes worn walking in front of his herd, constantly looking for and working about the lost sheep and always to ready to help when the need arises. 
• Joseph -  I realize that he would be Christ's step father, but the responsibility he bore was heavy.  He could have condemned Mary, been judgmental and not shown as much care to Jesus because he was "technically" not his son.  He taught Him a trade and brought Him up as his own.  Even though there is not much written about Joseph, I am sure he was a great father.  He did help raise the Savior of the world.  I may be putting him in the place where I put myself in my family and he may have felt the same.
• Jesus - He is not the hardest to cut.  Although perfect in every aspect in life, I know that he will forgive no matter how small or grievous of sin in that I make.  I can slip up and cut where I am not supposed to and I know that he know that I have tried my best.  He is usually the smallest part of the nativity but the biggest part in our lives.
• Mary - I feel there is a special place in hell for those who belittles, offends, mocks or degrades our mothers.  I know that our Savior held his mother in the same respect.  He proved this while hanging on the cross.  Even when dying he made sure his mother was taken care of.  She will always be cut with a new blade and will usually be the last one to be cut out.

Yes, this is what goes through my head with each nativity that I make.  It does not matter if I am making one or several.  Each piece has an important part in the story.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to recreate this remarkable event in history.

If you are wondering what my favorite nativity made is, it is the Alien nativity.  First wood nativity I did.  I failed the first time because I was not experienced on the scroll saw.  I needed a little dose of humility before I could attempt to make it.  I spent two years making puzzles to get accustomed to the scroll saw and gain the confidence to make it.  The pieces are vary much imperfect and several mistakes.  Some of the pieces do not even fit together.  However, through time and patience the scene was complete and I am proud of it.  The second favorite may be a surprise.  It was made before I even started in by wood working hobby.  I don't know if I was even out of grade school at the time.  It is not pictured here and probably will not.  It was made out of plastic canvas.  It is not made well and all parts have glaring mistakes. I was young and it is the first nativity that I did on my own.

A Stick to Measure With

There are a couple of things that I need to confess with this stick.  First is that this project came from a Facebook post that I said I can do better one to my wife.  I am not opposed to improving on someones design, I am opposed on openly saying that "I" can do better than someone.  If I constantly compared myself to some of the other top woodworkers I would be one depressed woodworker.  I am content with what I am capable of doing.  I know there are people that look at my stuff and are amazed.  There are others that think my stuff is acceptable at best.  It is not my place to say "I" can do better than "you".  Anyone who accomplishes something deserves the satisfaction of completing the project.  I hope that everyone feels the satisfaction on completing a project to the best of their abilities.  I have access to tools and equipment that others do not.
My second confession is I cheated.  This is probably why I feel so guilty about saying I can do better than the one on Facebook.  They painted and stenciled the one they made.  I used a CNC router.  My work just purchased one for use in the department I work in.  To help learn the programing there was some permission granted for personal projects.  This was mine.  I seriously took me about an hour to program. Three days and four test boards later I figured out the feed rates, depth of cuts and what text looked good and machined well.  Not only does the ruler look good but it is accurate to the 0.2mm (0.00787 inches).  However the markings are made with a 1/4" ball mill so the margin of error is +/- 1/8".  It was a fun learning experience. 

 On the  back I put the current hand and foot prints of all the kids.  It is kind of hard to do all their baby prints.  The board is solid maple.  I finished the routs like I did in the dominoes.  The project came out beautifully.  Now we get to mark it up.  This is one thing I hope the kids fight over when I die.

Overall I will probably using the CNC to add personal touches to some of my projects again.