Creeker's Past Week's Accomplishments

[Dennis Peacock]

16 May 2021

Greetings,
There are times when you have to find a way to get away and relax because you are always working and never taking a break from work of any kind. My daughter and son-in-law had this idea of renting a condo in Orange Beach, AL. I’ve had 4 vacations in the last 35 years and I decided it was time to get away for a bit. I’m terrible at relaxing and I find it difficult to relax. I was raised working from the age of 8 and I’ve never stopped since. We went and it was a time to do much of nothing and just enjoy being away from the work for a few days. I wished I was better at relaxing but I struggle with it all the time. I also learned that having sun burned feet is NOT fun at all. I heard that time heals all things, so I guess we shall see.

That’s all for me, so what did you do this past week?

Best of weeks to you all.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Dennis, follow my brother in Louisville's advice. Two weeks before taking a sunny vacation, visit the local tanning beds a couple times, especially if going to a nudist camp. Didn't do any woodworking, but did build, and plant several "self wicking buckets." Got my worm bin located behind fence, where it's out of direct sunlight. Got hoses and reels set up to water nursery stock. Potted a bunch of Azaleas that I rooted last fall. Took mum cuttings and placed in rooting chamber. They should be rooted by Father's day weekend, which is the correct time to put them in pots for fall bloom. Tilled up garden space a friend's house. Made up several wheel barrows of potting mix. Relocated a bunch of squirrels that have been eyeing my tomato plants. Mowed the grass as usual. Despite our area being listed as abnormally dry, we had almost three inches of rain last week. Hoping to get into garden tomorrow to till and plant a couple rows of peppers and squash. Went and looked at new flooring for the hall. Watched Blue birds get little one out of the house and on the wing. Interesting how they coax them out by withholding food. This second house to fledge this year. Watch as young hawk took first lights. Crows found him resting in top of trees. Then they had a field day till parents got back. One hawk soared to a couple hundred feet, folded wings, and came down on crow like a dive bomber. Crows decided it was in their best interest to leave. Rescued a beach bicycle, and a Still chain saw from going into dumpster.

[Jim Becker]

Dennis, sometimes...you just gotta do nothin'... 'Glad you took some time away!

Busy week as expected. Finally got the "old" property on the market but still hot and heavy with moving the shop to both my "garage" temporary shop space and a storage unit I rented for materials and other things not really needed in the temp shop space. I started a thread in Workshops this weekend that will keep track of that. Also had a 'Creeker visit from brother Jeff Bartley. He came up from Virginia to pick up the slider I sold to him. (in lieu of paying to store it for a year or more until I have a shop building up) We had a nice time taking care of the task as well as chatting and it was a beautiful day to be outside.

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This week the shop move continues...I'm getting close to having to start with the "easy" stuff. You know, the big machines, benches and tool cabinets? LOL It's all got to fit in here...

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[Rod Sheridan]

Worked this weekend, generator move.

Here's a 500 ton crane being assembled with 135 tons of counter-weight.

4 hours of assembly, 90 seconds of lift onto a special float and then 4 hours of disassembly..................Regards, Rod.

Today I'm at the receiving site for the unloading.500 ton crane arrives.jpgCoupling the counter-weights.jpgOff the ground.jpgOver the building.jpgOn the float..jpg

[Charles Taylor]

I used to be the type unable to disconnect from work. I would often check email, maybe even visit the office if I was still in town, during my time off. Over time it's become much easier for me to walk away and forget it for a few days or a couple of weeks. Sure does make time off more enjoyable. Then again, I'm still one of those whose vacation account balance can be measured in months, not days or weeks.

Over the past week, I got the side panels for my kitchen hutch project prefinished. Installed the sides on Saturday, then began milling rails, stiles, and panels for the cabinet doors. By the end of the weekend, I got to the point where I'm ready to set up the router table for the cope cuts on the door rails. Now the project will wait a couple more days while work and the family schedule take my attention elsewhere.
Side Panels Installed.jpg

The Porter-Cable 7518 in my router table now has the speed controller failure that has plagued many, many of this model. I'm hoping I can get finished with the door rails, and then I'll have to open it up and see if I can make the repair that has fixed it for others.

[Bill Carey]

Busy weekend. Got the 4' x 5' stained glass panel moved and mounted on the other side of the deck, finished up a pair of G&G gamble house picture frames, started on a Sapele klinker style table, made 4 loaves of rye bread and watched some great hockey.

20210511_161326.jpg 20210511_165635.jpg Gamble House frame.jpg 20210517_094510.jpg

[Paul F Franklin]

Rod, that's a pretty impressive generator move....what's the output of one of those monsters?

Fell short of my plan to get the doors for my built-ins finished and installed this week. The weather was nice so I worked outside more than in the shop. I did get all the panels and the inside edges of the rails and stiles pre-finished, and got half of the doors glued up. Will keep plugging away on them. I did make more progress on planning of the kitchen remodel. Have narrowed down the flooring choices and ordered a bunch of samples. And I've modeled the room in sketchup and have started on the cabinet layout.

A few other side tasks: Contacted a couple of HVAC contractors about replacing our furnace and central air. It's been relatively trouble free but is old and I'd rather replace it on my schedule instead of as a scramble after a major failure. And I'm finally getting around to moving my old jointer and shopsmith out of the basement to the garage so I can sell them on FB Marketplace. Had planned to sell the jointer and lunchbox planer last year, but put it off because of Covid. And since I picked up a drill press, the shopsmith can go now too.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks Paul, 1.5 Mw.....Regards Rod