Weekend Accomplishments...

[Dennis Peacock]

Well....you better believe it....another weekend has come and gone. Seems like the older I get the faster the days pass by. :(

Spent time working...or should I say DIGGING around in the yard trying to figure out what the contractor did to the septic system during installation. Well, let's just say that they did NOT install it according to the drawings I got from the local Health Department. I'll mention one thing I found to give you an idea.....There are three "fingers" that run into the septic field for the water to perk into the ground. Those fingers according to the drawings are 12 FEET apart. I found the ends of each of them with a 6 FOOT lateral span. I believe that they are only about 2 feet apart. SHEESH!!!!! :eek:

I also found where they did not tie the spetic field into the french drain system for better water dissapation. Another SHEESH!!!! LOML and I shoveled up some gravel out of the driveway and I ran some 3" PVC from the ends of the fingers via new gravel pit and out to the french drain field via a new gravel pit. It is AMAZING how much water moved from the septic field to the french drain field. I now no longer have gray water standing on the top of my front lawn. It is drying up nicely and I just may have fixed my current septic problem with about 4 hours of hand digging and reading drawings. If this holds true in about a month...I can then state that my spetic problem has been resolved until the problem comes up again. :D

Spent time in the yard, church on Sunday, cooked LOML lunch and spent the evening with family. I nice weekend, but I sure am SORE from all the digging!!! :rolleyes:

So what did you do this weekend?

Best of weeks to you all....

[Greg Heppeard]

I finally cleaned my shop up...took out 4 trash cans full of half complete hardware, short cut offs, sawdust and just crap that I had been hoarding for over 4 years...It's amazing, I can walk around my shop now without getting my shoes full of sawdust and I can actually see the top of my work bench. Now if only I can keep it that way for more than a week, I may be able to get some real work done again. :rolleyes:

[Jim Ketron]

Went to Dollywood Sat had a Good time ( despite the heat and big crowd) My Mom, Dad ,Sis Wife and Me. I like there craftsmen shows and the old tools they use. also went to a toolstore and purchaced a few things. I've had my lathe for over a week and no chisels (on backorder) so I bought a cheep set so I could play with it.

Sun had a picnic at Natural tunnel State Park For Mom's day
And used the new lathe for the first time I turned a small bowl (looks like a big coffee mug with no handle):eek: ,seed planter tool and a couple of eggs. I wish I had more time to do some more. Heres some pics. ( please be gentle my first things on the lathe)
Jim
http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/albuq78/IM000683_002.sized.jpg

[Steven Wilson]

Picked up my daughters new mattress and box springs (full size), had to perform surgery on the box springs to make them fit into the old steel bed frame that I've been refinishing. I had to cut a 1.5" square notch into the four corners to make the box springs fit. Kind of fun since I had a chance to use an upholstery stapler to reattach the fabric. After that I patched some asphalt and our concrete walkway and then got stuck back into cleaning the cosmoline off the new combo machine. Today, I took the familly to a local Irish bar for a nice brunch (black pudding, bangers, Irish bacon, Guiness, yum) and then back into cleaning mode. Got the combo cleaned up and then wired it up and it ran the first try. I started aligning the outrigger and noticed that they put fence stops into the wrong portion of the outrigger table. Oh, well !!! Seems like I'll have to drill and tap some holes in the new machine.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Saturday, I studied up on components needed to install electrical service entry, got costs to rent a sheet goods jack and a set of scaffolding. Removed 36" door from storage shed; enlarged opening using new Milwaukee Sawzall (minor gloat) and mechanically installed new 48" door. Sunday took wife out for breakfast and priced electrical parts. Took a nap then finished shimming new 48" door. Called my mother and mother-in-law wishing them a "Happy Mother's Day". All three kids called my wife. It was a good weekend with an even nicer week coming up. Construction begins this week!

Jim, nice first spinny things!

