Potting table project

Hi Everyone,

Well, it was a very windy but dry day today and I decided it would be a good day to make a small potting table I've been meaning to make for a while now. To make the table I used Strong Tie construction connectors and 2x2 and 5/4x6 cedar lumber.

The Strong Tie people have some simple plans on their website for hobby tables, shelves, etc, on their website and I've made two of their heavy duty tables for my shop. They have plans for a regular table on their site as well.  To see the instructions go to: http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/fliers/DIY-PROJECT08.pdf

And here is a photo of the table:

This is going to go on my deck so I can have a place to plant my geraniums and enjoy some flowers this summer.

The Mother's Day Marathon is tomorrow and my husband bought me a bedan tool for a Mother's Day present. A wonderful tool from a wonderful man. Thanks and I love you!

See you all bright and early tomorrow.

VW

Amazing Wood Working Sites

Good Evening Everyone,

I love to look at the websites and blogs of other woodworks to see what they're making and how they conceive of and solve wood working problems. One of the more remarkable websites out there is the site by Matthias Wandel, a Canadian mechanical engineer who designs and makes some amazing devices out of wood.

And I do mean amazing. He has a number of furniture plans and jigs on his site but he also makes working machines out of wood as well. The detail and design that goes into these devices is incredible. He has made a siren, a number of different types of wood working machinery, and he's made gears out of wood that actually work. And he hasn't stopped there-his current project is a ukelele!

I'm going to make his deck chair this summer for my husband and when I do I'll do a posting on it.

You can see Matthias' website at: http://woodgears.ca/.

I wish I lived next door to this guy.

VW

Mother's Day Wood Turning Marathon-Discussion and Plans - Blue Mahoe and Hickory Lidded Box for Sarah

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to change the project for this year's marathon from a salad bowl to a lidded box. Here's the story behind the new project:

I have a lovely cousin who sent me a small block of wood that she gathered during a recent trip to Puerto Rico. The wood is called Blue Mahoe and it's grown as part of a sustainable forestry project there (http://www.eyeontherainforest.org/). Here is a photo of the block she sent:

The wood is light in weight, fine grained, and has many colors in it. It rather reminds me of poplar. It also has large annual growth rings so this tree grew at a rapid pace. It has a dark heart wood and a light colored sap wood and you can see a strip of sap wood along the edge.

Discussion

I looked at the block and given its size I decided to make a lidded box and use the blue mahoe for the lid. If I used it for the box part it would be overshadowed and by the lid and not terribly visible so the top it is.

The bottom of the box is a block that I've laminated out of a short piece of hickory:

The hickory blank is butter yellow and this should provide a nice contrast for the color of the lid.

Plans

I've taken the blue mahoe block and cut it in half on the bandsaw:

I'm going to use the top piece and set the other half aside for a future project. Next I mounted them on the lathe and turned them into turning blanks:

And I'm going to stop here. I'll be re-mounting the hickory blank first and shaping and hollowing it out. Then I'll turn the top. After a good sanding, I'll figure out a finish.

Ok, the wood is ready to go. I'll clean out the shop, sharpen up everything, and get ready for Mother's Day.

See you all on Sunday,
Best,
VW

Bread rack, continued

Ahhh, there's nothing like trying out the stuff you make:

Saaara: I made this with you in mind!

VW

Bread Cooling rack and Mother's Day Wood Turning Marathon

Hi Everyone,

Well the weather has finally cleared and it's actually really pleasant outside this afternoon. And that means a couple of hours in the wood shop is the way to go.

I have needed some stuff in my own kitchen-a cutting board to replace my old scrap maple board that I've been using forever, a big salad bowl to use when friends come over, and a cooling rack for baking. I'll work on the cutting board a little later on but the cooling rack I did this afternoon and here it is:

As for the salad bowl, well, this segues into a brief word about the upcoming Mother's Day Wood Turning Marathon.  I have two blocks of wood: a block out of laminated pine and another 10"x4" block of solid wood that I have no idea what it is. So I'm going to turn one of them into a salad bowl for myself.

I'm still not sure which I'll use but I'll make up my mind by midweek and post discussion and plans. In the mean time I'll clean up my shop, sharpen everything and get ready to go!

See you Wednesday,

VW

Dinner is Served

Hi Everyone,

Well, I finished it. The roast is done and I also made the wild rice suggested by Ree. Here is the finish photo:

The flavor is very mild. The apples taste good and the rice is woody and chewy as wild rice can be. I'm having a small glass of red wine and a small scoop of ice cream for desert. And I'm going to use the candlestick holder I made earlier today.

Bon Appetite!

VW

What's for Dinner?

Hi Again,

Well, I've been wondering just what the hell to make for dinner tonight and as usual my poor sawdust-addled brain comes up with nothing. So I decided to surf the web and I came up with this recipe from another blog that looked really good.


Here's the blog: The is The Pioneer Woman by Ree Drummond. Ree lives in Oklahoma (yay!) on a ranch with her husband and assorted kids and critters:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/.

This particular recipe is: Pork roast with apples and onions at: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/11/pork-roast-with-apples-and-onions/

And here's my take on the whole thing so far:

I've followed the recipe exactly and this is it before I put the lid on it and let it simmer for a couple of hours.

Come on back in about 3 hours and we'll see where this goes.

Adios,
VW