Good Monday morning!

Good Monday morning Patriot Woodworkers! What did you get done over the weekend, and what have you planned for the week ahead! Inquiring minds want to know. Please tell us what's happening in your shops, your life, and any events going on with you. Thank you for being here folks!

 

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@KevTN worked up a laser cut on slate for his friend/veteran, what a neat looking coaster.

 

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Our friends at Mortise and Tenon Magazine are embarking on a new-to-them area of the craft, Blacksmithing for Woodworkers.

Coincidentally this is something I've been interested in for the past year and have gone as far as purchasing an anvil, tongs, hammer, etc. I just need to construct a dirt box forge to get going.

My ultimate goal is to make my own 18th century style hinges and latches and fire place tools-set and more. Mainly though I'd love to be able to hand build some case work and install my very own hand forged rat tail hinges and other forged hardware.

I may be looking into this class offered by M&T, I think it'd be a good class to have under my belt as it's blacksmithing from the perspective of a woodworker.

I'm currently a member of ABANA and picking up as much book learning as I can from that, and eventually hands on training once I get to our final retirement destination later this year.

Cool video though! Watch how he makes a nail.

 

 

Well so much for the January Thaw! the high temperature expected for the next 3 days is 18° and the lows around 0°. Even the basement shop is a little chilly!

4 minutes ago, lew said:

Well so much for the January Thaw! the high temperature expected for the next 3 days is 18° and the lows around 0°. Even the basement shop is a little chilly!

Wow, you guys are getting icy over there on the eastern seaboard Lew!

I noticed even in the area of South Carolina where we may move too, overnight lows are a tad icy.

No work today - that is no day job, university employer.  Going to work at home in the shop.  I should clean up, but I think I will work on some Ruger grips that I owe a guy.

Been cold here, but nothing like people have been seeing elsewhere!

32 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Wow, you guys are getting icy over there on the eastern seaboard Lew!

I noticed even in the area of South Carolina where we may move too, overnight lows are a tad icy.

It doesn't get this cold, for several days, very often. When I first started teaching, we have a really cold spell (early 70's). PA schools were closed for about 2 weeks. Couldn't keep the rooms warm enough for the kids!

29 minutes ago, lew said:

It doesn't get this cold, for several days, very often. When I first started teaching, we have a really cold spell (early 70's). PA schools were closed for about 2 weeks. Couldn't keep the rooms warm enough for the kids!

One of my teachers in high school used to open the windows to keep the kids awake!

36 minutes ago, lew said:

It doesn't get this cold, for several days, very often

Hey Lew, what's your heating source in your neck of the woods?

The biggest disadvantage of a detached shop (IMHO) is the weather. I might get out to it today and start sealing the second half of my loads of wood chunks, or not. I will be doing my taxes today, at least the federal tax.

Edited January 20, 20251 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Morning to ya...was 5 above 0 a little bit ago.....about 70 degrees too cold for me....

 

Monday?  About says it all...too cold and icy for the Boss to go outside, anyway...2 months until Spring gets here, can hardly wait...

1 hour ago, JWD said:

One of my teachers in high school used to open the windows to keep the kids awake!

I had a Super Soaker. It was great fun and the kids loved pointing out the “sleeper”

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

Hey Lew, what's your heating source in your neck of the woods?

All the older homes were oil fired hot air or hot water. More recently natural gas fired hot air as it is more readily available and slightly cheaper than oil Electric has fallen out of favor due to cost

41 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

The biggest disadvantage of a detached shop (IMHO) is the weather. I might get out to it today and start sealing the second half of my loads of wood chunks, or not. I will be doing my taxes today, at least the federal tax.

 

My place before the current one had a detached shop, that fortunately I designed so it was relatively easy to heat.  Lots of insulation, woodstove, and it got sunlight in the south windows all day in the winter.  In the summer, it only caught a little morning and afternoon sunlight.  A building like that is what it takes.

 

Current shop is in a walkout basement, decent insulation, and for heat it has the water heater.  With lack of draft from windows, it tends to be warmer than the house!

 

You wouldn't always guess from my location, but it does get cold here - 6500' and above all three spots I've lived in this state.

Edited January 20, 20251 yr by JWD

31 minutes ago, lew said:

I had a Super Soaker. It was great fun and the kids loved pointing out the “sleeper”

 

Chalkboards were falling out of favor when I was in school, but my dad had stories about teachers who possessed deadly aim with an eraser.  Sleepy kid would disappear in a cloud of chalk dust.

Edited January 20, 20251 yr by JWD

3 hours ago, JWD said:

 

My place before the current one had a detached shop, that fortunately I designed so it was relatively easy to heat.  Lots of insulation, woodstove, and it got sunlight in the south windows all day in the winter.  In the summer, it only caught a little morning and afternoon sunlight.  A building like that is what it takes.

 My problem isn't the heat, my shop has 6" walls (R19) and  R60 of blown in put in the attic....I have a gas modine type furnace. But just walking out to it (and back) in very cold (or rainy) weather kind of, well, sux. For rain I can use an umbrella, but for cold it's a complete cold weather suit up, and then take it off in the shop. then reverse to go back in.

Edited January 20, 20251 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

For rain I can use an umbrella, but for cold it's a complete cold weather suit up, and then take it off in the shop. then reverse to go back in

 

I get it.  I find a reason to get in the Jeep so I don't have to walk out the road for the mail and newspaper.

Nice Sunny and 6° here while I throw another log in the wood stove. 

2 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

for cold it's a complete cold weather suit up, and then take it off in the shop. then reverse to go back in

Temp here was zero this AM with a high of 8. While my shop is pretty well insulated with my heater and these temps it takes a couple hours for it to heat, then as you say there is the back and forth.  I’m staying inside and getting a few things done around the house. 

2 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

 My problem isn't the heat, my shop has 6" walls (R19) and  R60 of blown in put in the attic....I have a gas modine type furnace. But just walking out to it (and back) in very cold (or rainy) weather kind of, well, sux. For rain I can use an umbrella, but for cold it's a complete cold weather suit up, and then take it off in the shop. then reverse to go back in.

 

Sounds like wool underwear may be in order!

2 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Nice Sunny and 6° here while I throw another log in the wood stove. 

you are 8 degrees warmer than up north here and our current temp is 5 degrees warmer than this morning

 

Busy and extremely, bitter cold day; had my 2 month follow-up with the Neurologist today to review echocardiogram and 2 weeks of heart monitor data pursuit to correlation to the stroke(s) I had during/post surgery in mid-September. Good news, no associated connections; heart looks good and definitive proof I have a heart.

 

A bit troubling but I'm fully at peace with it, he could not identify or explain any single event or combination of events which led to the stroke(s). I say strokes as this was the first time we heard I suffered multiple small strokes all within a short time frame. He further explained the occlusions in my basilar arteries likely had no or little impact on the type of strokes I suffered. A much different explanation from the hospital doctors and contracted Neurologist. Even with all the holiday meals, events and a few rogue donut arrivals, I had lost one pound since last visit. Anyways, by the grace of God, no noticeable or diagnosed lasting effects from the strokes.

 

He ordered some additional blood work but beyond that, released me from custody with no restrictions other than continued "healthy" diet and regular exercise...both within reasonable moderation. Next week phase 2 with the Urologist specialist in Indy.

 

As for the rest of the week, TBD. Far too cold to be outside. Football game I'll follow online tonight; too cheap to pay for ESPN. Still have an outstanding project from Friday to complete.

Edited January 21, 20251 yr by Grandpadave52