Never done any thing like this so!

 

 

 

 I think I started with the easiest of the two. I"m using plywood for that will give me some extra lines to tell if I am removing the same amount of wood from each side. And yes it does work.

  The only aquarium fish I ever saw was guppies but these happen to be ocean type as I was wanting more of an adventure....

I just got through working on my 5 hp 80 gallon air compressor that had quit day before yesterday and I run in to good luck for once for I had bought another compressor very much like the one I already had from brother in law as he was leaving and moving to North Carolina a couple years or so ago. He said he had just got the motor overhauled but he could not make the compressor run....and he was a registered electrician for many years in California before coming back to Texas. Wow, I just happen to see the 4 wires going in to the pressure switch box and yep, he had them installed wrong... I would never have known where they went but a few minutes prior I had just taken the same 4 wires out of the started box so I happed to be lucky for a change.  

   And I kept thinking, please don't be the motor that has worn out or the box that has 4 capacitors for either could cost me a years salary or more but I first tried swapping the pressure switch with the other compressor sitting collecting dust and that fixed my compressor, hurray. So this morning I thought I would celebrate and make some fish.

 And today my wife told me happy birthday so the compressor thingy did make my birthday a little happier than usual I think for the last 60 years or so I quit celebrating my birthday.

So realistic, Jess!

Glad to hear the A/C fix was a simple one and not the luck of "the Dave."

 

Happy Belated Birthday Patch. Even though you chose not to celebrate, I did.; Had a pumpkin donut with my coffee in your honor. For both of our sakes, I didnt sing Happy Birthday though. Trust me, that was a great gift not to get from me.

 

As for your latest projects...I don't know. Looks a little fishy to me.

This was between ball games today

Happy late birthday Jess!  Birthday or not, it's always a good day when there's a simple and cheap fix to the problem

Great start on the fish neighbor, looking for more PIP's...

 

Really cute, Jesse.

Cool project Jess.  At the beginning you said you hadn't done anything like this... so, what did you learn from this project?

Cal good thought, I like the question..

 I like to take things apart so the  1 x 42" belt- disk sander can get most of the sanding. The thing I should have done was pre drill holes for dowels through the fins and into the body before I sawed the fins off.... . .  

  I like to use plywood for the finished look on fish as it gives me lines to go by so I can remove the same amount of wood from each side. The other fish the only wood I had laying round about the right size was two  pieces of pine glued together.And sawing this guy out let me know pine was the wrong thing to use. Not strong enough and one can't get the wood sanded smooth enough for an accepted finish and I realized I went back on my word of not using pine wood for these types of things. The only thing I have used pine on was those flying ducks but they are glued on to a backer board so are not apt to be busted to pieces like a fish with no safety net around them . But still no more pine, ever.

 This is the guy I started with but I like to do my own thing so it won't be an exact copy of a banggai cardinalfis. 

I will post more on the guys as they start putting their clothes on and combing their hair.

 

 The yellow one is too young to have eyes but I think he will grow a couple tomorrow.

These are all native of central Texas and only found close to Hubbard Creek above my computer. I think all these nasty woodworking books will have to find a new home for I know these  aquarium will grow and take over the book area.

    No, I did not make the eagle. It was wife's Christmas present back on our first Christmas together but I think I made the wrong choice of a present to a female. But hey, this was the first time I ever bought anything for a female .

  And this was the most expensive present she has ever gotten from me going all the way back to 1961? Come to think of it I don't think she has ever spoken of it, good or bad...

   I did start with an outline of a known species of a fish then thinking why make something every one already knows about so I invented the Texas style.

Your latest catch (yellow one) turned out great Patch. Is there a story to be told about "the big one that got away."

Glad you're doing well and haven't been "playing hooky" 

Dave, I could be out in the middle of the ocean and all I would catch is minnows.

Are you doing any woodworking?

2 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Dave, I could be out in the middle of the ocean and all I would catch is minnows.

Are you doing any woodworking?

Very little over the summer Patch. Too many other distractions, responsibilities, things to fix and so on. Way too cold here now and weather far to unpredictable to move things out of the garage to have space. Living my dream through all of you here doing amazing work. Appreciate you asking though.