I have been quite busy this past week and away from the site more than I like to be. But time is quickly moving and the deadlines are coming very fast. So we have been in the shop every spare minute that we could get.

 

Still a few more items to finish before Christmas Eve so we will be really turning up the shop heat this week.

 

But I did get this great Cedar Chest finished this past week.

 

A Cedar Chest that shipped to VA.

 

 

 

And this was my favorite picture of the Cedar Chest, the crate knowing it was complete and getting shipped out to be there on Monday ready for Christmas.

 

 

I also got a request for this Cherry Shadow Box. The gentleman told me he had a Civil War pistol that had been in his family since the Civil War and he was passing it down to his son and wanted a nice case to display it in.

 

So this also got shipped Thursday and should be there Tuesday.

 

 

 

So we are back at it tonight working on projects to be finished.

 

How are the rest of you Patriot Woodworkers doing with your Christmas or other projects? You know that we here at TPW love to see all of your projects and by some of the other post I have seen many of you have really been busy also. Great looking projects so please keep posting them and tell us all about what you are working on.

 

Hey, Christmas is almost here, so get finished and make that list, you might get a new tool for the shop.

 

I'll be checking in on you.

 

 

Man, John, you have the elves working overtime!!!

Not making anything for Christmas this year as we won't have any family coming over as far as I know. I just got done painting our bookcases and then helped my wife get all the books and knick-knacks put up. I will have to make new drawers as I found that the original drawers that I made are not going to work with the slides that I need to use. I will also have to make doors for the bottom cabinets as well. But those will happen after the first of the year. Below is a cell phone pic of the bookcases with everything put back on them. 

 

Last night we had a Christmas party at our house for my wife's "Autism Team" from her school. It went really well and everyone had a good time. We just got home from another Christmas party tonight which was for the entire staff of my wife's school so needless to say I am stuffed with food and ready to burst. So now my wife is off until January 5th so we will have some time together. Not sure what we will be doing for Christmas, but we will probably take a trip out to see my wife's parents after Christmas for a couple of days in Yuma, AZ.
 

This weekend I hope to get moving on making a wheelchair ramp for one of our pastors at church as they bought a new construction home and need a ramp from the garage into the house. They take possession of the house on December 30th and move in on December 31st so I gotta get on it.

Once we get into January  we will be working at finishing up the painting in our family room and I need to build out another bookcase to hold the TV and some other stuff. I will also have to have knee surgery in January on my right knee. Nothing major as it will be arthroscopic to deal with some messed up cartilage and will be out patient. I will have to be off my feet for a couple of days but will survive.

 

Well, today was spend trying to complete a loft with a friend but we flat ran out of time.  The ladder needs to be made and some vertical rail work is on tap for tomorrow.  Maybe I'll get the shop cleaned for Santa.

Wow, Moody. That's an absolutely gorgeous chest. Love the DTs. The crate ain't all that shabby, either. Some interesting grain there.

And, the pistol box is just exquisite. The guy's son is sure to treasure it. Cherry sure is nice!

 

Allen, isn't modern medicine wonderful? Fifteen years ago, you'd probably just have to live with the pain. Now, it's merely an outpatient procedure. Hope it all goes well and you are up and around quickly. 

 

Ron, when you get yours clean, hop on over here and give me a hand. 

 

Yesterday, I cut 24 itty bitty mortises in some 3/8X3/8 stock. Had to make a mortise jig for the Colt. It works nice. Today...maybe tomorrow....the tenons will be done and all glued up. That will be the final little spurt of shop activity until  we get back from Tucson. 

Got to finally make some saw dust as well as clean off one of my workbenches.

 

I made a wheelchair ramp for one of our Pastors at church as he and his family are moving into a new house the end of the month and his college age daughter has cerebral palsy and has to use and electric wheelchair. I made a ramp that goes into the house through the garage with a 4" rise and 4' long per code. I had all the materials on hand in my scrap piles, so the only thing that I will have to purchase will be the metal thresholds for the top and bottom ends as those will take the most wear & tear from the wheelchair going off and on. Once I get the metal pieces squared away, I will paint it and put on some artificial turf to provide traction and it will be easy for them to replace as needed. They didn't want anti-slip tape as they said it is more of a pain to replace it when it wears out. So nothing to spectacular, but it was good to get back into the shop.