Creeker's Weekend Accomplishments.....

[Dennis Peacock]

29 May 2012

Good Morning Everyone,
I hope that everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend. I know that we did as we cooked out yesterday, made homemade ice cream, and the LOML had me working in the yard and the garden up until time for neighbors to come and eat with us yesterday evening. It's been HOT outside but so far, I've been able to work outside and get stuff done because the wind has been blowing enough to make it more tolerable. We are praying for rain as it is very dry here and the only good thing about it being dry is my yard doesn't require cutting as often. :)

We took down the kids old tree house a while back and we saved the lumber to build small projects with around the house and I got my 2 youngest boys to help me build a potting/watering table for the LOML. I let them do the cutting and putting together and I supervised as well as taught them about measuring and cutting. They seemed to like it once they got over the complaining part. ;)
No matter, the LOML is really happy about her table/bench and she is already thinking of more things she wants done with that old wood we saved. (oh boy!)

Well, that's it for me....so what did YOU do this past Memorial Day weekend?

Best of weeks to you all.

[Matt Meiser]

Its also very dry here. We got a little rain Saturday morning but not enough to do much. Its raining right now but looking at the radar we aren't going to get much. Most is south and east of us.

Saturday we picked up the materials to redo our front porch columns and railings. The 21 year old columns are getting bad and we're going to replace the railings while we're at it. All will be "maintenance free" once done. Kroger is running 4x points on gift cards so we bought enough gift cards to pay for it all which will let me fill my truck at $2 off per gallon a couple times in June. Not only did we have to go to Kroger, but it took 2 Lowes to get enough pieces.

Sunday LOMLjr and I watched a pen turning DVD we picked up and got her lathe set up in the basement. We just need to drill the blanks and glue in the tubes, then we can try making our first pen. We went to my parents for dinner and my mom and I worked some more on cleaning up their garage--something that will be a recurring theme this summer as there's stuff my dad wants to sell off (anyone is looking for Model A parts...?) but its such a mess we need to clean out the junk and somewhat scary stuff like ancient yard chemicals, old paint, etc first.

Monday we went to The Henry Ford Museum for the Titanic exhibit and also checked out the recently redone car exhibit.

I also did a little more thinking on a laundry room remodel. I pretty much know what I'm going to do now--just need to figure out what sheet goods I need to get started.

[Jim Becker]

It was nice having a long weekend...even though I technically get all the Federal holidays off, I often work on them to save the day for when I really want to take it. The weekend was productive, despite the rain. Saturday was the usual horsie stuff. On Sunday, I finally got to work on the additional lumber storage (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?187162-Shop-Project-Additional-Lumber-Storage) I need in the upstairs of my shop...a project that's been envisioned for about two years. At this point, I really need to get about 1500 bd ft of poplar that has been air drying inside, so the rack is absolutely necessary. Working in the hot upper level wasn't fun, but I burned through all the reclaimed and gifted materials I had on-hand for the job, leaving only a little bit of construction lumber to be purchased to complete the task. I'll be moving the lumber during a vacation week I'm taking in June. Monday, the sun came out and I got the lawn mowed, repaired the rain damage to the driveways and also did a thorough "grooming" of the same to resurface things and get rid of some pesky weeds in less-used areas and finally got the pathways in the raised bed herb garden covered with some weed block material. I probably sweated off a few gallons, too, since it was over 90ºF with humidity off the scale...

[John Towns]

We had the joy and pleasure of going to the hospital to meet our newest grandson, born on Firday. Our son and his wife live only a few miles from our house so after 3 grandchildren in Ireland and 2 more in Endicott, NY we finally have one local. That consumed much of the weekend.
I was planning to seal my asphalt driveway on Saturday, but there was rain predicted so I waited...good thing because it did rain. Must wait for another dry weekend.
I did sand, prep and paint 2 director's chairs for the deck. And, I helped a neighbor cut and route some window sills for his house. He likes to use my tools, and I do not mind. Overall, an excellent weekend.

[Jim O'Dell]

I finally got to spend some time in the shop! I've worked on this a couple weekends for a couple hours each day. This is the new assembly table in the finishing/assembly room.233226 Legs are 4X4 Douglas Fir, 3/4" ply for the lower and upper supports. 3/4" MDF for the torsion box. I ended up with a little dip in the middle of the top, so will get to play with some Bondo to straighten it out before doing the laminate finish. I have some more T-track that will be here tomorrow for the long side. Short side can be seen here. 233227 Still need to cut some filler pieces in above and below the track. Once the Bondo part is done, I'll lay the laminate down on the top and sides, route out the opening for the track and reinstall it. (I have t-nuts in the back side to accept the screws for the track.) I didn't get a 3 day weekend like most of you. Shame that car dealerships don't have the desire to honor our heros. Jim.

[Michael Weber]

Got the first wood storm window installed temporarily. Blue tape in holding the removable lower screen panel temporarily. Inside there is a self storing lower sash that raises for nice weather. Have 10 more of this size to go but they are partially complete. Now that the one storm is in place I've removed the prime window, stripped it and awaiting some hardware before painting and reinstalling.233240

[Shawn Pixley]

Low key long weekend here. LOML & I took a turning class (turned boxes). She finished the project at home on Sunday. The little puppy had three straight days at te dog park in addition to his normal walks. What does it say when your dog has a better social life than you do? Monday I was frustrated resawing 8/4 walnut stock. It was absolutely beautiful here. 78 & sunny with a light breeze, so stopping to reconsider the approach was not a huge burden. I payed for my sloth today....

[David Hostetler]

Lots more painting, then sanding and scraping off the drips from where somebody tried to help and got a bit messy...

Went to Harbor Freight and picked up a VASTLY improved air compressor regulator / filter than the OEM regulator and in line filter I have been using and tried it it. IT works fine, my HF quick disconnects are getting on my nerves. I need to find a place that sells the Milton units on the cheap...

Spent WAY too much time and money at Home Depot getting yet more paint and painting supplies for the inside of the house...

Spent lots of quality time on the tall ladder re-taping and mudding the seams of my cathedral ceiling in the living room. When we came back from evacuation from Hurricane Ike, all the seams on that ceiling were popped, of course State Farm claimed they had to have been that way before, funny thing is, EVERY house on my block that had a roof had popped tape. We can only guess, but figure the high winds back and forth must have racked, or shaken the framing of the houses enough to tear the tape.

Spent some time in a prayer service for our military, and the families of our fallen.

I really didn't get the kind of shop time I wanted this week, but that is no shock... The heat and humidity is here now. Chances are I will spend the next few months cleaning the shop to within and inch of its life, and getting it ready to rip out sheet rock, insulate, and run electrical. We are planning on pulling the permits / doing the electrical work in September or October... I have a LOT of work to do before then.