Hey Folks,

As Peggy Tzu and I walked to the shop this morning, we passed the grounds crew of the Woodland Park Zoo taking out an old, untended holly hedge.  I asked them what they were going to do with the wood, and they told me that they had been ordered to chip it, and bin it.  Holly is toxic to some of the zoo animals so they can’t use it in the exhibits, as they do with other downed timber.

After it was cut and chipped, they filled this dumpster, when that was full, they piled it up in the park.

While I understand that any plant in the wrong place is a weed, I was also heartbroken at the waste of what is an very expensive and relatively rare wood (~$35/bf).  Properly treated, holly has a beautiful white wood.  When turned thinly, it resembles fine porcelain.  I left a card and offered to consult on any further wood disposal, hopefully higher and better use will result.

Cheers,
Tom

Hey Folks,

Just in case any of you were starting to worry, yes I am still alive and kicking.  A nasty infection following elective ankle surgery, and a bout with the flu that every other person on the planet seems to have, set me back on my heels a bit.  But today the sun was out, and as I started peeling off layers of heavy wool clothing, I thought it might be nice to work outside.

So okay, it’s not fine woodworking, but it looks good from ten feet away.  :^)

I had originally thought that some 24″ x 24″ terra cotta flue tiles would make good bottomless planters at the base of the posts supporting the picnic shelter/pavilion.  But 24″ x 24″ flue tiles cost $176 a piece, and I had to go out of town to pick them up.  That wasn’t going to happen.  I’ll pay a lot for good lumber, but for clay flue tiles, nuh-uh.

Some treated 2x8s, 2x4s, and some rough sawn cedar for trim, and I had an outdoor project. I plan to make four of them, and plant some vines (clematis, honeysuckle, etc) to train up the posts.  I’ll post another photo when I have them all finished and another when things get planted.

Cheers,
Tom

Hey Folks,

The pavilion elves showed up the other day, and in about a day and a half, two guys put this thing up in sub freezing weather.

After they placed the layout lines they got to work boring holes for the posts.

That’s one heck of an auger on that Bobcat, but even so, there were a few rocks that would stall it.  I can’t imagine trying to bore those holes (4 feet deep) any other way. BTW- that rock is next to an 8×8 post.

I felt really sorry for these guys as they had to wait around in the cold for about 2 1/2 hours for their sand to arrive. I’m still impressed that the driver was able to get a 15 cu yd dump truck onto my lot.

After the holes were bored, and the sand delivered, they got to work setting the posts.  They had what I thought was an unusual and ingenious method.  Instead of setting the posts in wet concrete, they simply dropped a couple of bags of post hole mix into the hole and set the post directly on top.  Once it was centered and plumb, they backfilled with a load of sand and tamped it all down.

As they had cut all the pieces to plan before hand, it went up amazingly fast.

They finished up yesterday and Kris took the last couple of photos, as I lay in bed with a raging flu bug.  Thanks Kris.

This year is one for our biennial pig roast, so it looks like we’ll be comfortable rain or shine.

Cheers,
Tom

Hey Folks,

For Christmas presents this year, I made some stationery boxes.  You know, old fashioned, analog pen and paper communication devices.  Anyway, I couldn’t tell you much about them, at the time, because I wanted to preserve the surprise.  Now that it’s Boxing Day  (heh, heh), I can tell you about them.

I typically make these boxes out of whatever offcuts I have around the shop. But in the case of one of them I have been saving the wood for nine years.  Nine years ago, I built a small chest, out of Hawaiian Koa, for my god-daughter.  I’ve kept the offcuts hoping to come up with a good project for them, and decided this was the one.

The other box (top of the photo below) is for her sister, and is made of offcuts from the African Makore table that I posted about earlier this year.

Both boxes are simple mitered corner construction with runners for a small till for envelopes, etc.  The runners, and recessed top and bottom panels, reinforce the mitered corners, and a good hide glue holds it all together.  Finish is a wipe on polyurethane.

The boxes are made all of one piece, with a dado cut into the inside length of each side piece.  Once the box is assembled, I cut an intersecting dado along the outside of each side and a telescopic lid results.  A reserved key piece made prior to assembly allows for a precise location of the last cut.

As a gag, I included the following, Thank-you Note Template, in each box.  It’s totally unneeded in this case however, as both young ladies are conscientious writers.

Thank you template*

Dear (Recipient), (today’s date)

Thank you so much for the (gift), I absolutely love it. It is (insert gratuitous hyperbole, e.g., “the bomb”).

(Relate some recent interesting, humorous, and/or significant event in your life).

(Include a sincere wish for a get together at some future opportunity).

With love,

(Your name here)

(Include optional affections, e.g., 00XX, hugs and kisses, etc.)

*To be hand written

 

Although I enjoy making boxes, particularly as gifts, it’s time to get started on furniture again.

Cheers,
Tom

…that I knew that in a moment it must be Saint Nick.”

• 

  “He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
  and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.”*

This fellow delivered the last of the building supplies for the picnic shelter/pavilion today.  He was enjoying himself and taking a fiendish delight in holding up some Seattle traffic while unloading.

Now, we wait for the elves to finish with Christmas and start on the building.

Cheers,
Tom

*Apologies to Clement Clark Moore

Hey Folks,

Just like the space under the Christmas tree, the lot at the shop has been accumulating deliveries of late.  First, it was a load of lumber, then today it was a load of coated fiberglass insulation.  Metal roofing should arrive late next week.  It would have been early next week, but the street in front of the shop (Fremont Ave. N.) is going to be restricted to one lane while they rip up and repair the sidewalks.

We had originally expected that the pavilion/picnic shelter would be built last Spring, but Seattle’s local construction boom resulted in a number of changes to the city’s already Byzantine  permit process.  So we decided to contract with a local builder that specializes in pole buildings, and has a well established relationship with the city permitting office.

At this point, it looks like the elves will get to work shortly after New Year.  I’ll post some construction photos once things get underway.

Cheers,
Tom

 

“You’re going to buy it anyway, aren’t you?”

“It is on sale”, I said.

“Well then, Merry Christmas”, she said.

So now I have a place for (nearly) all my clamps. 🙂

Happy Holidays
Tom

 

Hey Folks,

In the past, I’ve not been a big fan of Halloween.  I don’t dress up, and I live in a condo so no trick or treaters to cater to.  But now that the shop is open (and I’m retired) I’ve decided to join the neighborhood handout.  So Kris and I will be doling out the sweets tomorrow evening between 3 and 6 PM.

Here’s a photo of my Halloween decoration for the front window.  The skull is to spook the kids, the inscription on the tombstone* is to spook the parents.  If you can’t read it, it says:

Remember me as you
pass by
As you are now, so once
was I
As I am now, so you
must be
Therefore prepare to
follow me

*Taken from a tombstone in the Pioneer Cemetery, Sumner, Washington, where my Grandpa is interred.

Cheers,
Tom

A number of years ago, I made reindeer ornaments as Christmas gifts.  I haven’t done so for awhile, a so I thought that it might be time to make a few this year.

The design for the ornament was taken from the web with the rather incomplete descriptor of “Wade’s reindeer”.  I have never found out who Wade is, but I would certainly like to give him credit for this popular design.

The reindeer are cut on the bandsaw, from scrap construction 2×4 that I have lying around.  They are then sanded, sanded again, finished with shellac sanding sealer, sanded and finished again.

A pair of googly eyes and a scarf of tartan ribbon complete the ensemble.

As the antlers are quite fragile, and they have a tendency to get tipped over, I am considering adding either a small base, or an eyelet for hanging them, or offering both.

These are strictly gifts, as I could never charge enough to cover the labor, a labor of love in so many ways.

Cheers,
Tom

Or maybe it’s just the retired woodworker who’s getting fat.  Okay, yes, I can hear all of you groaning that I’m rushing it, but from a maker’s perspective, I’m already behind for the season.

I’ve finished all my ongoing projects, and so before I start anything new, I need to make a few Christmas gifts.  The trouble with blogging about gifts is that the folks who would receive my gifts are also my most faithful subscribers.  So, in order to preserve any kind of surprise, I can only tease you with generalities until they are actually delivered.

That doesn’t mean that I’m off the hook though,  I still have to remember to document the stuff that I’m making so that I can fill in the blanks later.  And remembering has never been my strong suit (just ask Kris)(on second thought, please don’t), but it seems to be getting more difficult these days.  I guess the trick is to not worry about what you can’t change.

Someone once told me that the three most important things to take care of as you get older, are your eyes, your feet, and your teeth.  I guess as a woodworker, I would add also to remember where your fingers are at all times.  Wait, this wasn’t what I wanted to write about at all.  How did I start wandering?   …oh well.  😉

Cheers,
Tom