Good morning folks!

I swear I just sat down a day ago and typed up our Monday morning greeting, I think I am in a time machine! So for the big question of the day, what did you get done over the weekend, what have you planned for the week ahead! Please tell us, and please if you can post images so we can see what you're working on, or where you went. Like all artists, we are a visual group of folks and love sight stories, good photos, good content, and we are in heaven.

 

Weather

Who here lives in snow country, I have been seeing on the news some incredible snow happening with some unbelievable sights. Cars sliding for an entire city block, airports snowed in and flights canceled. Wow! Here in Southern California we have a weather alert when it drops below 36 degrees with a slight chance of rain.

 

Please see these AAA tips for driving in the snow, and if you have any comments or additional tips, please input them in this topic. And be safe!

 

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
• The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS) and need to slow down quickly, press hard on the pedal-it’s normal for the pedal to vibrate a bit when the ABS is activated.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.

 

What did I get done this weekend?

 

Personally I did not get much done in the shop this weekend, we did however head out to find a Christmas tree, we typically come home with a Douglas, they are inexpensive, but this year we came home with a Noble, the price was right, and it's a great tree, I had to hose it down because it had so much dust on it, but after a good hosing, the green came through nicely.

If you do have a tree in your home during the Holidays, what type do you typically have in your home?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eye candy image of the week

By Slick (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons, Deutsch: Impressionen Cunewalde (Landkreis Bautzen)

Welcome to a fresh new week.  I have two projects in the queue to start this week.  I have a friend that is a contractor and he is doing a kitchen remodel for a lady at our church.  She has a short oak suspended cabinet that wraps a corner in her kitchen and she wants it split so that she can move one of the cabinets to the opposite wall.  My job is to split the cabinet, keep the original look but make it functional and appealing.  I'm thinking that building two new cabinets would be easier and cheaper but hey, its her money.  As for the snow, we only got about four inches yesterday.  Just enough to be an annoyance but the temps are supposed to drop into the single digits this week.  I bet we survive though.

Good Monday morning all.   So I've not had much shop time of late due to a large remodel project at my daughters house.  But could use some advice on the latest part of that remodel.  The house was built approx. 30 years ago and had a rough hewn cedar mantle over the fireplace.  The mantle shelf itself is about 2" thick and sits on two supports.  Pretty simple.  My question is I'm looking to build a new oak mantle shelf and will need to laminate a couple pieces of 3/4" oak to get the thickness  (finished size is 6 ft long, 8" deep and 2" thick).  I want to ensure the laminated shelf is dead flat so what approach should I use when gluing and clamping this up?   I thought about a couple 2x4 cauls to run the length to ensure it dries straight, but wondering what other options there may be.   Thanks.

5 minutes ago, Wil said:

I thought about a couple 2x4 cauls to run the length to ensure it dries straight, but wondering what other options there may be.   Thanks.

If you have a big piece of angle iron, it could be used as a caul. Or, maybe use you work bench surface as a glue/clamp base.

We went to a couple late season craft shows Sat so I didn't get much done in my shop. Sunday, with the snow and all I spent a lot of the day inside until it was time to clear the drive.

Anyone ever experience this? It goes this way, honey, I'm going to buy(insert tool name here)

The response is always "what do need one of those for?" Eventually, resistance is worn down, you buy the tool and before you know it you're getting requests for what it can do. In this case it's the little laser engraver I recently bought. LOML wanted to know could I make wooden name tags for the Christmas stockings.  This probably only just qualifies as woodworking though I did slice a piece of limb with  the band saw and sand the pieces a little on the belt sander. A piece of sycamore limb, and I cabbaged the snowflakes and snowman off the innerweb.

 

 

 

 

Steve

I don't do a lot of lathe work but the kids like a few of these fridge magnets at Christmas to hang up artwork and reminders.

I use 1/2" and 3/8" magnets and get 3 or 4 out of a pen blank. My lathe is an Atlas 12" made in 1952.

