Compost Bin

Even though there is a snow storm coming this week I can't help but think of spring.

Today wasn't a fine woodworking kind of day but I had a lot of fun.  I love building things for the yard and garden, it gives you that pioneer spirit.  Today I made our compost bin.  I made it out of pressure treated lumber.  Today's pressure treated wood doesn't have arsenic in it, it does have copper though.  Most plants and vegetables need some copper in their soil and the effects of  leaching copper into the soil from the compost is very minimal.  I had some 1"x 4" lumber left over from a picnic table project so I used it to build the compost bin.  The compost bin is 36 inches square and made up of two sections that lock together by wooden pegs.  The pegs extend past the width of the sides and lock into each other. There are 3/8 inch spacers between the two bins to allow for air flow

Cold Frames Completed

Last evening I finished the second cold frame and moved them outdoors.

I used boards I had left from previous projects to build them.  Some old pieces of barn boards and some pieces of a pine book shelf.  If you want to make a pair of cold frames yourself I would use cedar. Cedar is naturally rot and insect resistant.  The frames I made will probably only last the season, after all they will get filled with soil and water, a recipe for decay.  I'm not concerned, I like to recycle materials and use pieces of wood that would normally end up in the fire wood pile.  These cold frames will act like a mini green house, capturing the sunlight and generating a lot of heat, allowing us to start planting early.

Cold Frame

A few days ago I picked up a couple of old window sash frames.  The frames are in great shape and have 1/4 inch glass in them.  Last night  I made a cold frame using some old barn boards and a window sash. I'm going to make another one so that we can start planting some herbs and vegetables early.  The cold frame acts as a green house, getting quite hot in the sunlight.

Ready to go again

I love how the studio looks after a good cleaning.

The Check isn't in the mail

Yesterday I went to Arts Worcester to receive my 'Material Needs" grant money.  It was nice to meet the other recipients and to hear about their work

Bulk Heads- Attaching The Tops

Yesterday I completed the tables.  I took the old battens that were on the back of the door and cut them in two.  I then attached them to the underside of table tops to help with placement.  The top support stretches nestle nicely against the battens.  I then counter bore a large hole to accommodate the screw head and then drilled a smaller hole for the screw into the underside of the support stretchers. I enlarged the screw hole to compensate for wood movement and attached the tops to the base with 1 5/8" screws.  I love how everything worked out.  I'll live with the tables for awhile and decide if I'll paint the base or not.

I took the original door handle off the door and attached it to the underside of a table top.  It'll remind me of the history of the work.

   

Bulk Head Glue Up

After cutting out the round top for the bulk head table I had to glue some of the boards back together.  The old tongue and groove boards had been painted so many times that I had too clean off the paint first before I could glue them back together.  I have a set of antique tongue and groove planes that I used to clean off the paint.  They were a perfect match to the old tongue and groove boards.  After I had cleaned off the paint I clamped the two halves of the top together.  I saved the cut out waste pieces from the routed circle and used them as clamping cauls.  The inside curve supports the curve of the top and the outside flat surface allows for  good clamping pressure.

I love how the top worked out and I love how the many layers of different colors of paint are exposed.

It looks awesome. I'll drill some holes through the top stretches to attach the top.

Bulk Head Tops

Yesterday I made a simple circle jig out of a piece of 1/2 inch plywood.  I drilled a hole in it for the router bit and measured 13 Inches from the edge of the bit.  The diameter of the table top is 26 inches.  I drilled a hole at the 13 inch point and put a screw and washer through it.

I used the jig to cut a circular piece out of the old bulk head door. I made multiple passes, increasing the dept of cut slowly so I wouldn't chip the old boards. The piece will be the top for the table. I need to make a second top.  The old tongue and groove boards needed a little glue to keep them together, other than that everything worked well.

Bulk Head Tables Continued

Yesterday afternoon I started working on a second bulk head table.  The tops will be made from a bulk head door I took off of my friend Patt's house.  I replaced his door.  He was going to throw the door out so I kept it.  I originally only going to make one door and keep the original handle and hardware as part of the top but I had enough material to make a second.  The door is made up of tongue and groove pine boards that have been painted over and over, creating  wonderful patterns and patina.  The door is large enough to get two round table tops out of.

I used two 29 inch long 4" x 4" post for the table base.  I notched ( cut a rabbet) around the top and bottom of the post to accommodate the feet and the top stretchers of the table.  The top stretchers are 3 inches wide and 11 inches long and the feet are 3 1/2 inches wide and 13 inches long.  I'm trying to use whatever off cuts and scraps I have around the studio too make the table out of.  The table base will then be distressed and painted. I added a stop chamfer on the post.  In old days they called this detail wagon beveling

Material Needs

Last Friday I was notified by Arts Worcester that I had received a 'Material Needs' grant. For a few years now I've had an idea to create and build two round, barrel shaped side tables.  The tables will have cherry tops and the bodies will  be covered with copper sheets creating a copper brick pattern. I've had sketches of these tables in my sketch book for years now, the bottom, or feet of the table were never resolved. 

 I was driving down a road in New Jersey one day and spotted two swivel, recliner chairs by the road side with a 'Free' sign on them.  I pulled over and had a look at the chairs.  The base and feet of the chairs were made up of a swivel base that had 1960's style torpedo legs attached.  I knew what I was going to do with these chairs.  Luckily I had some tools with me.  I turned the chairs over and took the swivel mechanisms off.  My table idea was now resolved.  I will use these bases for my table bases.  The copper and cherry will work well with them and the tables will swivel.  I haven't been able to create these tables because of the cost of materials, until now.  I proposed my idea to the  grant committee at Arts Worcester and I received a 'Material Needs" grant to purchase the materials and create the tables.  I have to the Fall to complete the tables and then they will be showcased in an exhibition at Arts Worcester in the spring of 2014.

Below are the bases I took off the chairs in New Jersey.  They've been hanging from the ceiling for  few years now.

Bird Houses

If you have a toddler in the house and are looking for something to do with them try making a bird house or two with them.  A few pieces of wood and some glue and nails and you have all you need to have hours of fun with them.  Yesterday my son Quinn and I made three bird houses and a bird feeder.  It was a great day.  we both had fun and we made functional bird houses that we then went and hung on the trees in our yard.

Being creative with your kids gives you a wonderful opportunity to find out what's going on in their lives and how they are feeling about things.  While they are building they are usually chatting away about their world.  It's awesome'  Here are a few images of the fruits of our labor.