Wood working, week 508

year 9, Week 38, Day One (week 508)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
10-03-09 Saturday

90 degrees, very light wind, blue skies, sun with random puffs and high cotton strands in the morning, more puffs in the afternoon. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

It was not long ago, I was going to mom's house with the sky bright, sun about to come up. Today, I drove all the way in the dark!!!!

We did a whole bunch of yard sailing in the morning. No tools, some books and a few other things. The thing I hate most about them is that all the plush toys are begging me to take them home. I have orders from my six teddy bears to not bring any more friends home. They are barely getting enough attention as it is.

I went outside and spent quite a bit of time, three different times during the day, giving the cat attention. He usually left when I did not give him enough attention, when I was hand sanding something, usually.

I took out a log and started turning it on end. I then decided that a deep crack was too deep for that. I decided I would turn it sideways, the ends spinning around, as a banana bowl. I set it so the tenon to hold it was right over the crack. Most of the crack will be gone when I am done shaping the outside. I have no idea what I am making, but will make it anyway.

I then stopped on that and started working on the horse head my brother and I glued up yesterday. I bandsawed the edges so all three boards were flush to the shape. I then took out my band sander, or strip sander, an attachment on my angle grinder that runs a loop of sandpaper. I had to replace the sand paper loop and then had problems getting it adjusted right. Finally, I went over the edges first to remove bandsaw marks. I then used it to relief the horse head to make eyes, nostrils, ears and cheeks of the horse to stand out. It looks pretty good without going in very deep. It looks better than simply painted details.
My brother has some holes to drill and then add the pole so the baby can ride his horse.
At a yard sale, I saw a couple commercial ones. They have a plush cover over everything. I figure that mine will last many generations if it is treated with any care.

















My cousin and her husband are visiting from up north. They mentioned to their friends about the temps. Their friends did not like to hear about bath-water warm ocean and non-chilly temps.
I talked with her husband for a long time, then I cleaned up and we went in. I got nothing else done

Today, I forgot to bring projects in process so I will bring them tomorrow. Since we will be all together tomorrow, I have no idea if I will even get any real work done.

I will see what I actually do tomorrow.


year 9, Week 38, Day Two (week 508)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
10-04-09 Sunday

90 degrees, blue sky with lots of small puffs, lots of sun. Light breeze This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

I got started very late. I had to stop and get printer ink refilled and lost an hour there. When I got out back, I had to pet the kitty. Most of the day, He acted like he was being ignored, not getting enough attention.

I took everything out and settled on the turning project still on the lathe. I decided I will make this piece of log into another bird bowl, but not a duck. I may have to carve a tail, along with a head. Will see.
I had a catch and broke the tenon. I took the duck bowl off the lathe, cut off the half of the tenon that still remained, and then turned a new one. Since I had started on hollowing the inside, I simply stuck the hollowed part over the chuck and centered the tail stock and cut the new tenon. I then returned to working on the inside.
My brother showed up to work on a project, went out of view and was gone quite a while. I went inside and they were all talking, so I stayed inside. We had dinner and talked some more, before I went back outside.

The cat needed some more attention. My brother and a cousin who is visiting, came out. The cat wanted more attention, but did not like having strangers there. He finally ran off to go into hiding.

I cleaned up the mess put things away, showed off my projects that are in process, and then settled to talking with them. I mostly listened.
A while later, we went back in and talked some more.

I showed my brother the horse head. He was quite impressed. There has to be some holes drilled. I told him that is his job.
He came up with the idea to thread the hole. that way he can change what it is over time. He wants to make a wheeled toy like skate board with the head on it. He can ride it around. Later, he can take the head off the platform and make it a hobby ho9rse. He can also add it to other things if desired.
I will see how long it takes him to do that. The head needs to be painted or otherwise finished, but he has a nice looking head to start from.


I got no more work done.

Next week, I want to finish the turning process on the bowl. I have ornament blanks to carve on and need to make more ornament blanks also. I still have not figured out what other ornaments I will make. I need to decide that soon.
I have a number of other projects I have started, but have not finished. I would like them to be done soon too.

I will see what I do next week.