House warming

The hens moved into their new home today. They were a little hesitant to leave the coop at first, but it didn't take them long to get use to it.
Now on to some other projects.

As always - Thanks for following
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Best
Steve

Crazy coop

Well - I finally finished the crazy coop. The hens will move in this coming weekend. I wrapped the entire run in one inch chicken wire except for four feet at the front so I can get in and clean the coop and feed the birds.

I call it the crazy coop because I really wasn't' sure how it was going to turn out. I made the coop itself out of salvaged material. I found an old louvered closet door this weekend that I was going to cut it down to the same height as the run. I decided I liked the kitschy look of it all painted up and taller than the rest of the run. I attached my camper bird house to the gate door, welcoming visitors to the coop, human kind hopefully and not a fox.

Hmm
I still have some yellow paint left'

As always - Thanks for following
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Best
Steve

Stop the madness

Stop the madness

You knew it had to happen. Give a man a can of yellow paint and you never know what will happen'

I made this outdoor table a few years ago for an episode called 'Dinner for two" It's a simple , yet sturdy table that seats two people. It's perfect for a small space. We have a small stone patio at the back of the house where it has found a home.

As usual - I love to build things but I'm terrible at looking after them. It's not that I don't want to. It's just that I'm off and running onto the next thing and forget.

After I finished painting the coop I saw how thirsty the poor table looked. So, I started painting it yellow. I think it looks good, and most importantly - my wife loves it'
It's raining, so I'll finish it later. Hmm - those two old metal chairs need a little sprucing up'
If you'd like to build this table you can watch the video on the you tube channel.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Curious

Curious

Well - You know it had to happen eventually.
The coop is yellow so, now is the run. I feel a little like the man in yellow in curious George.
I can't wait to get the to do list done and build some furniture.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Run

Run

It isn't pretty but it's coming together.
I worked on the frame of the run today.
I'm using pressure treated 2" x 4"'s for the base and I attached 1" x 3" pine furring strips to it, to create the rest of the frame.
I live in a pretty rural area with lots of wild life so I plan on covering the top of the run as well. I'll make a gate which will go beside the coop.
The run measures 24 feet long by 8 feet wide.
I might peg the base boards with dowel and spike them into the ground, or I might use some stones along the perimeter so no animals can dig under it.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

To do list

To do list

I'm sure you understand me when I say I'm feeling a little stressed because my to-do list keeps growing, and the weekend is near.
There's always so much to do, especially around the house now that spring is here.

I finally ordered the rest of the materials I need in order to complete the garage. The problem is I've been neglecting the coop and run. I need to get the garage done but these birds are ready to be outside soon.

I'll probably just hunker down and get the run done. I made a quick sketch. I'm using some 2 x 4's for the base frame and then 1 x 3 pine furring strips for the rest of the frame. In the center will be a gate door.
When I'm finished I'll take a picture.

As always Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Slab

Slab - Another old friend

I've been r around this slab of walnut for a very log time.
A friend of mine gave it to me when I lived in New Jersey. I've moved to various places and it has always found a home in the shop, leaning up against the back wall. If you look hard while watching an episode you'll see it behind me when I'm standing at the table saw. It stands at the back like a sentry on guard.

It's a beautiful piece of wood, but I've never known what to make with it. Sure - there's your typical slab table or bench, but I wanted to do something else with it. I've had many ideas but none of them have reached fruition.

My neighbor is a blacksmith. He recently made a couple of awesome looking table bases. he knew he wanted a slab top for them but was undecided whether they should be rustic, or more refine. I saw the dimensions of the bases and thought that my slab of walnut would be perfect for one of them.
Yesterday we brought the slab over to his shop, sat it up on one of the bases and stood back and thought to ourselves, perfect. It was a perfect fit. The two dimensions worked perfectly together. There's just enough overhang all around that of you were to sit at the table you wouldn't bump your knees against the base.

I took a few pictures but they really don't do it justice. The lighting is poor. The slab needs to be leveled a little and sanded and finished. The tables are tall, perfect for a stool.
I can't wait to see it when it's finished. The nice thing is the slab has a home. Sure - it's an expensive piece of wood, but I'd rather see it get used than lean against my shop wall again. My neighbor has skills that I don't, so we bartered. I gave him the slab of walnut, and he is making me a custom ladder that will attach to the floor and wall of the shop so I can go up to the loft. Like the slab and table, a perfect fit. I love doing business this way. It utilizes each others skills. Now if only my dentist needed some cabinets built'

As always - thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Yellow

Yellow

Well - Here it is. The first coat of yellow paint to go on on the coop. I think it'll take a couple more coats to cover it all, the old dry boards are like a sponge, sucking it in.
 I hope the hens like it as much as my wife does.

As always - Thanks for following
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Steve

Hanging around

Hanging around

This old friends been hanging around for a long time now.
I made this mahogany porch swing many years ago when my wife and I first started dating.