Edited December 12, 20169 yr by Joeb41

6 hours ago, John Morris said:

So for the big question of the day, what did you get done over the weekend, what have you planned for the week ahead!

'Morning John and all - Duluth, GA is NOT in normal snow country.  Had enough of that in West Virginia.

As far as weekend projects, got the last of the Christmas orders completed (well, last coat of lacquer is curing).  Two maps and an "Eagle Chief" cutting out the doors.

Now that all is "completed" it's time to hit the road in the RV for a while.  Anyone from south Georgia, give me a holler and we might just meet up for coffee.

6 hours ago, John Morris said:

Wow! Here in Southern California we have a weather alert when it drops below 36 degrees with a slight chance of rain.

Time to roll up the cords and head for the tavern looks like rain. HAHAHAHA

Made two pair of walnut hinges for a maple jewelry chest Saturday. Didn't do diddly squat yesterday. 

This morning was an appt with an ophthalmologist for a diabetes eye check. Every thing was normal. While in the Big City, I got my ears lowered. 

After a nap, I'll test fit the hinges. May do some fancy scroll work on them, as they will be surface mounted. Then again.........

6 hours ago, Wil said:

Good Monday morning all.   So I've not had much shop time of late due to a large remodel project at my daughters house.  But could use some advice on the latest part of that remodel.  The house was built approx. 30 years ago and had a rough hewn cedar mantle over the fireplace.  The mantle shelf itself is about 2" thick and sits on two supports.  Pretty simple.  My question is I'm looking to build a new oak mantle shelf and will need to laminate a couple pieces of 3/4" oak to get the thickness  (finished size is 6 ft long, 8" deep and 2" thick).  I want to ensure the laminated shelf is dead flat so what approach should I use when gluing and clamping this up?   I thought about a couple 2x4 cauls to run the length to ensure it dries straight, but wondering what other options there may be.   Thanks.

I'd say the 2X4s might be your best option if you wrap them in waxed paper.  Another cray option is to use an aluminum extension ladder.  Separate the two extension ladders, flip one on its edge and use the edge as a caul.  It surely would be straight and sturdy.

Ron - Had not thought about the ladder trick, but great idea and makes sense.   Thanks a bunch.  -Wil.

Hi guys, That's a really nice tree there John, and love that eye candy. We used to get a live tree every year, and they never looked that good. We finally started doing the artificial tree after not finding a suitable live one one year.

 

I have a project this week that unfortunately doesn't have any wood in it. A lady wanted 4 toothpick/needle holders, of various colored acrylics.

 

I'll have to get an image from my phone and post it here.

 

These are the 2 I have done already, I had to wait for other parts to arrive so I could complete the other 2. That arrived today, so a few more hours of work and off they go to the new owner. I'll post those somewhere too.

Edited December 12, 20169 yr by Charles Nicholls

Beautiful, Charles.

Thanks Gene

Normal Monday around here....why I hate Mondays as a general rule..

 

Woke up to a phone call...seems they THINK I need an OK from the Cardio guy, BEFORE the Knee guy can scope my left knee.   I go in Tuesday Morning @ 0800  for tests and blood work.   IF they can't get the "OK" they will cancel the Thursday surgery.....( I guess they want off early for the Holidays?)    But wait, this isn't even a VA Hospital I am dealing with..

 

Was going to get a little shop time in today......happened to remember....I try NOT to do shop time on Mondays....( Hey< I am retired, I start the week when I want)

 

Got nosey....found a website about Carpenter Guilds in europe......sooo, NOW  I NEED a Bisaigue and a few other items....

 

Search started with just " Carpenter Guilds"     Now, IF I can just remember which one it was.......( senior moment...)  Hmm, may need a shot of Bailleys to get things going again.

Somehow this got by me.  Our family had our Christmas dinner Saturday.  Everyone loved the gifts I made them.  We all played with the string tops.  There was a lot missed throws but no casualties or broken windows.  Lots of laughs though.  Started making the ball and cup games on Sunday and had to go out and plow the snow off the drive.  Working at finishing the games this week.