[Dave Anderson NH]

After completing a few yard chores and mowing the grass I got to spend some shop time. Since I'm a thrifty (cheap) sort, I cobbled together a box divided into seven open topped compartments to hold cut pieces of sandpaper above abd behind the lathe. I was really tired of turning around and reaching for sandpaper sitting on a shelf behind me. I also reclaimed some countertop space in the bench room where my Beall buffing kit had been sitting. The Beall is now safely esconced in a wall mounted box to the left of the lathe with a shelf for each of the buffing wheels and its appropriate compound. Again it was a pain to go back and forth to the bench room from the machine room getting each wheel and compound as it was needed. The inefficiency of the old way was really wasteing time and costing me a lot of extra steps.

I spent considerable time on the lathe turning awls and marking knife handles to build up my stock. Sales have been good enough that it's been challenging to keep up. I'm now batch processing one wood at a time and as I do more and more handles my time is half of what it was when I started. This weekends production was 8 ebony marking handles and 4 awl handles, 4 Indian Rosewood handles and 2 awl handles, and 4 snakewood awl handles.

[Frank Pellow]

There was light rain on and off (mostly on) all day Saturday which hampered the work on my shed floor. During a couple of the rainless intervals, I installed some insulation in the shop floor and quickly covered it with plastic. While it was raining, I installed joists, wire, mesh, and plywood. It was also cold out, so there were many many breaks to go inside and get a little drier and warmer.

Sunday was overcast and warmer with no rain. A great day for working but there was a 7 hour break in the middle of the day for Mothers Day festivities. We went to my daughter's place for brunch, feasted on German apple lemon pancakes, and played with out grandchildren. We had a great time but I wish it could have been on a day when I was not trying to finish the floor of my workshop. In the end, I did not finish the floor but will steel some time this morning to do so.

[Kurt Aebi]

Saturday found us at the Yankee Candle Factory store in Deerfield, MA. I think I find all the extra items more interesting than the scented candles they make. We make this trip about 5 to 6 times a year, it makes for a good day overall.

Finished up the wishing well for my wife on sunday and got it into position in our front yard. It was a rather fun project and it looks pretty good, if I say so myself.

[Mike Evertsen]

I got the shop cleaned and moved tools to one side then primed ceiling
and walls. It is alot brighter already. The final coat will be bright white semigloss.
I found 4" S/D plastic pipe at Lowes. I'm going to use that for dust collection.
Maybe this week if it rain much I can start building the 10'X6' addition.

[Jim Becker]

Sounds like many folks were into the "shop cleaning" mode this weekend...me not excepted...I finally "found" the other side of my shop on Sunday and have a workable arrangement for flat work space wize. My mind is really going about how to creatively support the top of those stairs so I could eliminate the short wall that interferes greatly with the shop arrangement. One of these days...:rolleyes: My shop cleaning also got a list of stuff to hopefully pass to others--things that don't get used. (Ads in Free Classifieds)

This weekend entailed some grass mowing, herb and vegie procurement and planting (the latter by Dr SWMBO), moving a couple of "daughter" shrubs to fill in another area of the property, cleaning of the air cleaner (yucky job...), the aforementioned shop cleaning and completion of a small flat project. That was a two shelf "bill minder" for my office made from resawn cherry "scraps" lying about the shop. Since I recently converted to a digital LCD monitor with the new computer, there no longer is any usable "real estate" on the top of the monitor to keep track of the month's financial obligations...they just will not balance on that 1.5" thick screen! :eek: :D

Saturday, I cooked some nice butterfish and zuchini on the new grill and the DVD of the week was Master and Commander. Sunday, I cooked lamb chops and roasted potatos on the grill and they were supurb...for what they cost, they better have been good! Sheesh!

We had a great birdwatching weekend, too. Our hummingbirds are a great show as they defend their territories from each other; our mamma chickadee is sitting on 9 eggs and we have a family of rose breasted grosbeaks that have move into the neighborhood for the first time. (see pic below) The male is absolutely beautiful.

[Shawn Battagler]

I was a good husband and made a mothers day gift for my wife. I took all of my daughter's "art" (she's not quite 2 years old) and put them together scrapbook style with the help of my mother (a scrapbook junkie). We did that while the glue was drying on the panels that would become the scrapbook cover. I made it from padauk and routed a design in the outside faces. She was thrilled.

Plus, I was keeping mom busy while my sister was organizing friends and family to do a "while you were out" renovation to my mother's bedroom and office. I think the kids had more fun than the moms.

[Ray Thompson]

I have had a fire burning since last thursday getting rid of the pile of trees we had to remove for the house. Mostly cherry with enough hawthornes thown in to keep the tires flat. We should have burned the hawthornes when we cut them because when they dry out they flip thorns everywhere when you try to move them. Doesn't exactly qualify as woodworking but I think now I can see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel heading toward the shop.

While the fire was burning we got out 100 bags of mulch on the beds that my wife has been weeding for the last 4 weeks. My son and daughter-in-law did most of the garden work. They got more done in two days than I could have done in two weeks.

Now for more burning, grading, and seeding this week.

Ray

[Byron Trantham]

Well I didn't exactly get done with what I had on my list. Friday night at about 8PM we were visited by a tornado! :mad: Not too much damage but it sure side tracked me. Had to cut up and haul away a 40' Bradford Pear tree. I did get the lawn mowed and a bunch of Oak tree branches picked up, again, not part of my agenda.

I spent most of yesterday serving as SWMBO butler - Mother's Day ya know. :rolleyes:

[Jim Becker]

Had to cut up and haul away a 40' Bradford Pear tree.
I hope you remembered your "spinny friends" with regard to that bradford pear...wonderful turning wood.

[Scott Coffelt]

See post on Bandsaw arrival.

I cut glass and fused three strands to be slumped by SWMBO to make glass bracelets.

Started to turn a platter for my mother for Mother's Day, but mid turning one of the pulleys came flying off and stopped my progress. That was late Saturday night, so I called it quits.

Sunday was MD so we took SWMBO out for breakfast and then spent the rest of the day at my parents. Sorry mom, your present is going to be late (lathe still not fixed).

Mowed.

Logged (for taxes) about five bags worth of cloths that need to go to Goodwill.

Da, da, da that's all folks.

[Tyler Howell]

A lot of tinkering. Installed security lighting and an outside warning light to let me know there is power to the compressor in the garage.
Beefed up the joists in the pantry for a new subfloor and tile. Fridge and new cabinets are planned for there soon. I caught up on my SMC reading, Missed a lot while I was gone. Lots of new toyls out there.;)
Stimulate that Economy!

[Chris Padilla]

Didn't have to go into work so I was able to finish up the cooling system for the home theater. Still have one minor tweak and then it's done.

We have a new garage door coming in soon and I had to remove some shelves in the garage to ready for it. It is a good thing...need to remodel the place anyway. Gotta make room for the 2 Mini-Max machines arriving! :D

[Dennis Peacock]

Gotta make room for the 2 Mini-Max machines arriving! :D

You aren't rubbing it in any are you Chris? :D ;)

[John Miliunas]

The weather didn't cooperate for outside work too much, so was "forced" to spend most of the time in the shop. I know...I know: Tough job, but *someone's* gotta' do it! :D Finished milling all the rails and stiles for the cabinets, cut the insets and stained them prior to assembly, assembled all the doors, sanded and stained the frames. Cut the drawer fronts to size, sanded/stained. Did a little "creative" rearranging, so that I could get to the little lathe for some pen-turning (finally!). Some family time on Sunday for MD. Hope everyone has a great week! :cool:

[Jim Becker]

John...you know the rules: Pictures!

[John Miliunas]

John...you know the rules: Pictures!

Yeah, but the cabs ain't done yet! I did do a post on the pens, though... :D :cool:

[Tyler Howell]

Yeah, but the cabs ain't done yet! I did do a post on the pens, though... :D :cool:That's a start! We want the work in progress!;)

[John Miliunas]

That's a start! We want the work in progress!;)

Yeah, yeah, yeah...Quitchyer' naggin'! :p I'll see if I can throw a couple pics together this evening. Really not much to look at, yet, hence my dragging of the feet on the pics. :cool: