I have all the wood cut,sanded,and 2 coats on 5 of them. I woke up at 1:20am to do my Forrest Gump imitation, and couldn’t eat back to sleep, so I went down to the shop and started the second coat. Last night it looked like 2 coats may be enough, we’ll see how they look in the harsh light of daytime  I have no idea of how long I’ve been working on them, but pretty much all my free time for the past two weeks. 

Sounds like you've made great progress Artie. Now I suggest you take a rest. With no sleep, you have to be tired. That's when we usually make stupid mistakes.  You still have 4 weeks to finish. If  you're not sure about the finish, you might want to put a 3rd coat on one side of one piece, to see if it makes a difference. That piece can be installed with the 3rd coat face down if you decide against a third coat.

 

 

 

Al, I went back to bed at 7 am. Got up at a little before noon. Gonna take a shower and then go down to the shop and assemble one, and see how it looks. Great idea on the test for a third coat, but reality in these times of Covid are that if I can’t get them all delivered by next Sunday, they probably won’t make it in time for Christmas 2020. How are you doing? How is the rehab going?

40 minutes ago, Artie said:

How are you doing? How is the rehab going?

The recovery is going well Artie. My vision has returned to normal. I'll be seeing my opthamologist in Dec. to get clearance to drive. Legs still need a bit of coaxing, but I'd say I'm at 80% or maybe better. Walking without a cane or any other assistance. Also seeing the neurologist for clearance. Hoping life is back to normal by New Years. Physical therapist say's I'm doing great. Occupational threapist has  released me. The nurse is happy with blood pressure and sugar readings. ---------  Seems my daughter has taken a liking to my car. She hasn't driven her car since I've been home. 

Al that’s great news! You have put a smile on my face  

So, the first 5 trees are done. Overall I thought they came out better than I deserve, for my lack of finishing skills, and patience. I made some changes going in. I Knew Iwas gonna paint them, because I thought green was more Christmas’y than the natural wood. Also I could buy less expensive wood, and therefore make more of them to give away. I bought very thin washers to install between each piece. Figured this would allow them to be fanned out, and flattened easier, and with it being paint, less damage to the paint. I also bought rubber feet. I thought this would eliminate any future issues with the threaded rod screwing through the tee nut and scratching surfaces. If I was to make any again, I would also make some other changes. 1-use a 9/32, or maybe 5/16 drill bit for the holes. There was more work than necessary to get the pieces on the threaded rod. The width of the pieces was 1 1/8, the holes for the kisses are 7/8. I would change this to 1 3/8, and a 1 inch hole for the kisses. Where I’m painting, this fills in the ID of the hole enough that some of the kisses are sitting on the hole, rather than in it. I could see me making more of these, I really like the look of the milk paint, they’re rather simple to make (in my wheelhouse LOL), and who doesn’t like Hershey’s Kisses? So I’ve got 5 done, making some socially distanced deliveries tomorrow, and there are still 5 more waiting for paint. If all goes well, might have them done by the end of next weekend.

@Artie,

Those are way Cool! 

Until I saw the finished project I was  trying to figure them out.

On 11/27/2020 at 6:49 PM, JimM said:

@Cal How do you do that?  I'm not able to see the whole article - it grays out in the second paragraph.

My local library has a lot of magazines on digital format (RB Reader)

 

Made facebook today

I saw them in the last issue of Woodcraft magazine, and thought, those are within my abilities. Then My M-I-L liked them, and of course at that point I was making one for my S-I-L also. Then my brother, and sister, son, son’s new girl, (she visited, saw the shop, and now thinks I’m like a Thomas Edison, or something ), our son’s half sister (who just got her own place), and our son Trevor’s best friend, also named Trevor (who just moved into their first house with his fiancée last week), and a very nice lady who has been like a grandmother to my wife, since she has been 10.

So I thinkI’ve mentioned it a couple of times, I have NO patience. I wish this project was in the issue before the last issue so I would have time to plan this out.So I turned it into a rush job, making 10 of them. Was fun, and I learned a lot that I would do differently, if I make more. I figured that the two people I know, who have both moved into their own place in the last month, probably don’t have a whole lot of their own Christmas stuff, and would really like these.

4 minutes ago, kmealy said:

 

Made facebook today

You look like you used much better wood, than I did. Looks awesome. Is this where I say great minds think alike? LOL

18 minutes ago, Artie said:

I saw them in the last issue of Woodcraft magazine, and thought, those are within my abilities. Then My M-I-L liked them, and of course at that point I was making one for my S-I-L also. Then my brother, and sister, son, son’s new girl, (she visited, saw the shop, and now thinks I’m like a Thomas Edison, or something ), our son’s half sister (who just got her own place), and our son Trevor’s best friend, also named Trevor (who just moved into their first house with his fiancée last week), and a very nice lady who has been like a grandmother to my wife, since she has been 10.

So I thinkI’ve mentioned it a couple of times, I have NO patience. I wish this project was in the issue before the last issue so I would have time to plan this out.So I turned it into a rush job, making 10 of them. Was fun, and I learned a lot that I would do differently, if I make more. I figured that the two people I know, who have both moved into their own place in the last month, probably don’t have a whole lot of their own Christmas stuff, and would really like these.

Looks like a nice Christmas center piece idea.  Artie, how many pieces of candy did you eat while making these?  Danl

None yet, just loaded up the Kisses about 3 hours ago. I found some candy place online, bought 1200 Kisses, wrapped in red foil, and had them delivered. Posted some pictures on the Facebook, and getting requests for more.  

Paint the fingers brown like chocolate.    

12 hours ago, Artie said:

she visited, saw the shop, and now thinks I’m like a Thomas Edison, or something ),

 

That's odd, I haven't seen your shop but I still thought you were a Thomas Edison, or something!

 

The trees look great Artie, such a sweet idea for your friends and family

So got 6 of them done now, I love this milk paint! if I knew what I was doing, I don’t think I could have picked a better paint. Kinda like the ribeyes I get from the butcher. I’m no cook, but they taste good no matter what I do to them. I wasn’t happy with the trees after the first coat, but man that second coat did wonders. The people I have given these to so far have loved them, and it appears I will be making 4 more. They will be better.

Just to be clear, as there is tung oil and tung oil finish (that can be a thinned varnish or oil-varnish blend),  there is milk paint (from Real Milk Paint Co.) and there is faux milk paint (that is really an acrylic paint from General Finishes or Rustoleum)  Not that there's anything wrong with any of them except the lie on the label.  And you wonder why finishing is so confusing.

 

 

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_paint

Edited December 1, 20205 yr by kmealy

So Friday night I put the finishing touches on the last 4 of the original 10. Due to demand I am making 6 more. It’s 6:45 pm (eastern time),and I’m just finishing up supper (it snowed today, and me Missus thought some homemade beef stew would be a good dinner. She was right!). After this I’m going back down to the shop, and putting in a couple more hours. I’m hoping to get some paint on the 3 of the new ones tomorrow. So a couple of points/thoughts-While I was cutting the 1 1/4 strips for the trees on the Shopsmith, I wasn’t using a blade guard.With the guard on, I don’t have enough room between the guard and the fence for a push stick. (Yeah I know, make one). So I was using Gripprs (I love them). The Missus came down to the basement/shop to get some Christmas lights for the tree. I did not hear her coming down the stairs. I was startled (since this is a family forum, I will not describe what I did in me drawers LOL). So afterwards we had a discussion on her coming down stairs when I’m working there. Wondering if anyone else here has similar issues, and how you deal with it? Other thought I had while sawing was-Hmmm that smoke detector is only 10 feet away and I’ve never set it off doing woodwork. I guess the dust collector, and air filter/cleaner are doing a good job. 

Lot's of folks are in your shoes Artie. Personally, and I don't know why, but I've never had a problem with this. Maybe I'm dead and just haven't laid down. Loud noises or someone suddenly appearing behind me, definitely gets my attention, but has never caused me to flinch while I'm doing something. I've been told that I don't have a nerve in my body. That said, my wife and daughter will jump at the drop of a pin, and I've learned not to appear where I'm not expected without first letting my presence be known. Hey, Your wife does the laundry doesn't she. Your problem is her problem.

HAD this happen one time.  Explained that if a saw is running, i.e. noise, NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME.  

 

2 hours ago, Al B said:

That said, my wife and daughter will jump at the drop of a pin, and I've learned not to appear where I'm not expected without first letting my presence be known.

 

Having just come home from Iraq at new job the moron working next to me thought it would be funny to run up behind me and stick his flashlight in my back demanding my money.  Boss about had a stroke as said moron got thrown up and over his toolbox into next bay.