Fire Starters

I tend to make a lot of sawdust when working with wood.  Most of it goes in the trash. I found an article in a recent wood magazine on what to do with the saw dust.  One of the ideas is to make fire starters.  They suggested using muffin paper liners I had a couple of egg cartons so that is what I used.  I had just done a lot of planing so I used those shavings because they were bigger and they were pine (hard wood would burn hotter and slower though). I melted a box of paraffin wax.  This is done by putting it in a can and then putting the can in boiling water.  Poured about 2/3 of the wax over about 8 cups of shavings and mixed.  Then packed the egg cartons while the wax was still warm.  Then evenly dumped the rest of the wax over the top of the packed shavings.  It yielded about 2 dozen and they work fantastic for starting charcoal in a chimney.  If you would like some, I need a box of paraffin wax and two egg cartons.

Year End

Another year comes to a close and looking back at it all, I accomplished nothing that I set out to do this year.  I was sidetracked.  All very good projects.  My goal was to finish the alien nativity.  It is not quite complete.  Last piece is minor but still I want to complete the project.  I also wanted to do the entire book of Marvelous Transforming Toys.  I didn't even start it except for buying a piece of wood.  However this year was very good to me.  I purchased some new plans and was able to complete some of them.  I made a really nice heirloom doll cradle.  I still have two to complete. I have a couple more construction toys to make form the construction series.  I am also excited that I was able to pick up some business this past year and it is carrying on into this year.  Now my only problem is that My belt sander decided to die on me today.  I hope it is only a switch and can be replaced.

Alien Nativity and First Maypole

As the year comes to an end I was able to finish two nativities.  The first and probably the most simple of the two was the maypole.  I am not quite sure what a maypole is but it came out nice.  The pattern came form Meisel hardware.  It was a lot of scroll saw work.  My mother painted the figures.  I cannot paint so it was nice of her to paint them for me.  They may have looked nice unpainted but I think they would be a little hard to tell which figure was which.

This is the front and back sides.  Below is the reason I fell in love with this project:

It really spins.  I think I would be sick after this ride.  The scroll saw work was relatively straight forward.  The circles are easy to cut out if you know how to do them.  Two basic ways.  One is on a band saw with a fixture and a pivot point.  The other, which I used, is a circle template and a router.  There are off the shelf circle templates that you can buy; save your money and make one.  all you need is a grooving bit, a scrap piece of wood and a bushing guide set.  There are all sorts of plans on the internet to make these.  It is a good jig to have in the garage. 
I did modify the plan slightly.  All the figures are doweled into place.  Dowels are glued into the base and not glued into the figurine,  This makes it so kids can play with it, switch things around or make it completely lopsided.

On to the Alien Nativity.  If you look at this nativity straight on they look like aliens.

 However if they are turned sideways they look fantastic.

This nativity was the reason I purchased my scroll saw.  I purchased the patterns so I had to purchase the power tool.  I started making this set four years ago.  I completely screwed it up.  My table was not square, I was pushing the material through the blade at an angle so the blade was bowing and breaking.  I ended up burning the parts I had cut out.  This is when I started cutting puzzles for practice.  Two years ago I started this set.  If I do say so myself, it is pretty good looking.  It is made out of maple and walnut.  There are some things that I would do better next time but I don't think there will be a next time on this project. 
Interesting little tidbit.  I reduced the patterns on this by 25%.  The wise men were suppose to be three inches taller, they are 12 inches now.  Believe it or not this is not quite done.  I still have another piece to cut out. 

Twirly Rolling Thingy

Yes that it what it was called.  It was originally designed for my wife's classroom but the district rules stated that every classroom had to have the same furniture so it was never used for what it was designed for.  It was a fantastic design (yes it is one of mine).  There is no unused space.  Two sides will hold books, baskets, toys, or other things.  The other two sides were made as a magazine holder.  The entire thing is on wheels and a lazy suzan so it rolls and spins.  This is the project that started me on my path of pattern making.  This is about a 5 year old project but felt like sharing.

On a side note.  I will not be adding beeswax to my finish.  I was doing some research on the matter and a beekeeper would not suggest using beeswax for the same reason one does not give honey to an infant.  It contains the same pollen and bacteria that honey has. 

I have also been doing some cleaning.  I found several sets of 14" ball bearing glides.  I do have a use for them and would like to get rid of them.  So here is what I am willing to do.  I can make two 4-drawer chest of drawers like the one I did earlier this year. Cost will be $100 per cabinet.  Let me give you a little comparison.  Ikea has a similar unit for the same price.  It is particle board with epoxy drawer glides and frame less.  This will be solid wood and ply wood ball bearing glides, framed and you will not have to put it together.  I will also let you decide the width of the cabinet (within reason).  The height and depth are all ready determined.  Sorry this is for locals or pick up only because it will not be easy to ship.  Please email me if you are interested.

Finishes

I try to make all my toys with a child safe finish.  In other words if it goes in the mouth it is OK.  Details of my finishes are on the right side of the blog.  This also goes for the wood.  I learned something about my finishes last week.  All of my blocks I put on a coat of mineral oil.  I buy it at Ikea and it is found in the kitchenware section as a wood cutting board oil.  I am really close to running out so I needed to buy more.  I do not live near and Ikea and I heard that I can pick mineral oil up at Walmart.  So I tried and could not find it in housewares.  I asked, I know a guy asking for help is unheard of.  They directed me to the personal hygene section.  I found it on the bottom shelf as a laxative.  I was disturbed.  I hope that I have not turned any one away because I coat the blocks in a natural bowel lubricating oil.  This is pure mineral oil with no fragrances.  If you put a fragrance or other additive it is called baby oil.  It is completely harmless and it is food grade.  So if you are disturbed by this, oh well.

On another note, I am going to try a new finish on the blocks if I can ever get it made.  It is mineral oil with beeswax melted into it.  It makes the mineral oil more of a paste which makes it a little more friendly to use with a toddler running around trying to dump, drink, squirt, or whatever toddlers to with a bottle of stuff.  The problem is the beeswax, it is expensive and not easy to find.  I found it at Micheal's but for $18 a pound.  thank goodness for coupons.

I know it has been a while since I have given away a bucket of blocks.  I have a lot.  I think I am close to three buckets full of unfinished blocks.  I hope to finish them before the Christmas season to give away to families that may be struggling.

Projects are coming along.  I don't know if I will have any finished before the holidays.

The Latest and current project

Doll cradle

This is the most current project I finished.  The plan was free from Wood Magazine and I had a lot of wood that I needed to get rid of. The plan was not the easiest to follow but  it was mostly template work.  I ended making six of these pendulum cradles; one was a guide, three are complete, and two need to have have the bases built.  I was also using several different woods.  Two were mad out of counter top material.  I did not know that oak butcher block material had two sides.  One really good and one really bad.  The counter top was 1.25" thick so I re-sawed the material in half and planed it down to the correct thickness.  My band saw really was a huge help to me in this project.  The back side was used as the pattern cradle.  I was told not to burn it but make it into a planter.  It is at may parents if any one wants to pick it up.  Two are made from alder, at least that is what I think it is.  It was given to me after the passing of my grandmother. It came from a front room shelving unit that my grandfather built.  I made 4 sewing boxes out of it and then I had enough to make two cradles.  This cradle is the one pictured.  The other two are made out of birch plywood.  I don't know what wood the base is going to be.  This will be one toy that I will not be keeping because I have a crib that I made before I was married modeled after the one my grandfather built for my mother when she was a child.

I was able to successfully use my plug cuter to hide the screw holes.  This was the new technique I learned this time around.  A few things came out of this project: First, assembling parts that do not sit flush to a surface is a pain.  This is the reason there are screws in this project.  Second, it was nice to have a test sample to screw up on.  And third, I really need an oscillating drum sander to sand these larger parts.  I have the modification parts to do this on my drill press but the table is just not big enough.  Fun project probably will not do it again.

Last weekend was the wood working show at the Pomona Fairplex.  It has been a couple of years since my dad and I have been because it seems to keep getting smaller and the deals are not there.  I went to look a band saw class.  I realized that: my band saw is not set up correctly, I have the wrong blades, and it do not use the saw with its blades correctly.  I will not go much further it to this.  I did purchase a couple of things.  I got a wider nozzle for my air brush.  Hopefully I do not have to  thin down my finish.  I also purchased a plate glass sharpening kit.  The thought process is glass is flat so lay wet/dry sand paper of varying grits to use a wet stones.  I tried it out on one of my grandfathers hand plane irons.  They were duller than I thought but I got one of them sharpened.  Now I just have to figure out how to use a hand plane.  That will be for another post.  I did learn something.  Wet sand paper will sick to glass with out adhesive and is much easier to peel off.  If you are in the market for a sharpening stone I would recommend a 1/4" piece of tempered glass and various grits of wet/dry sand paper.  I don't know if I recommend  buying this system. Please note that this sand paper is meant to be wet when used.  I have also heard the using a marble or granite tile also works for the flat surface.

This is the project I have been working on for the past couple of years.  It is not complete yet but here is a sneak peek.

Tone Drums

I have been working on the tone drums for a while.  I have seen several different versions and it would be easy to make.  But I wanted this pattern so I got it.  This project taught me patience. The tops were supose to be 3/4" thick oak.  I cut the tops out and hit them and all I heard was thud.  Made the boxes.  Then I clamped the tops to the boxes and hit them.  All I heard was thud.  The material was too thick so I planed it down to quarter inch thick and tested again and had the same result.  So I glued everything up and then I could hear the tones.   However I will not know if the thicker wood would sound better and on some of the drums I have some that had a twang to them  I don't know why.
A lesson learned about super balls.  They don't drill well and if drilling in the parting line they split. Here is a link to a project that would take a lot more time and patience then I will ever have Music in the forest.