I was living in New Jersey and she came to my house for a visit.
She said " This is a great porch, but it needs a swing"
later that day I asked her to move in with me. She said only if I made her a swing for the porch"

She went back home and I got busy. The next time she came to visit she walked up onto the porch and saw this swing hanging there. We've been together ever since. True story.
For an object that holds so much history and meaning to me, you'd think I'd treat it better. I'm terrible. This swing is thirsty, and in need of some oil finish, and a little TLC. We've been lugging it around with us where ever we move to. Most of the time I just leave it up, out in the elements all year long.

I just hung it up today. I'll give it a fresh coat of oil, and then when the weather turns cold and nasty again, I'll take it down and put it in storage.

Porch swings aren't complicated to build. I hope you'll give one a try. If you're not already married - who knows'. It just might be the key to a future long term relationship.

As always - Thanks for following
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Best
Steve

Lath

Lath

Today was a perfect day to be outside working. I had a bundle of wood lath that I used on the coop. I used the lathe to cover the joints where the boards meet. It's not pretty but it doesn't need to be. As along as moisture doesn't get it. Yesterday we bought our paint. Tomorrow I'll paint the coop.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Weathered Wood

I recently received my new issue of Fine Woodworking magazine.

Inside was an ad by Varathane. It talks about a new product they have developed called 'Weathered wood' It's an accelerator, that when applied speeds up the process and gives wood an aged look in a matter of minutes. It's not a stain. It's a chemical reaction that ages the wood.

Attached is a picture of the ad as it appears in the magazine.
Has anyone tried it?
My friend was telling me about an organic mixture he once knew that did a similar thing. It was with vinegar, baking soda, and something else. He forgot the 'something else'
If you have a recipe please share. I know there's a mixture to age cherry, it involves lye.

I got in touch with the folks at Rustoleum, the parent company of Varathane. They are sending me a sample. I'll demo the product and post it, so we can all see the results.

As always - Thanks for following
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Best
Steve

Foul Play

Foul play

I think I'll be doing some work on the chicken coop and run this weekend.
I still need to paint the coop. My wife would like it a Shaker yellow.
These birds are getting big, fast'
yesterday I walked into the room to find one perched on top of the brood. Their wings are still developing but the dog knows it won't be long before one decides to try them out. He comes coming in to visit the brood.

Normally it takes around five weeks from the day of hatching to them being ready for the coop. I think these ladies are quick learners. I have approximately two more weeks, tops.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Buck saw

Buck saw

I can be a difficult person to buy a gift for. It's not that I have everything. It's just I'm particular about things. I like what I like. I'm a creature of habit. I have tools, but there the ones I need and use. I'm not a tool collector. I don't realize i don't have a certain tool until I reach for it, and then realize I don't have one. I'll buy a tool when I need to do a certain job. Then I have it, but I don't think of buying one ahead of time.

So- if you were to ask me what I need, I'd probably reply, " I don't know"
I might need it for the project I'll work on tomorrow, but for now " I don't know".
I'm particular about the music I listen to also, so most people don't bother buying me music as a gift. I'm a pretty simple person. I don't like elaborate things. Too many parts means too many things to go wrong. I wish we still had manual windows in cars. Instead- if it breaks, you have to replace the whole door practically.

Like most woodworkers I have a few hand saws. I have some that are Japanese saws. I have a few English gent and back saws. I have your classic hand rip and crosscut saws, and various other types of saws, such as a dovetail saw, a coping saw, a hack saw, and others I don't even know the name of.
One saw I wanted to have but kept forgetting to get was a simple buck, or bow saw, as some call them.
Here is the dictionary's explanation.

" A bucksaw is a hand-powered frame saw generally used with a sawbuck to cut logs or firewood to length (bucking). Modern bucksaws usually have a deerskin and animal bone frame ("H" or "C"-shaped) and a removable blade with coarse teeth held in tension by the frame."

A small buck saw, with it's aggressive teeth is the perfect tool for cutting small logs. It fits nicely in a tool box, and can easily be stored away in the back of your vehicle.
Woodturners usually will have one, or a chainsaw, in their vehicle in case they see a fallen tree or log by the side of the road.
 A quick cut,and your taking home a prized piece of wood for the lathe.
The buck saw is available at most hardware stores, and is cheap. Around $10 - $15.
Well - Today is my birthday and my eight year old son bought me a buck saw. I needed one''. The perfect gift for a guy who's hard to buy for. It will now find a home in the back of my vehicle, waiting for that perfect log.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Lumber

HOW TO: Buy the Best Boards

Some of the projects I build for the show are built with off the shelf lumber. Meaning- material that has already been milled and dimensioned to a certain size. I know when I'm describing material for the project I might say " Use a 1" x 4" board." If you're new to woodworking you might get confused, because the real measurement for the board is 3/4" x 31/2"

Confused?
I was in the beginning, and nervous. especially when you have to spend hard earned money on a material you're uncertain about.

Buying boards shouldn’t be one of the most challenging parts of a project. But if you’re not familiar with how lumber is sized, the purchasing process can be anything but easy. That’s because the size you see isn’t really what you get.
Common Board Sizes

Nominal vs. Actual Size

When you look at the labels on boards, you’ll see simple sizes like “1x6” or “2x6.” That’s the nominal size of the board, which describes the board’s dimensions before it was machined to finished size. The finished size, known as the actual dimension, will be slightly smaller in thickness and width. For example, a 2x4 board actually measure 1½" thick x 3½" wide.

If you are using a project plan, say from a book, the materials list may say to buy a 1x4 (the nominal size), but the dimensions in the plan will base everything on that board’s actual size — 3/4" x 3½" in this case.

If you are drawing your own project plan, make sure that you use the actual dimensions for all of the boards. If you accidentally design your project using the nominal dimensions, it may not go together as you had planned.

Common Defects

Once you understand board sizing, you’ll be ready to purchase what you need for your projects. But don’t think you can purchase just any boards off the lumber rack and get exactly what you need. Boards tend to bow, warp, and twist. So you need to examine each board to make sure it’s flat and straight. To do this, hold the board out, and look along the length of the board. Look at the edge first to check for twisting and bowing. Then look at the face to see if the board is bowed or crooked.

Don't be too nervous or apprehensive to try. The confusion will go away.
Making objects is the best feeling in the world.
As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Saw

Today I finished assembling the new Rikon 10" contractors saw. There were a few snags. Some of the screw holes were a little out of alignment, but nothing that couldn't be remedied. 

 The saw is solid. The machining of the cast iron wings looks to be spot on. The saw comes with a 1 1/2 horse motor.
The true test will come later when I use it, but so far it looks great.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

New saw

New saw

I spent the day assembling a new saw. I have a new Rikon 10 inch contractors saw. I can't wait to try it out. So far the assembly has been pretty straightforward, except the box was missing a package of nuts and bolts.
No problem. They are standard, so a quick trip to my local hardware store and I was back at it in no time.

The two cast iron extension wings posed a little bit of a problem. Only because they're heavy, and I was working alone. But they went together easily. I'll finish the assembly tomorrow.
I still have my old delta saw. It works great, and it will have a definite place in the shop, but the beefier motor of the Rikon will help a lot.

I'll be test driving the saw soon and will give you a report.

As always - Thanks for  following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Never mind the groundhog

Never mind the groundhog. You know it's spring when a Mama Black bear and her cub show up at your door step.

Last evening we had our first bear sighting of the year. A Mama and her cub came up to our steps and then strolled through the yard and back into the woods.

Awesome. Unfortunately I never thought of getting the camera, so I went out this morning and took pictures of their tracks in the snow.
It's not woodworking, but I had to share.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Itchy

Itchy

I did a little more work in the garage today. If you work regularly with insulation, please share your secrets. No matter how much I cover up my body parts, I always end up feeling like I slept on a cactus.

I'm so itchy. I wore a long sleeve shirt and work gloves, a scarf, a dust mask, and glasses, and I'm still itchy. Crazy
Most of the downstairs walls are insulated. There is an upstairs loft space, but it shouldn't take much to cover.

As always - Thanks for and following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Worx

All Worx is play

I recently was given a couple of new tools from the Positec Tool Company to try out. Positec is the company that owns the new 'Rockwell' brand of tools and the 'Worx' brand of tools.
I was given a couple of Worx brand tools. Now the Worx brand is geared to the DIYer. I know what you're thinking. No thanks' They musty be cheap and lightweight.

I can tell you that straight out of the box they seem anything but cheap and lightweight.
They look well build and have a definite heft to them, making believe they'll do a good job.

The tools I was given to try are the Worx Switchdriver. It's a 1/4", 20V Cordless drill/driver that has a dual rotating chuck. Instead of needing two drivers, one with a drill bit in it and the other with a counter sink or screw, you have both in one'
Normally two one things seem gimmicky to me. These tools aren't. They're very robust, and Positec is filling a need among those who can't afford to buy multiple tools. I copied this statement from the Worx website

"Power tools for DIY are traditionally a dumbed-down, cheaper version of conventional tradesman’s tools.
We have broken this industry paradigm by developing a revolutionary range of power tools that are designed for the specific needs of home owners and passionate DIYers.
Incredibly lightweight and compact, yet impressively powerful, Worx DIY tools are packed with innovative features and convenience"

The other tools is a Worx brand tool called the 'Axis". It also is a 20 V dual purpose tool. It's a combination reciprocating saw and a jig saw. The mechanism that switches the tool feels very sturdy, snapping and locking into place with definite force.

I'm going to put these two tools to the test tomorrow when I do some work on the walls in the garage. I'll give you my honest feedback when I'm done

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve

Ladies night out

Our chicks arrived today. Here are the ladies getting to know one another around the water cooler.
The brood is large enough with plenty of room to grow.
These birds grow quickly. In just five weeks they'll be ready to be out in the coop.
A few pieces of plywood and dowel an they have a great home.

As always - Thanks for following
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve