Did You Write? April 26, 2010
Where did this week go? I thought I just posted this note yesterday! the month disappeared fairly fast too. I just remember a few highlights that happened this month.
Many among us write every day, thousands of words a week. Many among us are lucky to write thousands of words a year. This note is an attempt to help the second group. If you now this note is coming up, and you are honest enough to report, even if you do not write, then this note will be a prompt to get you to write, at least something, during the week.
Of course, life gets in the way. That is the kind of thing that should also be reported as to why you did not write. Knowing others did not write, does help the rest of us. But writing, even if it is a pittance, also helps.
What is writing, and how much writing that needs to be done to be said to write, really unimportant. I have never seen anybody say "That is not writing." It is more important if YOU think it was writing.
AS to what is suggested as writing, Any new writing is writing, of course. Editing is writing, even if it is someone else's or just critiquing someone's work. With editing, word count does not matter. It is not unusual for the word counts to go backwards as one zaps entire sections to make improvements.
Writing assignments, poetry, articles, blogging are writing. So is character or world creation. E-mails can also be writing, as long as they are wordy and pertain to story or writing. Other things might be writing, if you decide that is what they should be.
As for me, I did write. I wrote out my story idea version of an outline of my latest work in process. I was struggling with writing the story start to finish, some scenes fighting me.
I decided to follow my own suggestion and write out a "story idea" of the work in progress to see where it needed to be. that worked. I was less interested in the details I was getting bogged down on, and better able to see what had to happen.
I finally got to the end and fired it off to my writing partner to glance at. I got the suggestions back last night and when I open it up, I will make some of those changes to the outline before I sit down and actually write.
As it was, I had several writing sessions this week and I added two pages to the outline, bringing it to page 12, and added 1772 words to bring it up to 7270 words.
After my requested changes, I will return to my actual story, building in the changes I made in the outline, and then add the scenes I have designed for the rest of the story. Then the fun part is tightening things up.
On the story idea front, I keep falling behind, and then catching up. I tend to write short versions of my concepts when I do two in a sitting. On some other day, they likely could have been made a page or two more, but I would write something short, then see I have more time, so I write a second concept and it ends up being short.
At the beginning of the month, skipping a day is not a problem, not a worry. At the end of the month, being an idea behind becomes somewhat bothersome. I rush to keep up.
Other than a short period last week, I have been "on a tear" on coming up with new concepts. AS usual, they appear out of nowhere, little things seeding the concepts. Many days this week, I have come up with two story ideas in a day.
Typically, I will take one of the top story ideas to write, or go down just slightly, to get one I know I want to write, or know it needs to get written so it does not sink too deep. Taking ideas near the top is why this is a compost pile. The longer it sits, the deeper it goes.
Including the story idea I am writing tonight, I have 56 concepts on my compost pile. Most of the top ten are excellent, half the next ten are good. It goes downhill from there. There are some gems deep down in the stack, but they need special conditions to write them.
I am trying to rebuild some old wood working projects. These were my early works that I did not understand exactly what I was doing or how to do it. These do not have good design, have some serious problems in how they were made, and are not really worth anything as they are. some were presentable. While they might not be worth anything after I am done, I figure I will learn something in repairing them that might help other pieces, and they might be worth more than they are now. It is a fun challenge. So far this weekend, I destroyed one piece and may have saved a second one. I usually figure out what I should have done, after I did it wrong.
My system of making platters is helping me with fixing these old pieces. It would have been a whole lot easier if I could have found my double sided tape that has disappeared completely. I guess I will pick up another roll this weekend.
I used my platter system to sand and clean up a couple of the platters I made earlier. That tells me that I can save several pieces the same way.
As to the question of the day. I can honestly say
YES, I DID WRITE!!
DID YOU WRITE?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Week 537 Wood Working
year 10, Week 15, Day One (week 537)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-24-10 Saturday
87 degrees brisk winds with some good gusts, teased out cotton clouds with a few a bit thicker. Sunny all day long. We sat in the afternoon, with the breeze blowing under the awning, quite comfortable and happy for the conditions of the day. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Department Of Tourism.
During the week, I was sanding on my plates during the week, an realized there was some impressed wood from the turning. The two plates I finished to show at the turning club had impressed wood and varnish does not soak in the same as regular wood. It shows.
I remembered something I read long ago. The thing said that one can impress a design into wood, sand it till it is flat, and then soak the board. the impressed wood expands out, making a raised design on the surface of the wood. Knowing that, I took the plates and wet them down really good.
When the wood dried, the grain was raised, of course, but also the impressed wood was raised also. They were not as big as I expected. I used 50 grit sand paper to remove the worst of the raised fiber, but it needed something more.
After breakfast and stopping at a couple yard sales with nothing for me. I went out back and fed the beast and the cat friend. Lots of petting was needed before I headed out to help mom with setting up for a neighbor's yard sale. I carried some boxes and other things across, along with my box of junk pieces, and then went back to bother the beast a little more before getting to work.
I mounted the plates on the lathe as centered as I could, which was not good, and had the lathe on low. I sat there with 200 grit sand paper and sanded the rim, inside and out, until I was satisfied with the surface all the way around. I then shifted to 150 grit, which was the finest I had on hand. I left the centers till later.
I had a vase I made back in 2004 that had started cracking. I glued it back together and used glitter to hide the cracks, give it sort of a design. I stuck wood face plate inside, to drive the vase, and found the center of the bottom. I cold not get it centered to the way it wobbled. I did not think about it, but I should have sued a big face plate that the lip of the vase met to and got it centered that way. It happened that I could not find my double sided tape so I could not mount it the way I wanted to.
I trimmed down the outside, getting rid of the wobble. I found some double sided tape that has a strong glue, and thick foam. The foam has a little give and the strong glue guarantees that it is not going to let go when needed. In this case, it is messy. The double sided tape I normally use is almost like masking tape, but with a good glue on both sides. when it comes off, it does not leave anything behind.
I mounted the vase on the lathe and that was when I saw I had cut through slightly on one side. I wrapped some packing tape around the outside and started cleaning the inside, which really needed it. More of the thin side cut out. I pried off the vase, tossed it in the garbage, and cleaned the wood face plate so I could use it again.
I was going to turn some more platters, but I could not find my good double sided tape. I still have no idea where it is.
I sat down and power sanded the centers of the plates. First with a disk sanding attachment for the drill. I then used the detail sander to fine tune the sanding. I finally got them to a level where I can hand sand them with finer grit. I will have them done for delivery on Friday.
I also sanded the natural edged bowl I worked on this month. I used the disk sander and also the detail sander to work the inside and outside. I think I have it now where I can finish it up during the week.
As mentioned in weather, Mom and I sat with the cat sleeping between my feet for about an hour. We were talking about the her garden. Flowers are popping up. She lost only a couple plants during the winter cold.
Tomorrow, I will look again for the double sided tape I need. I might mount some other kind of wood and turn something new. I also might dig into my junk box and turn something in hopes of saving it.
Of course, I will give the backyard beast more attention.
I will see what I actually do tomorrow.
year 10, Week 15, Day Two (week 537)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-25-10 Sunday
87 degrees, brisk wind with strong gusts, filtered sunlight with some blocked sun. Sky went from filtered puffs, to thick, to thin high platelets, to puffs. A front is sliding in, and will be here tomorrow. The temps were nice with the breezes that got under the awning. It also made for less sweeping of sawdust. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
Once I got to mom's house, I petted and fed the beast and his friend. Both were good kitties.
I took the two plates I had finished early in the month for the turning club meeting, and mounted them on the lathe and spun them slowly so my hand, holding the sand paper, could follow the wobble as I did not get them set absolutely square. The one with just varnish cleaned up pretty good.
The one I soaked in oil clocked up the sand paper. I grabbed some 50 grit sand paper and soon the grit was blocked up. there is a way to clean it up since it is designed to be spun by power. It will come to me later. I also used an 80 grit sanding strip and it got clogged up too. I did get it sanded.
I put the plates under water to get rid of the impressed wood, and then sanded them again.
I ended up re-mounting the oiled plate and cutting away some of the bad surface. it was not easy as it wobbled. I ran the lathe slow and tried to follow the movement of the wood. Some additional sanding got rid of some edges. They both look pretty good right now.
I took out a piece I made back in 2004. it is a bowl with a stand. the bottom was too thick. I used a bit face plate to go over the mouth of the piece, holding the base in the chuck to make sure it was close to being centered. I then clamped it in place and worked the outside, truing that up, cleaning it up. I removed the face plate and worked the bottom and the inside. the piece was really thick near the base of the walls, so I thinned that down. I had to stop and re-center the piece several times as the edges of the base are thin and the wood holding it cracked, and the chuck is not really designed to hold something that thin.
I got the inside almost acceptable, then I turned it around and stuck the chuck inside. I put the tail stock directly centered and cleaned up the base.
The piece is better than it was, but not really all that great.
I never found my double sided tape. I have no idea where it went.
I did find something else. I have some sanding disks that screw onto a rubber backing. it takes about half turn to screw it on. I have not seen the mount in many months. I ran across it today and got it with the sanding disks now. I Used that in my sanding today.
I think I fixed the beer stein. the pin was breaking out on one side and he lid was not going down straight. I will check it later today to see if it is completely fixed.
I took the day fairly easy and while I accomplished projects I needed done, I did not do anything major.
During the week, I will be sanding and varnishing. I need to get the pieces I worked on this past week, completely finished. about two hours of work will do the job nicely.
Next week, I will drop in on the antique shop and the Water Gardens to see what is going on. I will bring my finished pieces and will decide where they go.
I get to start on some new projects too. I will see if I want to make more platters. I do have a number of works that need reworking.
I will see what I actually do next week.
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-24-10 Saturday
87 degrees brisk winds with some good gusts, teased out cotton clouds with a few a bit thicker. Sunny all day long. We sat in the afternoon, with the breeze blowing under the awning, quite comfortable and happy for the conditions of the day. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Department Of Tourism.
During the week, I was sanding on my plates during the week, an realized there was some impressed wood from the turning. The two plates I finished to show at the turning club had impressed wood and varnish does not soak in the same as regular wood. It shows.
I remembered something I read long ago. The thing said that one can impress a design into wood, sand it till it is flat, and then soak the board. the impressed wood expands out, making a raised design on the surface of the wood. Knowing that, I took the plates and wet them down really good.
When the wood dried, the grain was raised, of course, but also the impressed wood was raised also. They were not as big as I expected. I used 50 grit sand paper to remove the worst of the raised fiber, but it needed something more.
After breakfast and stopping at a couple yard sales with nothing for me. I went out back and fed the beast and the cat friend. Lots of petting was needed before I headed out to help mom with setting up for a neighbor's yard sale. I carried some boxes and other things across, along with my box of junk pieces, and then went back to bother the beast a little more before getting to work.
I mounted the plates on the lathe as centered as I could, which was not good, and had the lathe on low. I sat there with 200 grit sand paper and sanded the rim, inside and out, until I was satisfied with the surface all the way around. I then shifted to 150 grit, which was the finest I had on hand. I left the centers till later.
I had a vase I made back in 2004 that had started cracking. I glued it back together and used glitter to hide the cracks, give it sort of a design. I stuck wood face plate inside, to drive the vase, and found the center of the bottom. I cold not get it centered to the way it wobbled. I did not think about it, but I should have sued a big face plate that the lip of the vase met to and got it centered that way. It happened that I could not find my double sided tape so I could not mount it the way I wanted to.
I trimmed down the outside, getting rid of the wobble. I found some double sided tape that has a strong glue, and thick foam. The foam has a little give and the strong glue guarantees that it is not going to let go when needed. In this case, it is messy. The double sided tape I normally use is almost like masking tape, but with a good glue on both sides. when it comes off, it does not leave anything behind.
I mounted the vase on the lathe and that was when I saw I had cut through slightly on one side. I wrapped some packing tape around the outside and started cleaning the inside, which really needed it. More of the thin side cut out. I pried off the vase, tossed it in the garbage, and cleaned the wood face plate so I could use it again.
I was going to turn some more platters, but I could not find my good double sided tape. I still have no idea where it is.
I sat down and power sanded the centers of the plates. First with a disk sanding attachment for the drill. I then used the detail sander to fine tune the sanding. I finally got them to a level where I can hand sand them with finer grit. I will have them done for delivery on Friday.
I also sanded the natural edged bowl I worked on this month. I used the disk sander and also the detail sander to work the inside and outside. I think I have it now where I can finish it up during the week.
As mentioned in weather, Mom and I sat with the cat sleeping between my feet for about an hour. We were talking about the her garden. Flowers are popping up. She lost only a couple plants during the winter cold.
Tomorrow, I will look again for the double sided tape I need. I might mount some other kind of wood and turn something new. I also might dig into my junk box and turn something in hopes of saving it.
Of course, I will give the backyard beast more attention.
I will see what I actually do tomorrow.
year 10, Week 15, Day Two (week 537)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-25-10 Sunday
87 degrees, brisk wind with strong gusts, filtered sunlight with some blocked sun. Sky went from filtered puffs, to thick, to thin high platelets, to puffs. A front is sliding in, and will be here tomorrow. The temps were nice with the breezes that got under the awning. It also made for less sweeping of sawdust. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
Once I got to mom's house, I petted and fed the beast and his friend. Both were good kitties.
I took the two plates I had finished early in the month for the turning club meeting, and mounted them on the lathe and spun them slowly so my hand, holding the sand paper, could follow the wobble as I did not get them set absolutely square. The one with just varnish cleaned up pretty good.
The one I soaked in oil clocked up the sand paper. I grabbed some 50 grit sand paper and soon the grit was blocked up. there is a way to clean it up since it is designed to be spun by power. It will come to me later. I also used an 80 grit sanding strip and it got clogged up too. I did get it sanded.
I put the plates under water to get rid of the impressed wood, and then sanded them again.
I ended up re-mounting the oiled plate and cutting away some of the bad surface. it was not easy as it wobbled. I ran the lathe slow and tried to follow the movement of the wood. Some additional sanding got rid of some edges. They both look pretty good right now.
I took out a piece I made back in 2004. it is a bowl with a stand. the bottom was too thick. I used a bit face plate to go over the mouth of the piece, holding the base in the chuck to make sure it was close to being centered. I then clamped it in place and worked the outside, truing that up, cleaning it up. I removed the face plate and worked the bottom and the inside. the piece was really thick near the base of the walls, so I thinned that down. I had to stop and re-center the piece several times as the edges of the base are thin and the wood holding it cracked, and the chuck is not really designed to hold something that thin.
I got the inside almost acceptable, then I turned it around and stuck the chuck inside. I put the tail stock directly centered and cleaned up the base.
The piece is better than it was, but not really all that great.
I never found my double sided tape. I have no idea where it went.
I did find something else. I have some sanding disks that screw onto a rubber backing. it takes about half turn to screw it on. I have not seen the mount in many months. I ran across it today and got it with the sanding disks now. I Used that in my sanding today.
I think I fixed the beer stein. the pin was breaking out on one side and he lid was not going down straight. I will check it later today to see if it is completely fixed.
I took the day fairly easy and while I accomplished projects I needed done, I did not do anything major.
During the week, I will be sanding and varnishing. I need to get the pieces I worked on this past week, completely finished. about two hours of work will do the job nicely.
Next week, I will drop in on the antique shop and the Water Gardens to see what is going on. I will bring my finished pieces and will decide where they go.
I get to start on some new projects too. I will see if I want to make more platters. I do have a number of works that need reworking.
I will see what I actually do next week.
Monday, April 19, 2010
04-19-10 Did You Write?
04-19-10 Did You Write?
There are times these weeks rush up on us where it is over before we can even start on our plans. Other times we actually have a chance to fit out plans in, to get something done.
For many who read this, writing is an every day, or every week thing, an additional prompt is not needed. For the rest of us, we might go months without opening a word processor. A prompt every week helps us think about writing, even if we cannot write every week. The hope is that you know this note is going to show up, so you sit down, open your word processor or pad of paper and put a few words down.
The concept here is that if you write every week, even if it is just a little, over time, a lot of writing can be done. This note is a place to brag about your accomplishments, cry about your failures, and otherwise talk about what is going on in your life.
Periodically there is a question of whether something is writing. We are not picky as to what is writing, or even how much is writing. The more the better, but if you wrote the one RIGHT word, that is writing.
As to what is writing, we all accept that new writing is writing. We mus also understand that few, or none of us can write perfectly every time. Because of this, editing is writing. editing is writing, even if you are editing someone else's work, or critiquing the work of others. when editing, reverse number counts are quite acceptable. removing entire sections is a penalty of improving one's work.
Poetry, blogging, article writing, writing assignments are also writing. World and character building is also writing. E-mails can even be writing, if they are wording and pertain to story or writing.
What is actually writing, is up to you. Many of these might not be writing to you, but you might also come up with something else. the key is that if you think it is writing, it must be.
As for me, I dug into my Waxy story. Last week I started writing it like one of my story ideas, little details, mainly telling what the story is about with enough details to follow it. It is fighting me, but I am making headway. I added three pages and 1317 words this week. this version is on page 10.
when I finish this version, I will have my writing partners check over the plotting, then I will get back to actually writing it as a story.
On the story idea front, I am a story idea behind. There were two times this month where I was two story ideas behind, but caught one up again. I have plenty of time to get caught up again. I have more than enough story ideas to select from. My count, including the idea I posted tonight, is 51 story ideas in the compost pile. while counting them, I glanced at the newest stories. The top ten stories on the stack are new, un-picked over, and appear exciting to write. that is something excellent to look forward to. Below that, the exciting ones get thinner and thinner the deeper one goes. The ones at the bottom tend not to be worthy of posting, but not bad enough to shift over to the pack of 180 that might never see daylight.
I had several weeks where ideas were flowing, two or three a day. Now I have slowed down a little, but have not stopped. did dig a tiny bit into the stack. just a couple ideas. The times I hate is when nothing comes to me. I dig deeply into the stack. I get to the point where I wonder if it will ever come back. It always does, but there is always that nagging thought.
I am attempting to perfect a way to make platters out of wood. Little things are causing me problems. My lathe spins the wood and I have scrapers and gouges that slice and scrape the excess wood off until I have my final shape. With plates or platters (same thing, platters sound better), I have to flip the work around and try to get it centered, as it was when I did the first side. It is because of flipping it around, that I am running into problems. I have been using double sided tape and it won't stick when I want it to stick, then It won't let go when I need to remove it for one of the steps. This weekend, I had one of the not-stick type days.
I also figured out this weekend that the chuck which grabs the wood, is not centered exactly. take a piece out of the chuck, and then add it again, and it becomes out of center.
I tried something new. I took a board, threaded a hole in it and mounted it on the lathe directly. this might be a great solution, except I did not have access to all the tools I needed, and that method became a real challenge. when you don't have the right tools, you use what might work, and then make adjustments.
When someone is watching me work when it is something like assembling =an item, I tend to say something on the idea of, "Have you ever seen an idiot work?"
For a story idea from above, consider a tape that can be made extremely strong, or release instantly, or anywhere in between, on command.
magic, of course, could do this, but tape is more like technological, rather than magical
My first impression was that one connects wires to the tape and apply or remove a charge on it. The problem with that is one has to have access to the tape, ends sticking out for example. If the thing has a charge, that might not be a good idea.
I then thought of computer chips imbedded in the fabric of the tape. A signal causes the chip to become powered up or shut off. As long as a signal can get to the tape, one can control the glue strength.
The tape might have two signals depend on which side of the tape releases. In general, the way most double sided tapes work, is that one would put the exposed sticky-side down first, then peal off the protective backing so the second sticky side can be used. So this tape we are talking about would have an exposed side and that is applied first. Of course, this tape might not have any stickiness at all until activated.
A lot can be done with this concept. consider entire buildings constructed using a strong version of the tape. It uses a signal that just does not happen in a city. then the signal goes off...
My preferred idea is where either special forces or criminals, get hold of the tape in a subversive situation. The tape is placed and set. then at the right time, such as when an executive's car is speeding over it, one sets the tape to maximum. The car stops instantly. Another situation is where something is held in place strongly. then at the right time, the glue is released and the object falls. properly timed, it can do serious damage like hitting someone on the head. It might hold a hidden bomb that goes off on impact. The glue might be turned on and off, allowing someone to climb a sky scraper with ease or go on the underside of a bridge.
I like this concept. a glue that can be turned on and off at will, set for a given amount of stick if needed. one can have lots of fun with that.
As to the question of the day,
I can proudly say
YES, I DID WRITE.
Did you write?
There are times these weeks rush up on us where it is over before we can even start on our plans. Other times we actually have a chance to fit out plans in, to get something done.
For many who read this, writing is an every day, or every week thing, an additional prompt is not needed. For the rest of us, we might go months without opening a word processor. A prompt every week helps us think about writing, even if we cannot write every week. The hope is that you know this note is going to show up, so you sit down, open your word processor or pad of paper and put a few words down.
The concept here is that if you write every week, even if it is just a little, over time, a lot of writing can be done. This note is a place to brag about your accomplishments, cry about your failures, and otherwise talk about what is going on in your life.
Periodically there is a question of whether something is writing. We are not picky as to what is writing, or even how much is writing. The more the better, but if you wrote the one RIGHT word, that is writing.
As to what is writing, we all accept that new writing is writing. We mus also understand that few, or none of us can write perfectly every time. Because of this, editing is writing. editing is writing, even if you are editing someone else's work, or critiquing the work of others. when editing, reverse number counts are quite acceptable. removing entire sections is a penalty of improving one's work.
Poetry, blogging, article writing, writing assignments are also writing. World and character building is also writing. E-mails can even be writing, if they are wording and pertain to story or writing.
What is actually writing, is up to you. Many of these might not be writing to you, but you might also come up with something else. the key is that if you think it is writing, it must be.
As for me, I dug into my Waxy story. Last week I started writing it like one of my story ideas, little details, mainly telling what the story is about with enough details to follow it. It is fighting me, but I am making headway. I added three pages and 1317 words this week. this version is on page 10.
when I finish this version, I will have my writing partners check over the plotting, then I will get back to actually writing it as a story.
On the story idea front, I am a story idea behind. There were two times this month where I was two story ideas behind, but caught one up again. I have plenty of time to get caught up again. I have more than enough story ideas to select from. My count, including the idea I posted tonight, is 51 story ideas in the compost pile. while counting them, I glanced at the newest stories. The top ten stories on the stack are new, un-picked over, and appear exciting to write. that is something excellent to look forward to. Below that, the exciting ones get thinner and thinner the deeper one goes. The ones at the bottom tend not to be worthy of posting, but not bad enough to shift over to the pack of 180 that might never see daylight.
I had several weeks where ideas were flowing, two or three a day. Now I have slowed down a little, but have not stopped. did dig a tiny bit into the stack. just a couple ideas. The times I hate is when nothing comes to me. I dig deeply into the stack. I get to the point where I wonder if it will ever come back. It always does, but there is always that nagging thought.
I am attempting to perfect a way to make platters out of wood. Little things are causing me problems. My lathe spins the wood and I have scrapers and gouges that slice and scrape the excess wood off until I have my final shape. With plates or platters (same thing, platters sound better), I have to flip the work around and try to get it centered, as it was when I did the first side. It is because of flipping it around, that I am running into problems. I have been using double sided tape and it won't stick when I want it to stick, then It won't let go when I need to remove it for one of the steps. This weekend, I had one of the not-stick type days.
I also figured out this weekend that the chuck which grabs the wood, is not centered exactly. take a piece out of the chuck, and then add it again, and it becomes out of center.
I tried something new. I took a board, threaded a hole in it and mounted it on the lathe directly. this might be a great solution, except I did not have access to all the tools I needed, and that method became a real challenge. when you don't have the right tools, you use what might work, and then make adjustments.
When someone is watching me work when it is something like assembling =an item, I tend to say something on the idea of, "Have you ever seen an idiot work?"
For a story idea from above, consider a tape that can be made extremely strong, or release instantly, or anywhere in between, on command.
magic, of course, could do this, but tape is more like technological, rather than magical
My first impression was that one connects wires to the tape and apply or remove a charge on it. The problem with that is one has to have access to the tape, ends sticking out for example. If the thing has a charge, that might not be a good idea.
I then thought of computer chips imbedded in the fabric of the tape. A signal causes the chip to become powered up or shut off. As long as a signal can get to the tape, one can control the glue strength.
The tape might have two signals depend on which side of the tape releases. In general, the way most double sided tapes work, is that one would put the exposed sticky-side down first, then peal off the protective backing so the second sticky side can be used. So this tape we are talking about would have an exposed side and that is applied first. Of course, this tape might not have any stickiness at all until activated.
A lot can be done with this concept. consider entire buildings constructed using a strong version of the tape. It uses a signal that just does not happen in a city. then the signal goes off...
My preferred idea is where either special forces or criminals, get hold of the tape in a subversive situation. The tape is placed and set. then at the right time, such as when an executive's car is speeding over it, one sets the tape to maximum. The car stops instantly. Another situation is where something is held in place strongly. then at the right time, the glue is released and the object falls. properly timed, it can do serious damage like hitting someone on the head. It might hold a hidden bomb that goes off on impact. The glue might be turned on and off, allowing someone to climb a sky scraper with ease or go on the underside of a bridge.
I like this concept. a glue that can be turned on and off at will, set for a given amount of stick if needed. one can have lots of fun with that.
As to the question of the day,
I can proudly say
YES, I DID WRITE.
Did you write?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Week 536 Wood working.
year 10, Week 14, Day One (week 536)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-17-10 Saturday
80 degrees, broken clouds. they finally got them fixed after noon. some sun before then. light breeze with brisker gusts. At around two, there were a few drips from a pregnant cloud, but that was all we saw. I was already cleaning up by then. This is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of tourism.
During the week, I was sanding and varnishing. I had soaked one of my platters, the one I repaired last week, in linseed oil. Since it was damaged, it was worth experimenting with. I then simply varnished a platter. the linseed oil platter is darker in the darker rings. Just slightly prettier. I do see that I have some repair sanding to do on both platters. there are places where the tool dug in, compressing the fibers, and that came out darker, obvious, than the rest of the platter.
I had also varnished my beer stein and my repaired bowl. The repaired bowl needs more sanding in a couple places inside.
The night of the turning club, I put a wire in on the beer stein to hold the lid on. When I got it to the turning club, the lid at the joint there, broke. I super glued it and that worked for the night.
The turning club meeting was pretty good. The demonstration was on carving bowls and stuff. he was using one of those dental drills. Because of the speed it goes, it burns the wood so you get a wood burning effect along with the carving. there are many bits you can get for it. some are rather interesting.
There was a lot of really good pieces on display. Like I have for several months now, I took a whole bunch of pictures. I give them a CD of the pictures for the web site.
After the turning club meeting, they had a wood auction. I took pictures of the wood but did not get involved. I have more wood than I can use, if I choose the right projects.
Saturday,
The day started with some yard sales. I got a workbench/vise like thing. This one can be put on a stand or on a work bench. I got it because it was cheap, not that I needed it.
bench vice
I got another go-by that I would like to carve.
This is either a badger or raccoon. We are not totally sure. It is made of plaster.
I decided to make a platter. I put my face plate on the lathe and found it wobbling slightly. I have seen my chuck has a slight out of center wobble. I needed to mark which jaw fit where on the face plate because when I made the face plate, I took that into account automatically.
I made a platter and was getting lots of out-of center- reactions. I found that the platter lifted slightly on the face plate and the double sided tape rolled. I got it made, but now see I need to try something else. I have a tap that fits the screw of the shaft. I think I will make another set of face plates, drill it out, and screw it directly on the lathe, rather than use the chuck, and see if that works any better.
I had a dollar store tooth brush. this is one where the whole thing vibrates. I got some foam and attached that to the tooth brush in the place of the bristles. I added a small piece of peal-and-stick sand paper. Not really a lot of movement even with two layers of the foam. I am using aggressive grit and that might have something to do with the lack of apparent sanding.
I did some hand sanding but by then the day was ending. It was time to pack everything up and get going.
Half of tomorrow's projects will be finding the tools I need to make the new face plates. I know I have the tools, but I just have to figure out where they went.
After I make the face plates, I will give them a good test with another platter. I should note that there is no difference between a platter and a plate. Platter just sounds better.
I have to have all my turning done next weekend, and all my sanding and finishing before the following weekend.
I will see what I can accomplish tomorrow.
year 10, Week 14, Day Two (week 536)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-18-10 Sunday
78 degrees, unbroken clouds, with pregnant puffs sticking below. A constant drizzle all day long. enough to keep you watching the clouds, but not hard enough to not use electrical equipment out in it. The few times the drips got bigger, for the most part, about the time it took to notice it, it took that much more time for it to end. I packed up the lathe and cleaned up that project just before the drips got heavier. the drips became constant and heavier but I was doing stationary work by then. I drove through some really heavy downpours on the way home.
This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Seattle Washington, I mean, The city of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
I one main project for the day. To make some face plates that screwed directly onto the lathe. First I brought out my two by twelve board of yellow pine. I measured and marked for some square boards. I was only going to cut one, but since I had the circular saw there, I cut four pieces out of it, which is essentially half the board.
I then measured and cut one of those boards into quarters on the band saw.
That done, I then had to locate my threader, and then locate a drill the right size. The thread was one by eight. I took a one inch paddle bit and drilled a hole in the board. I then slipped the threader in. The hole was too big. I took another board and drilled with my next drill bit, a three quarter paddle bit. Nope. too small. I found that one of my dremmel grinding bits was slightly larger than the hole, so I used that to grind the inside of the hole. I had to adjust the hole a little before the threader would go in. My first attempt had the threader wobbling and refusing to dig in. In my second attempt, I tried to use the drill press to hold it upright but that attempt was all wrong, so I got it started by hand, and then used a wrench to get it in.
I screwed it onto the lathe and that made the threads even better. I marked a circle and removed the corners, then I mounted the face plate on the lathe and trued it up. I even cut a tenon on the motor side of the face plate. This way I can use the chuck for some things too.
I made a second face plate. I then started making a platter from a ten inch board. This would really be more like a bowl if I made it that way. I did not think about that until I was well along.
The double sided tape decided not to stick, and to roll. I got to where I was trying to fit the second face plate back in the rim of the bottom and I made a slight error. It needed to be a fraction larger. I played around with it a few times, then finally gave up. I can finish it, but not right now.
I put in the new pin for the beer stein, a heavier rod, and because of a measurement error, it broke out the wood just above the rim. I will use some epoxy to fix that. I also added reinforcement for the lid where the lifter attaches. I have some clean up on that to make it look better.
The beast of the back yard acted just like a cat, and wanted to be around us all day long. Late in the day, I did bring out the beast he was once. I did something and he patted my hand about six times in rapid succession. He used no claws, but I got the message not to do that.
I also tried to carry him and he did not like that either. That might have added to his attitude for the afternoon.
Next week, I need to finish some projects and make sure every thing is sanded to a presentable level. I intend to bring some tools into the house this week and sand and then varnish.
next weekend is the last weekend to work on stuff before I visit the antique shop and the water gardens.
I will see what I do next weekend.
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-17-10 Saturday
80 degrees, broken clouds. they finally got them fixed after noon. some sun before then. light breeze with brisker gusts. At around two, there were a few drips from a pregnant cloud, but that was all we saw. I was already cleaning up by then. This is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of tourism.
During the week, I was sanding and varnishing. I had soaked one of my platters, the one I repaired last week, in linseed oil. Since it was damaged, it was worth experimenting with. I then simply varnished a platter. the linseed oil platter is darker in the darker rings. Just slightly prettier. I do see that I have some repair sanding to do on both platters. there are places where the tool dug in, compressing the fibers, and that came out darker, obvious, than the rest of the platter.
I had also varnished my beer stein and my repaired bowl. The repaired bowl needs more sanding in a couple places inside.
The night of the turning club, I put a wire in on the beer stein to hold the lid on. When I got it to the turning club, the lid at the joint there, broke. I super glued it and that worked for the night.
The turning club meeting was pretty good. The demonstration was on carving bowls and stuff. he was using one of those dental drills. Because of the speed it goes, it burns the wood so you get a wood burning effect along with the carving. there are many bits you can get for it. some are rather interesting.
There was a lot of really good pieces on display. Like I have for several months now, I took a whole bunch of pictures. I give them a CD of the pictures for the web site.
After the turning club meeting, they had a wood auction. I took pictures of the wood but did not get involved. I have more wood than I can use, if I choose the right projects.
Saturday,
The day started with some yard sales. I got a workbench/vise like thing. This one can be put on a stand or on a work bench. I got it because it was cheap, not that I needed it.
bench vice
I got another go-by that I would like to carve.
This is either a badger or raccoon. We are not totally sure. It is made of plaster.
I decided to make a platter. I put my face plate on the lathe and found it wobbling slightly. I have seen my chuck has a slight out of center wobble. I needed to mark which jaw fit where on the face plate because when I made the face plate, I took that into account automatically.
I made a platter and was getting lots of out-of center- reactions. I found that the platter lifted slightly on the face plate and the double sided tape rolled. I got it made, but now see I need to try something else. I have a tap that fits the screw of the shaft. I think I will make another set of face plates, drill it out, and screw it directly on the lathe, rather than use the chuck, and see if that works any better.
I had a dollar store tooth brush. this is one where the whole thing vibrates. I got some foam and attached that to the tooth brush in the place of the bristles. I added a small piece of peal-and-stick sand paper. Not really a lot of movement even with two layers of the foam. I am using aggressive grit and that might have something to do with the lack of apparent sanding.
I did some hand sanding but by then the day was ending. It was time to pack everything up and get going.
Half of tomorrow's projects will be finding the tools I need to make the new face plates. I know I have the tools, but I just have to figure out where they went.
After I make the face plates, I will give them a good test with another platter. I should note that there is no difference between a platter and a plate. Platter just sounds better.
I have to have all my turning done next weekend, and all my sanding and finishing before the following weekend.
I will see what I can accomplish tomorrow.
year 10, Week 14, Day Two (week 536)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-18-10 Sunday
78 degrees, unbroken clouds, with pregnant puffs sticking below. A constant drizzle all day long. enough to keep you watching the clouds, but not hard enough to not use electrical equipment out in it. The few times the drips got bigger, for the most part, about the time it took to notice it, it took that much more time for it to end. I packed up the lathe and cleaned up that project just before the drips got heavier. the drips became constant and heavier but I was doing stationary work by then. I drove through some really heavy downpours on the way home.
This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Seattle Washington, I mean, The city of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
I one main project for the day. To make some face plates that screwed directly onto the lathe. First I brought out my two by twelve board of yellow pine. I measured and marked for some square boards. I was only going to cut one, but since I had the circular saw there, I cut four pieces out of it, which is essentially half the board.
I then measured and cut one of those boards into quarters on the band saw.
That done, I then had to locate my threader, and then locate a drill the right size. The thread was one by eight. I took a one inch paddle bit and drilled a hole in the board. I then slipped the threader in. The hole was too big. I took another board and drilled with my next drill bit, a three quarter paddle bit. Nope. too small. I found that one of my dremmel grinding bits was slightly larger than the hole, so I used that to grind the inside of the hole. I had to adjust the hole a little before the threader would go in. My first attempt had the threader wobbling and refusing to dig in. In my second attempt, I tried to use the drill press to hold it upright but that attempt was all wrong, so I got it started by hand, and then used a wrench to get it in.
I screwed it onto the lathe and that made the threads even better. I marked a circle and removed the corners, then I mounted the face plate on the lathe and trued it up. I even cut a tenon on the motor side of the face plate. This way I can use the chuck for some things too.
I made a second face plate. I then started making a platter from a ten inch board. This would really be more like a bowl if I made it that way. I did not think about that until I was well along.
The double sided tape decided not to stick, and to roll. I got to where I was trying to fit the second face plate back in the rim of the bottom and I made a slight error. It needed to be a fraction larger. I played around with it a few times, then finally gave up. I can finish it, but not right now.
I put in the new pin for the beer stein, a heavier rod, and because of a measurement error, it broke out the wood just above the rim. I will use some epoxy to fix that. I also added reinforcement for the lid where the lifter attaches. I have some clean up on that to make it look better.
The beast of the back yard acted just like a cat, and wanted to be around us all day long. Late in the day, I did bring out the beast he was once. I did something and he patted my hand about six times in rapid succession. He used no claws, but I got the message not to do that.
I also tried to carry him and he did not like that either. That might have added to his attitude for the afternoon.
Next week, I need to finish some projects and make sure every thing is sanded to a presentable level. I intend to bring some tools into the house this week and sand and then varnish.
next weekend is the last weekend to work on stuff before I visit the antique shop and the water gardens.
I will see what I do next weekend.
Friday, April 16, 2010
WHEN WINTER TURNS TO SPRING
When Winter Turns To Spring 
No matter how cold the winter gets
No matter how dark and glum
I know the time will come again
When spring brings back the sun
The wheel will turn, the seasons pass
And all that’s dead and drear
Is only sleeping for a while
Until the thaw is near
At last the ground is soft and bare
Each day is longer now
Fertile Nature bursting forth
Swelling buds on every bough
The days are growing longer yet
Sprouting seeds, and shoots of green
It lifts my heart to hear the birds
When they so sweetly sing
I saw a golden daffodil
Its trumpet lifted high
And violets winking in the lawn
Wild eyes turned toward the sky
The sun above, the earth below
And all that lives between
Reminds me that we’re all reborn
When winter turns to spring
Monday, April 12, 2010
Did you write? 04-12-10
Did you write? 04-12-10
The time sneaks up on you. You had just reported your writing for last week and now it is that time again!
For those of you who write every day, this note is not a spectacular prompt. It only gives you a place to report how well you have done. For the rest of us, writing even once during a week is a big effort. Those are the writers this note is for.
I am a writer that struggles to write each week and knowing this note coming up usually pushes me to write, to write something at all. Of course, if I gave up writing this note, I might have more time to write on my regular work. No, this note helps.
We are not really picky about what one considers to be writing. We are also not picky about how much is written. All we want to know is if you wrote. Of course, we also love to hear what you wrote, how much, and anything else going on in your life.
Those of us on the east coast can attest to how bad the weather has been. I must confess that I am the cause of that. I did not write this week and the world has been pulled down to lower depths by my lack of living up to my potential.
Life got in the way of my writing. I had several days where I fully intended on getting home and opening my story, but things happened to where I got home late and nothing got done.
Life even got in the way of my story ideas and I am one idea behind for this date. I will end up another idea behind later this week. One reason I did no work on my story was I was two ideas behind at one point last week and had to catch up. My odds of actually writing this week is going to be in question.
I am getting some great story ideas, but just don't have time to post them. Of the 54 ideas I have on my compost pile, the top fifteen have not been sorted through in searching for an idea to post. I keep using something on top or one or two down, and have written a couple without noting it on paper. That top fifteen look like they will be a joy to write.
This is a fun period where concepts are coming to me like mad. Over the past week, I have had a couple fantastic ideas to post. I have also had a couple that seamed great but fell short of the expectations. while I was disappointed in the final results, they filled a spot and tended to be kind of fun to write.
A friend of mine has gotten a foot into a start up publishing company. His stuff is excellent so he deserves it. I considered writing some finished stuff to get involved in the project. It then dawned on me. I don't have the time. First off, I work for a living. I open the office so I go to bed early. that kills a lot of hours for writing. I do my story ideas every night. that kills even more writing time. I have things I have to do, even if I avoid doing them when possible. It dawned on me that I have problems getting an hour in on my present series of Waxy dragon stories. I would have to give something up just to have a chance at producing some work worthy of the publication.
My friend is retired so he can apply himself many hours every day on his project. For me to do have the time to write, I have to give up something.
Writing is a jealous mistress. You cannot give yourself to others and keep her happy. that is one reason I post this note is in an attempt to let her know I have though of her.
In wood working, Over the years, many of my early works are embarrassing. It dawned on me that I might be able to rescue some of those works if I am careful.
I chose two of those projects this weekend and did my best to fix them up. One is a bowl with a small pedestal. I made it at a time when I was afraid to go thin. I got it mounted on the lathe and reshaped the inside. It is a whole lot better. I am going to carve this bowl, making it into a "Swirl of leaves." where I will carve leaves and remove the wood between them. they will overlap each other to make the bowl. I have done something like this a few times and have liked the result. This bowl will be fun as it is Camphor wood and it smells nice.
Another was a very early attempt at a natural edged bowl where the trim had bark on it at one time. I thinned the bottom quite a bit, reshaped the outside, and made the bottom more presentable. it looks good. It just needs sanding.
Many of my other projects will never be worthy of art, but I can fix them up so they will be good gifts. The remaining pieces will be unloaded, such as at yard sales or just given away. one or two will likely "accidentally" fall into the garbage and not be retrieved, but that will be some time from now. I might fix them or reuse them in some way.
It should be noted that most wood turners would rather make something new than to fix something old. I have had several good pieces that I ran into problems and had to give up on them. What I am learning right now, is how to save them, or make them better. I also don't want to keep storing these pieces.
for a story idea, he is the fixer. In a world of arts and crafts, no one has ever seen anything with his name on it. He is not a conservator, one who repairs pieces to original quality, instead he will take something that was done wrong or damaged, and make something new out of it. Many consider him a criminal, but the artists he helps are thankful he is around.
He only works for artists with a name and reputation. They hire him to dig through their junky pieces. Officially, it is called a collaboration, but in reality, he is saving their reputation. With just simple tools the artist has on hand, he takes their worst work and makes them presentable. There have been many times where the artist have told him "you're ruining it!". When he was done, though, they have been impressed with his results.
The work is always on display under the original artist's name. he never is recognized as an artist, but his work is instantly recognizable.
One possible way to use this is that someone starts cataloging works the fixer has worked on in all art forms. they are shocked that a sizable percentage of work on display is actually his work. He has more at, more varied art, than anybody else. Not only that, his work on the average is worth more than other artworks.
the problem is how to make him the star he really is. He might have a reason for remaining anonymous.
As to the question of the week,
I sadly must admit,
NO I DID NO WRITE
for this week,
DID YOU WRITE?
The time sneaks up on you. You had just reported your writing for last week and now it is that time again!
For those of you who write every day, this note is not a spectacular prompt. It only gives you a place to report how well you have done. For the rest of us, writing even once during a week is a big effort. Those are the writers this note is for.
I am a writer that struggles to write each week and knowing this note coming up usually pushes me to write, to write something at all. Of course, if I gave up writing this note, I might have more time to write on my regular work. No, this note helps.
We are not really picky about what one considers to be writing. We are also not picky about how much is written. All we want to know is if you wrote. Of course, we also love to hear what you wrote, how much, and anything else going on in your life.
Those of us on the east coast can attest to how bad the weather has been. I must confess that I am the cause of that. I did not write this week and the world has been pulled down to lower depths by my lack of living up to my potential.
Life got in the way of my writing. I had several days where I fully intended on getting home and opening my story, but things happened to where I got home late and nothing got done.
Life even got in the way of my story ideas and I am one idea behind for this date. I will end up another idea behind later this week. One reason I did no work on my story was I was two ideas behind at one point last week and had to catch up. My odds of actually writing this week is going to be in question.
I am getting some great story ideas, but just don't have time to post them. Of the 54 ideas I have on my compost pile, the top fifteen have not been sorted through in searching for an idea to post. I keep using something on top or one or two down, and have written a couple without noting it on paper. That top fifteen look like they will be a joy to write.
This is a fun period where concepts are coming to me like mad. Over the past week, I have had a couple fantastic ideas to post. I have also had a couple that seamed great but fell short of the expectations. while I was disappointed in the final results, they filled a spot and tended to be kind of fun to write.
A friend of mine has gotten a foot into a start up publishing company. His stuff is excellent so he deserves it. I considered writing some finished stuff to get involved in the project. It then dawned on me. I don't have the time. First off, I work for a living. I open the office so I go to bed early. that kills a lot of hours for writing. I do my story ideas every night. that kills even more writing time. I have things I have to do, even if I avoid doing them when possible. It dawned on me that I have problems getting an hour in on my present series of Waxy dragon stories. I would have to give something up just to have a chance at producing some work worthy of the publication.
My friend is retired so he can apply himself many hours every day on his project. For me to do have the time to write, I have to give up something.
Writing is a jealous mistress. You cannot give yourself to others and keep her happy. that is one reason I post this note is in an attempt to let her know I have though of her.
In wood working, Over the years, many of my early works are embarrassing. It dawned on me that I might be able to rescue some of those works if I am careful.
I chose two of those projects this weekend and did my best to fix them up. One is a bowl with a small pedestal. I made it at a time when I was afraid to go thin. I got it mounted on the lathe and reshaped the inside. It is a whole lot better. I am going to carve this bowl, making it into a "Swirl of leaves." where I will carve leaves and remove the wood between them. they will overlap each other to make the bowl. I have done something like this a few times and have liked the result. This bowl will be fun as it is Camphor wood and it smells nice.
Another was a very early attempt at a natural edged bowl where the trim had bark on it at one time. I thinned the bottom quite a bit, reshaped the outside, and made the bottom more presentable. it looks good. It just needs sanding.
Many of my other projects will never be worthy of art, but I can fix them up so they will be good gifts. The remaining pieces will be unloaded, such as at yard sales or just given away. one or two will likely "accidentally" fall into the garbage and not be retrieved, but that will be some time from now. I might fix them or reuse them in some way.
It should be noted that most wood turners would rather make something new than to fix something old. I have had several good pieces that I ran into problems and had to give up on them. What I am learning right now, is how to save them, or make them better. I also don't want to keep storing these pieces.
for a story idea, he is the fixer. In a world of arts and crafts, no one has ever seen anything with his name on it. He is not a conservator, one who repairs pieces to original quality, instead he will take something that was done wrong or damaged, and make something new out of it. Many consider him a criminal, but the artists he helps are thankful he is around.
He only works for artists with a name and reputation. They hire him to dig through their junky pieces. Officially, it is called a collaboration, but in reality, he is saving their reputation. With just simple tools the artist has on hand, he takes their worst work and makes them presentable. There have been many times where the artist have told him "you're ruining it!". When he was done, though, they have been impressed with his results.
The work is always on display under the original artist's name. he never is recognized as an artist, but his work is instantly recognizable.
One possible way to use this is that someone starts cataloging works the fixer has worked on in all art forms. they are shocked that a sizable percentage of work on display is actually his work. He has more at, more varied art, than anybody else. Not only that, his work on the average is worth more than other artworks.
the problem is how to make him the star he really is. He might have a reason for remaining anonymous.
As to the question of the week,
I sadly must admit,
NO I DID NO WRITE
for this week,
DID YOU WRITE?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Week 353 Woodworking
year 10, Week 13, Day One (week 535) (January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.) 04-10-10 Saturday
80 degrees, good breeze, thicker puffs of clouds surrounded by light fuzz to appear like solid clouds, but allowed some sun to shine. Blue sky appeared periodically as the day wore on. The rain we were supposed to have, was mere driplets that were gone after a few minutes. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
There were no yard sales in the early morning after Breakfast, so we came directly home. Mom went out a bit later.
There is a cat out in Mom's back yard, who is pretending to be the beast. A couple months ago, it would not let us touch its side when it was laying on its side. Today, I was petting his side and his belly as he laid there. I am going to have to do a search to find out where the beast actually went. It is, though, nice to have a cat in the yard....
My first project was to make the three wooden face plates I have, to the same size. I put the smallest wooden face plate in the chuck with double sided face, centered the other to the best of my ability, and then cut the second one down so it was the same. I also adjusted the tenon the chuck grabs, adding a bigger slot so the chuck can have a better grip.
I then turned the pair around and turned the tenon on the first face plate for the better chuck grip.
I then attached the third face plate and made the same corrections.
One thing I should have done was to re-do the "center" of each so that the compass knows where the center is, and also the tail stock can find it.
My next project was to dig out a natural edged bowl I have that really needed help. Since the bottom is slightly larger than the face plates, My first project was to try to find the center and then draw a radius the size of the face plate.
This was a very early piece and was made before I got a chuck, I used face plates and screwed the wood in place. I had four screw holes, one in the center, and three around the outside. I commonly added a wooden face plate with the screws in it. I do not remember if that is what I did, but I seam to think so with the center screw.
I quickly found out that the center screw was not in the center. I then found out that centering on the "bottom" of the bowl, was not in the center either. I took a ruler, one of those school rulers with inches on one side and millimeters on the other side. and sighted the sides of the bowl.
I chose the scale that gave me something with numbers that are very close to the dimensions, which in this case was MM. I then visually lined up the two sides on the ruler and marked the center. I turned the bowl ninety degrees, using the first mark and did the center. this second mark should be center, but I checked it by turning the bowl a few more times just to make sure. I then measured the radius of the face plate and set the compass to that.
Finally I drew my circle on the bowl. added double sided tape to the face plate, and very carefully, lined up the face plate with the lines on the bowl. I had to set it a couple times, but got it very close to centered on the face plate.
I put a second face plate against the inside of the bowl to help hold it in place. I spun the bowl, and trimmed the outside first. This bowl was really thick and had a few other problems. One thing I did was to cut the bottom down very slightly next to the face plate to mark the real edge of the piece, and pinpoint the location of the face plate on the bowl. That saved me later.
I sanded the outside quite a bit, knowing that any change I do will cause a wobble.
I then scraped the edges on the inside, cleaning them up and making the inside and outside parallel. I removed the wood face plate, and put the tail stock directly on the bottom inside. I cut in the bottom, making it deeper, which was a problem this piece had. Except for the post in the center, I had the bottom right. I took the tail stock away and trimmed away the post so the bottom was nice and flat.
I added double sided tape to the rear face plate and stuck it inside the piece and turned it around. I carefully removed the first face plate to work the bottom and found that the inside face plate would not stick. I tried several times and it would not hold. I gave up on that project.
Natural edged bowl as finished on Sunday
We got a few driplets right after lunch so I packed up and cleaned up. I then took out the strip sander and ground down the center of the platter I made last week that I broke and glued back together I sanded it really good. One can see some sign of the repair on the back, but the front looks good.
My brother's truck was in the driveway when I arrived. He had another freeze-plug leak. He and his son dropped the engine and transmission to get to the rear freeze plugs. I had to cut some blocks so he could get the jacks to reach high enough. He had made a bracket for controlling the transmission. It worked perfectly.
He found out he had some really bad news. The freeze plug dripped into the bearing, turning it into scrap metal, and that chewed up the end of the transmission and the end of the crank shaft. That truck is dead. His other truck has been down due to a broken transmission.
Their next project was to get my truck hooked up so it could pull his trailer back home. By this time, the dealers were closed. We found that only the dealer had the plugs for the trailer. My brother, instead, had to run wires all over to get everything hooked up. He then road with me as I drove his trailer home. He guided me and taught me how to drive with a trailer.
During the time my brother was working on various projects, I was sanding on my work, getting them closer to being finished.
I could well have done a lot of work during the day after the lunch sprinkle, but was not sure when anything was happening and wanted to be somewhat ready.
Tomorrow I hope to get more work done.
year 10, Week 13, Day Two (week 535) (January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.) 04-11-10 Sunday
80 degrees, The weather report said it would likely get bad at around eleven. By noon, the clouds went from thin plates with lots of blue, to grey pillows and then solid piles of grey pillows. Nothing came down until around two and did not get hard enough to get anything wet until three. This weather report is brought to you by the City of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
I got to Mom's house at the normal time. I went out back, gathered my stuff together, and then petted the thing in the back yard. It is not the beast that is supposed to be back there. He will lay on his side so you can stroke him all over, head, belly, side, under the chin. Mom actually gave him a couple strokes on the back when he was well away from the feeding area, which is usually the only place one can touch him. His main desire today was to be petted and to lay between my feet. My problem was I needed to get some work done before expected weather was to arrive.
Mom's neighbor decided to have a yard sale. I took out my box of junk pieces and pulled the pieces that I am sure I can re-make really nice. I then took that box across the street. I wrote on it, HAND MADE. five bucks a piece. There really are only a couple pieces that cannot be fixed. Whether they are worth the effort is something else. I later retrieved the box as driplets started falling and sold nothing. I never expected to. She started too early and Saturdays are better than Sundays.
Collection of work that needs to be fixed or dumped.
I took the bowl I worked on yesterday, and re-mounted it on the face plate, making sure it was centered. I then taped the face plate on the inside. This time it stuck. I turned the piece around, made sure it stayed, then removed the rear face plate. finally, I was able to fix the bottom of the face plate, until I had just the post left from where the tail stock was holding it in place. I removed the tail stock to remove the post and the tape let go. I used the strip sander to remove the post. I touched the edge of the rim with the strip sander in a couple places and will have to correct that. Not that bad a problem.
I took a Camphor bowl I made years ago. I could not find my compass. That took some time to search fruitlessly. I have a circle cutter for plaster board and used that as my compass. Since the base was smaller than the face plate, I drew my circle on the face plate. This was where my not getting the center located on the face plate caused me problems. there is an impression there, but it was not exactly in the center.
I got the bowl close to center. It still had a wobble. I chose to let that go and make the inside thinner anyway. This piece is going to be carved into leaves, anyway, so a slight difference in thickness is not a problem.
when I made this piece, I soaked it in varnish. I was surprised that there was that wonderful scent in the wood. I love the smell of camphor, at least sometimes. When I carve this, I will smell it quite a bit.
I never touched the outside, letting that be. the bottom was really thick so that got cut in fairly deep, and the inside was trimmed right to the rim, and I cut the rim down slightly so a repair I had done was now even. It is a whole lot better.
Camphor bowl after corrections.
Part of color on far side is repaired with multi colored filler.
I still had some time, so I took a platter blank and made a platter. This one has some great knots in it. The knots make turning slightly bit tougher, but the results are excellent. this piece needs loads of sanding to finish it.
Sunday's platter.
Seeing the weather coming, I packed up and cleaned up I was taking pictures of the day's projects when I saw the first driplets. I finished my pictures then helped pack up the yard sale.
I later sat and sanded for a while before calling it a day. By then the driplets became steady. On the way home, outside of Pompano, I went into an area of rain that would have been red on the weather radar.
I stopped and picked up two gallon recloseable bags for an experiment I wanted to try. I took that broken platter and stuck it in the baggy with the Linseed oil. The gallon bags I normally use, were just slightly too small for the plate. I want to see how the linseed oil effects the yellow pine. I want to see if it comes out dramatically different than with just varnish. some woods are effected differently by finishes than others.
I have a turning club meeting Thursday. I have several projects I need to get complete before then so I can show them off. That means they need to be sanded to a finished level, then given many coats of varnish.
The platters have to be complete, including signature, by the end of the month. I do hope to make a few more next weekend. By then, I will know the effect of the oil on the wood.
I also want to remake a couple other pieces I have. It is quicker and easier to correct them than to make them. Less wood to remove, though centering is always a problem.
I will see what I actually do next weekend.
80 degrees, good breeze, thicker puffs of clouds surrounded by light fuzz to appear like solid clouds, but allowed some sun to shine. Blue sky appeared periodically as the day wore on. The rain we were supposed to have, was mere driplets that were gone after a few minutes. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
There were no yard sales in the early morning after Breakfast, so we came directly home. Mom went out a bit later.
There is a cat out in Mom's back yard, who is pretending to be the beast. A couple months ago, it would not let us touch its side when it was laying on its side. Today, I was petting his side and his belly as he laid there. I am going to have to do a search to find out where the beast actually went. It is, though, nice to have a cat in the yard....
My first project was to make the three wooden face plates I have, to the same size. I put the smallest wooden face plate in the chuck with double sided face, centered the other to the best of my ability, and then cut the second one down so it was the same. I also adjusted the tenon the chuck grabs, adding a bigger slot so the chuck can have a better grip.
I then turned the pair around and turned the tenon on the first face plate for the better chuck grip.
I then attached the third face plate and made the same corrections.
One thing I should have done was to re-do the "center" of each so that the compass knows where the center is, and also the tail stock can find it.
My next project was to dig out a natural edged bowl I have that really needed help. Since the bottom is slightly larger than the face plates, My first project was to try to find the center and then draw a radius the size of the face plate.
This was a very early piece and was made before I got a chuck, I used face plates and screwed the wood in place. I had four screw holes, one in the center, and three around the outside. I commonly added a wooden face plate with the screws in it. I do not remember if that is what I did, but I seam to think so with the center screw.
I quickly found out that the center screw was not in the center. I then found out that centering on the "bottom" of the bowl, was not in the center either. I took a ruler, one of those school rulers with inches on one side and millimeters on the other side. and sighted the sides of the bowl.
I chose the scale that gave me something with numbers that are very close to the dimensions, which in this case was MM. I then visually lined up the two sides on the ruler and marked the center. I turned the bowl ninety degrees, using the first mark and did the center. this second mark should be center, but I checked it by turning the bowl a few more times just to make sure. I then measured the radius of the face plate and set the compass to that.
Finally I drew my circle on the bowl. added double sided tape to the face plate, and very carefully, lined up the face plate with the lines on the bowl. I had to set it a couple times, but got it very close to centered on the face plate.
I put a second face plate against the inside of the bowl to help hold it in place. I spun the bowl, and trimmed the outside first. This bowl was really thick and had a few other problems. One thing I did was to cut the bottom down very slightly next to the face plate to mark the real edge of the piece, and pinpoint the location of the face plate on the bowl. That saved me later.
I sanded the outside quite a bit, knowing that any change I do will cause a wobble.
I then scraped the edges on the inside, cleaning them up and making the inside and outside parallel. I removed the wood face plate, and put the tail stock directly on the bottom inside. I cut in the bottom, making it deeper, which was a problem this piece had. Except for the post in the center, I had the bottom right. I took the tail stock away and trimmed away the post so the bottom was nice and flat.
I added double sided tape to the rear face plate and stuck it inside the piece and turned it around. I carefully removed the first face plate to work the bottom and found that the inside face plate would not stick. I tried several times and it would not hold. I gave up on that project.
Natural edged bowl as finished on Sunday
We got a few driplets right after lunch so I packed up and cleaned up. I then took out the strip sander and ground down the center of the platter I made last week that I broke and glued back together I sanded it really good. One can see some sign of the repair on the back, but the front looks good.
My brother's truck was in the driveway when I arrived. He had another freeze-plug leak. He and his son dropped the engine and transmission to get to the rear freeze plugs. I had to cut some blocks so he could get the jacks to reach high enough. He had made a bracket for controlling the transmission. It worked perfectly.
He found out he had some really bad news. The freeze plug dripped into the bearing, turning it into scrap metal, and that chewed up the end of the transmission and the end of the crank shaft. That truck is dead. His other truck has been down due to a broken transmission.
Their next project was to get my truck hooked up so it could pull his trailer back home. By this time, the dealers were closed. We found that only the dealer had the plugs for the trailer. My brother, instead, had to run wires all over to get everything hooked up. He then road with me as I drove his trailer home. He guided me and taught me how to drive with a trailer.
During the time my brother was working on various projects, I was sanding on my work, getting them closer to being finished.
I could well have done a lot of work during the day after the lunch sprinkle, but was not sure when anything was happening and wanted to be somewhat ready.
Tomorrow I hope to get more work done.
year 10, Week 13, Day Two (week 535) (January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.) 04-11-10 Sunday
80 degrees, The weather report said it would likely get bad at around eleven. By noon, the clouds went from thin plates with lots of blue, to grey pillows and then solid piles of grey pillows. Nothing came down until around two and did not get hard enough to get anything wet until three. This weather report is brought to you by the City of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
I got to Mom's house at the normal time. I went out back, gathered my stuff together, and then petted the thing in the back yard. It is not the beast that is supposed to be back there. He will lay on his side so you can stroke him all over, head, belly, side, under the chin. Mom actually gave him a couple strokes on the back when he was well away from the feeding area, which is usually the only place one can touch him. His main desire today was to be petted and to lay between my feet. My problem was I needed to get some work done before expected weather was to arrive.
Mom's neighbor decided to have a yard sale. I took out my box of junk pieces and pulled the pieces that I am sure I can re-make really nice. I then took that box across the street. I wrote on it, HAND MADE. five bucks a piece. There really are only a couple pieces that cannot be fixed. Whether they are worth the effort is something else. I later retrieved the box as driplets started falling and sold nothing. I never expected to. She started too early and Saturdays are better than Sundays.
Collection of work that needs to be fixed or dumped.
I took the bowl I worked on yesterday, and re-mounted it on the face plate, making sure it was centered. I then taped the face plate on the inside. This time it stuck. I turned the piece around, made sure it stayed, then removed the rear face plate. finally, I was able to fix the bottom of the face plate, until I had just the post left from where the tail stock was holding it in place. I removed the tail stock to remove the post and the tape let go. I used the strip sander to remove the post. I touched the edge of the rim with the strip sander in a couple places and will have to correct that. Not that bad a problem.
I took a Camphor bowl I made years ago. I could not find my compass. That took some time to search fruitlessly. I have a circle cutter for plaster board and used that as my compass. Since the base was smaller than the face plate, I drew my circle on the face plate. This was where my not getting the center located on the face plate caused me problems. there is an impression there, but it was not exactly in the center.
I got the bowl close to center. It still had a wobble. I chose to let that go and make the inside thinner anyway. This piece is going to be carved into leaves, anyway, so a slight difference in thickness is not a problem.
when I made this piece, I soaked it in varnish. I was surprised that there was that wonderful scent in the wood. I love the smell of camphor, at least sometimes. When I carve this, I will smell it quite a bit.
I never touched the outside, letting that be. the bottom was really thick so that got cut in fairly deep, and the inside was trimmed right to the rim, and I cut the rim down slightly so a repair I had done was now even. It is a whole lot better.
Camphor bowl after corrections.
Part of color on far side is repaired with multi colored filler.
I still had some time, so I took a platter blank and made a platter. This one has some great knots in it. The knots make turning slightly bit tougher, but the results are excellent. this piece needs loads of sanding to finish it.
Sunday's platter.
Seeing the weather coming, I packed up and cleaned up I was taking pictures of the day's projects when I saw the first driplets. I finished my pictures then helped pack up the yard sale.
I later sat and sanded for a while before calling it a day. By then the driplets became steady. On the way home, outside of Pompano, I went into an area of rain that would have been red on the weather radar.
I stopped and picked up two gallon recloseable bags for an experiment I wanted to try. I took that broken platter and stuck it in the baggy with the Linseed oil. The gallon bags I normally use, were just slightly too small for the plate. I want to see how the linseed oil effects the yellow pine. I want to see if it comes out dramatically different than with just varnish. some woods are effected differently by finishes than others.
I have a turning club meeting Thursday. I have several projects I need to get complete before then so I can show them off. That means they need to be sanded to a finished level, then given many coats of varnish.
The platters have to be complete, including signature, by the end of the month. I do hope to make a few more next weekend. By then, I will know the effect of the oil on the wood.
I also want to remake a couple other pieces I have. It is quicker and easier to correct them than to make them. Less wood to remove, though centering is always a problem.
I will see what I actually do next weekend.
Monday, April 5, 2010
April 05, 2010 Did You Write?
April 05, 2010 Did You Write?
It is that horrible feeling where you sit down at the computer, you boot up your favorite bulletin board, and you find yourself facing with a note that sends chills down your spine. another week you forgot to write during the week. You close your browser and you open your present work in progress and start adding words, or start editing. A time later, you log back on the board and proudly report that YES, YOU DID WRITE!
This might be a bit melodramatic, but you get the idea. this post is to get you to write, anything, sometime during the week. It is better that you write early in the week, so you might have a chance to sit and write more in another session or two, but even once, some time during the week is the real goal.
Many write every week even if the world around them was falling apart. The rest of us will write in a great burst of imagination, then go weeks or months without opening the word processor. If I can help you develop the habit (yes, some habits are good for you) to write every week, I know I have helped the world in the slightest way. This note also helps me get to writing because I don't like writing this note without results.
We all agree that new writing is writing. We have some arguments as to whether editing is also writing. It is, even if you edit someone else’s work. I consider critiquing someone else's work as editing so that counts too. Other things are also writing, even if many of us might not agree on them. Poetry, world or character building, technical writing, writing assignments, bogging. Even E-mails can be writing as long as they are wordy and pertain to story or writing. We don't quibble about how much you did when you write. You might only write one word, as long as it is the RIGHT word. If you are editing, it is not uncommon to go backwards or come up with a nothing number when you have zapped passages to rewrite them.
As for me. I have been fighting my work in progress. I decided to follow my own suggestion. I started from the beginning and have written seven pages and 4181 words, of the same story in the style of writing as my story ideas. My story ideas TELL the story and include only enough information so you can follow it easily. I changed the path of the story some, and am now beyond where I was stuck. This won't be the final path of the story, but this tactic is helping. My seven pages was in two sessions, one where I wrote five pages. I verified that I type about 30 words a minute. I don't count mistakes. It really felt good, though.
On the story idea front, I am already two story ideas behind for the month and it is only the 5th. I had one of THOSE weekends. I am not worried as I can catch up easily. I don't like to. I would rather use that effort to gain on the year.
Ideas are coming to me in a nice flow. Including what I am writing tonight, I have 53 story ideas in my compost pile. A lot of good ones near the top. Even the bad ones near the top are writeable if I get to them soon enough.
I returned my art work to the antique shop for display. I did not have as much room as I once did, so I picked out some pieces that would be of interest. While I was setting up, the proprietor of a gift shop was there and he saw my work and asked me to bring my stuff down to display. They accepted a group of my work that they would love for people to see. Wee. I also got ideas for projects to work on over the next period of time, based on what they like to see.
This weekend, I am trying to perfect a system to make platters easily. The concept is there, but there is a flaw in my process. I am getting far better results than what I came up with last year.
Because I am making some platters, I picked up a board to make them from. While digging for the saw to cut the board, I ran across several blanks for platters. I take a square piece of board, chop off the corners so it is somewhat round, and there are lines locating the center. These blanks then simply fit on the lathe and are turned round and shaped. I have to remember to bring a saw with me next weekend.
I think part of my problem with the system I am using for these platters, is that I am not taking my time. I need to modify or remake my jigs to solve some simple design problems I have. I am impressed with the improvement I have had.
Two and a half years ago, I started taming a cat. Even as a kitten, it would fight you if you picked it up. I was about the only one who could handle him in the slightest. he would let you pet him while he was eating. You pet him six times and he would then swat at you. I gave him a little food and petted him, then gave him more food and petted him, until he learned that being petted was pleasurable. Last year I got him to where my mom could touch him, since he is in Mom's yard, and she started working on him. Between us, he has tamed down dramatically.
This month, we realized that other than a slight sign of his attitude yet, He is almost a house cat. We joke that whoever took the beast and replaced it with a cat, had better be happy with what they got.
Using the above as a story idea, they have what was supposed to be a pet. It was extremely expensive and hard to gain even without the expense. they had the bad luck that it got into some chemicals and has gone wild. it attacks everything that moves. lots of bandages later, they now have it where they can walk around the yard without being attacked and can actually pet it while it was eating, but that was about it.
A space captain has the same kind of creature on board. he wants something that is wild, that he can put in a pit against other creatures. His creature is soft, sweet, cuddly.
While on the planet, he sees the beast. He sees how it reacts to the people. he notes that the markings are almost exactly like his.
One night, the slip in and use a light gas to knock the beast out. they put their ship pet in the yard and leave with the beast.
The next morning the people go out to feed the beast. They start petting it and the beast reacts like it really enjoys it. They end up giving it attention all day long.
That night, it is laying inside the house, quite tame. They joke that whoever got their beast, swapping them, had better be happy with what they got.
The captain finds he has problems with the beast in space, He forgot that he had to house the thing until they got to where the fight was. It does not like space at all and does not like anybody on board the ship. It also does not like being surprised and there is no place for it to get away from people. anybody coming into whatever room it is in, is a surprise.
I just cleaned this up and made it into another story idea. That caught me up a day, since today’s story idea is also short. I like that.
As to the question of the day
I can happily say
YES, I DID WRITE
DID YOU WRITE?
It is that horrible feeling where you sit down at the computer, you boot up your favorite bulletin board, and you find yourself facing with a note that sends chills down your spine. another week you forgot to write during the week. You close your browser and you open your present work in progress and start adding words, or start editing. A time later, you log back on the board and proudly report that YES, YOU DID WRITE!
This might be a bit melodramatic, but you get the idea. this post is to get you to write, anything, sometime during the week. It is better that you write early in the week, so you might have a chance to sit and write more in another session or two, but even once, some time during the week is the real goal.
Many write every week even if the world around them was falling apart. The rest of us will write in a great burst of imagination, then go weeks or months without opening the word processor. If I can help you develop the habit (yes, some habits are good for you) to write every week, I know I have helped the world in the slightest way. This note also helps me get to writing because I don't like writing this note without results.
We all agree that new writing is writing. We have some arguments as to whether editing is also writing. It is, even if you edit someone else’s work. I consider critiquing someone else's work as editing so that counts too. Other things are also writing, even if many of us might not agree on them. Poetry, world or character building, technical writing, writing assignments, bogging. Even E-mails can be writing as long as they are wordy and pertain to story or writing. We don't quibble about how much you did when you write. You might only write one word, as long as it is the RIGHT word. If you are editing, it is not uncommon to go backwards or come up with a nothing number when you have zapped passages to rewrite them.
As for me. I have been fighting my work in progress. I decided to follow my own suggestion. I started from the beginning and have written seven pages and 4181 words, of the same story in the style of writing as my story ideas. My story ideas TELL the story and include only enough information so you can follow it easily. I changed the path of the story some, and am now beyond where I was stuck. This won't be the final path of the story, but this tactic is helping. My seven pages was in two sessions, one where I wrote five pages. I verified that I type about 30 words a minute. I don't count mistakes. It really felt good, though.
On the story idea front, I am already two story ideas behind for the month and it is only the 5th. I had one of THOSE weekends. I am not worried as I can catch up easily. I don't like to. I would rather use that effort to gain on the year.
Ideas are coming to me in a nice flow. Including what I am writing tonight, I have 53 story ideas in my compost pile. A lot of good ones near the top. Even the bad ones near the top are writeable if I get to them soon enough.
I returned my art work to the antique shop for display. I did not have as much room as I once did, so I picked out some pieces that would be of interest. While I was setting up, the proprietor of a gift shop was there and he saw my work and asked me to bring my stuff down to display. They accepted a group of my work that they would love for people to see. Wee. I also got ideas for projects to work on over the next period of time, based on what they like to see.
This weekend, I am trying to perfect a system to make platters easily. The concept is there, but there is a flaw in my process. I am getting far better results than what I came up with last year.
Because I am making some platters, I picked up a board to make them from. While digging for the saw to cut the board, I ran across several blanks for platters. I take a square piece of board, chop off the corners so it is somewhat round, and there are lines locating the center. These blanks then simply fit on the lathe and are turned round and shaped. I have to remember to bring a saw with me next weekend.
I think part of my problem with the system I am using for these platters, is that I am not taking my time. I need to modify or remake my jigs to solve some simple design problems I have. I am impressed with the improvement I have had.
Two and a half years ago, I started taming a cat. Even as a kitten, it would fight you if you picked it up. I was about the only one who could handle him in the slightest. he would let you pet him while he was eating. You pet him six times and he would then swat at you. I gave him a little food and petted him, then gave him more food and petted him, until he learned that being petted was pleasurable. Last year I got him to where my mom could touch him, since he is in Mom's yard, and she started working on him. Between us, he has tamed down dramatically.
This month, we realized that other than a slight sign of his attitude yet, He is almost a house cat. We joke that whoever took the beast and replaced it with a cat, had better be happy with what they got.
Using the above as a story idea, they have what was supposed to be a pet. It was extremely expensive and hard to gain even without the expense. they had the bad luck that it got into some chemicals and has gone wild. it attacks everything that moves. lots of bandages later, they now have it where they can walk around the yard without being attacked and can actually pet it while it was eating, but that was about it.
A space captain has the same kind of creature on board. he wants something that is wild, that he can put in a pit against other creatures. His creature is soft, sweet, cuddly.
While on the planet, he sees the beast. He sees how it reacts to the people. he notes that the markings are almost exactly like his.
One night, the slip in and use a light gas to knock the beast out. they put their ship pet in the yard and leave with the beast.
The next morning the people go out to feed the beast. They start petting it and the beast reacts like it really enjoys it. They end up giving it attention all day long.
That night, it is laying inside the house, quite tame. They joke that whoever got their beast, swapping them, had better be happy with what they got.
The captain finds he has problems with the beast in space, He forgot that he had to house the thing until they got to where the fight was. It does not like space at all and does not like anybody on board the ship. It also does not like being surprised and there is no place for it to get away from people. anybody coming into whatever room it is in, is a surprise.
I just cleaned this up and made it into another story idea. That caught me up a day, since today’s story idea is also short. I like that.
As to the question of the day
I can happily say
YES, I DID WRITE
DID YOU WRITE?
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Week 534 Woodworking
Year 10, Week 12, Day One (week 534)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-03-10 Saturday
84 degrees as a high, sunny, thin high clouds, a slight haze, some low puffs of no consequence. A medium breeze made it nice to work all day long. This weather report was brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
During the week
After I got myself together after last week's art show, I laid out the pieces from the show. I knew I did not have a lot of room for all the work at the antique shop. I pulled a few small pieces out because they were just not as good as the others.
Friday:
I went to the shell shop and thrift store that are just a few blocks from the antique shop. I picked up two snail shells that look like they might be interesting ornaments. I found out that the shell shop is open all year long, while the citrus store next door will be closing soon. I got an air popper and a couple books at the thrift store across the parking lot. I don't need more books, but you know how it is with interesting things.
I went to the Candlelight antique shop in Dania. He opened up a little bigger space for a possible additional something his shop offers. My normal space was gone. He decided to have my stuff in on a dresser with a mirror. It is a dark, but you can see my stuff anyway.
Antique shop display.
Sign removed right after picture taken.
While I was clearing the dresser so my stuff could go onto it, Another man had come in and they were talking about how to improve a little fountain that is in the shop and a few other things. Marty talked up my work and had me show some of my work. They asked if I could come down to their place to show the work to his wife.
I finished my display, of course with some of my best pieces, but I held back a few just in case. I did not have any real room so that was not a problem.
Dania Water Gardens
When done, I went down to the Dania Water Gardens and showed my pieces off. I never even knew that place was there. It is an old mansion where the grounds are used to show off all sorts of fountains and gardens. I showed off my stuff and they decided they like my stuff to put it on display. They took nine pieces.
I got great ideas as to what to concentrate on for my next projects. One of which is the yellow pine platters. She liked the looks of the two I had on display, but did not like the painting of a tree I put on them.
Saturday:
There were no yard sales this weekend, so I went out back fairly quickly.
There had been a cat hanging around the backyard beast. they seamed to get along fairly well. Mom has not seen the cat for a while.
Except for one incident, the backyard beast acted exactly like a house cat. That one incident, I did something too many times and he made a biting motion against the back of my hand, then went back to enjoying the attention I was giving him. Just six months ago, I would have had a claw mark on my hand. If I were not involved in some projects, and had a book in my hand, I know he would have loved to have slept between my feet all day long. I have not tried to lift him in six months, and those times I set him on my lap and he was back on the ground in a moment. It had been even longer since I tried to hold him in my arms. He just tried to push out of my arms, but nothing else. I just have not bothered to mess up the comfort zone he is having right now. I gave him attention about eight times between going out at around eight, and leaving at around three.
Since I was told that my yellow pine platters would be interesting, I decided to try to fine tune my method of making them. I am using wood face plates and double sided tape. I am finding My big problem is that the double sided tape either won't come off, or it won't stick. This is a typical problem with tape. I can get it right some times, but not always. I did find one problem. My face plates are not all the same size. I used the small face plate to make the base of the plate, and then tried to use a slightly larger face plate to attach it and it would not stick.
I think my first project for today is to make the face plates all the same diameter. that will solve a bit of my problem later. I think. I seam to remember that I ran into problems where one had to be a little smaller than the other for the system to work.
I also figured out yesterday that I need to take the platter off the lathe to remove the face plate I used to hold the work to the lathe on the first try. the force of trying to drive a putty knife between the two pieces of wood, dislodged the work from the second face plate that the chuck was hanging onto.
One thing I am after with this system is to come up with a system to create platters with a consistent design, and do it quickly. The cutting part is not hard with this system, if I can get the holding part of the system correct.
I brought my second rate works with me today and I set them all out on the workbench. I then examined each piece and classified them as to whether they just needed a new finish, which will likely require them to be sanded to wood and revarnished, or whether they need to be re-built.
Like any beginner, my early woodworking is of the wrong design and gets really thick, especially near the base. I am looking at what needs to be re-mounted on the lathe and re-cut, and what might not be save-able.
Part of the project is to figure out what will bring the best shape out of them. some might never be "presentable" but they will be better than they are. Those that are not up to quality, might end up being gifts or sold for a few bucks at yard sales. I will decide that after the first few whether this will be a viable project.
After I got home, I got a call and had to run to help my brother. He had an engine problem with his work truck. The original plan was for me to tow his trailer home. Instead, he went and got the part that failed and was able to drive the truck home. I mainly sat and watched his truck.
I will see what I actually do tomorrow.
Year 10, Week 12, Day Two (week 534)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-04-10 Sunday.
84 degrees under the awning, official high was 79, lots of blue sky, widely spaced thin ripples, nice breeze, no humidity. This is the kind of weather I thrive on. I was comfortable and really enjoyed the day.
I have reason to think I got a very slight sunburn during the past two days. Standing at the lathe, I am facing west. Most of my lathe work is in the morning part of the day. The sun starts behind me, and on my left. The left side of the back of my neck is a tiny bit tender.
I noticed the top of my head sore. I could not figure out why. Nothing I could feel. It dawned on me that when wearing the face shield, the top of my head is exposed to the sun. I cannot wear a hat under the face shield head gear. I don't have a thick mop of hair any more, it is thinning out. I may have gotten a little sun-burn on top my head. I won't be in the sun all week so I will recover easily and start tanning over the next few weeks, which will become protection against the sun.
This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
I stopped and picked up a two by twelve inch by eight foot yellow pine board. I got it to make more platter blanks.
After petting the beast of the back yard, who is acting like a house cat, I went to the shed to get out the circular saw so I could cut the board. when digging for the saw, I ran across several blanks for plates I had made before. I set the board to the side for later projects, and dug out the blanks.
when I make the blanks, I start with a square piece of wood, and draw lines from corner to corner. I then draw a circle centered on where the lines cross, to the biggest diameter I can get from the closest edges. I then put the blank onto the band saw and knock off the corners following close to the line, but just outside it.
The corners get trimmed into square stock with one of the "tails hanging down. These become bearded pencil heads. Cut with the grain and one can carve it.
The blanks were already trimmed. I chose which side would become the face of the plate. On the face side, I took a compass and, measuring my wood face plate radius, I drew a circle on the board. I then added my double sided tape and centered the wood face plate in the circle.
I mounted it on the lathe and set the second face plate on the other side, held in place by the tail stock. With the lathe spinning, I first trimmed the edge which is always out of round. once the edge is round, I trued up the face and back of the bowl, at least an inch in.
I take a thin parting tool and cut deep right against the tail stock face plate, which marks the inside of the base rim. I then move out a short distance, quarter or half an inch and cut in a second line. Anything outside this line becomes the rim of the plate.
On the edge of the work, I go in from the face, which is the motor side of the lathe, and cut in about half an inch down. It is thick for a plate, but when all is said and done, it will be thinner.
Finally, I trim down the excess wood on the back, essentially from the base of the groove near the face plate to the cut on the edge of the board. I usually allow about quarter to half an inch cut in on the base. some of that will be lost later in truing up the piece in the last steps of finishing.
Once I get the back of the plate shaped, I sand, and then remove the tail stock face plate and cut out some wood on the inside of the inside groove. I try to make that as flat as possible, no angles center to edge. After sanding that, I put double sided tape on the tail stock face plate and place in into the inset, and apply tail stock pressure.
Finally I turn the platter around. the back is now in the chuck. I cut in the inside of the plate so if follows the back. You can see both sides if you position yourself right. I sometimes will stop and feel the thickness between my fingers. some people can do this, others cannot.
Once everything but the wood beneath the tail stock is done, I remove the wood from the lathe, pry off the face plate, and then remount it. I finish removing the wood, and try to make the center indention the same size as the bottom ring. The face plate can fit into it.
I will bring the tail stock up against the wood and leave a post in the center as the double sided tape does not always hold well. The longer the tail stock secures the piece, the better the final result and less trouble you will have. The farther away from dead center you get, the more forces on the tape you are applying, both in pulling away from the face plate and also in causing the work to spin on the tape. Removing the final post has the least amount of forces on the whole project.
ON one of my pieces, I was removing the post from the piece and caught on the side. it popped out, taking a bit of the bottom with it. I have glued it in, and have removed all but a nib of the post. I will grind that off a bit later and sand it flush. One may, or might not even know something happened there. There are other ways of hiding the mistake.
I ended up making two platters today and two yesterday. That is not too bad. Both days, there were interruptions and I could have made three both days if everything fell together. My system for making these platters is not perfect. I am getting better results, and making them faster than I have in previous times.
the big difference is having the work held in place by the tail stock until the last cuts of each side. I need to play with the process more and see what I can do to improve my results.
Four platters made this weekend.
Between the platter, but after lunch, My brother and I replaced a headlight on my truck. I had noticed the blinker was brighter than normal and had no idea why. I had followed my brother last night and they saw one light was out. Not as expensive as I was expecting and we solved a trim problem while we were at it.
I need to see about going down to the Dania Water Gardens some time during the week and leave my bio for their display. If I cannot make it this week, I hope to make it down there Friday. If it is Friday, and I work at it, I could have these platters to take with me.
I will have to see what all I do next week. I don't know if I will be making more platters, fixing some existing pieces I have, finishing some projects I have in process, or working on something new.
I will have to see what next weekend brings.
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-03-10 Saturday
84 degrees as a high, sunny, thin high clouds, a slight haze, some low puffs of no consequence. A medium breeze made it nice to work all day long. This weather report was brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
During the week
After I got myself together after last week's art show, I laid out the pieces from the show. I knew I did not have a lot of room for all the work at the antique shop. I pulled a few small pieces out because they were just not as good as the others.
Friday:
I went to the shell shop and thrift store that are just a few blocks from the antique shop. I picked up two snail shells that look like they might be interesting ornaments. I found out that the shell shop is open all year long, while the citrus store next door will be closing soon. I got an air popper and a couple books at the thrift store across the parking lot. I don't need more books, but you know how it is with interesting things.
I went to the Candlelight antique shop in Dania. He opened up a little bigger space for a possible additional something his shop offers. My normal space was gone. He decided to have my stuff in on a dresser with a mirror. It is a dark, but you can see my stuff anyway.
Antique shop display.
Sign removed right after picture taken.
While I was clearing the dresser so my stuff could go onto it, Another man had come in and they were talking about how to improve a little fountain that is in the shop and a few other things. Marty talked up my work and had me show some of my work. They asked if I could come down to their place to show the work to his wife.
I finished my display, of course with some of my best pieces, but I held back a few just in case. I did not have any real room so that was not a problem.
Dania Water Gardens
When done, I went down to the Dania Water Gardens and showed my pieces off. I never even knew that place was there. It is an old mansion where the grounds are used to show off all sorts of fountains and gardens. I showed off my stuff and they decided they like my stuff to put it on display. They took nine pieces.
I got great ideas as to what to concentrate on for my next projects. One of which is the yellow pine platters. She liked the looks of the two I had on display, but did not like the painting of a tree I put on them.
Saturday:
There were no yard sales this weekend, so I went out back fairly quickly.
There had been a cat hanging around the backyard beast. they seamed to get along fairly well. Mom has not seen the cat for a while.
Except for one incident, the backyard beast acted exactly like a house cat. That one incident, I did something too many times and he made a biting motion against the back of my hand, then went back to enjoying the attention I was giving him. Just six months ago, I would have had a claw mark on my hand. If I were not involved in some projects, and had a book in my hand, I know he would have loved to have slept between my feet all day long. I have not tried to lift him in six months, and those times I set him on my lap and he was back on the ground in a moment. It had been even longer since I tried to hold him in my arms. He just tried to push out of my arms, but nothing else. I just have not bothered to mess up the comfort zone he is having right now. I gave him attention about eight times between going out at around eight, and leaving at around three.
Since I was told that my yellow pine platters would be interesting, I decided to try to fine tune my method of making them. I am using wood face plates and double sided tape. I am finding My big problem is that the double sided tape either won't come off, or it won't stick. This is a typical problem with tape. I can get it right some times, but not always. I did find one problem. My face plates are not all the same size. I used the small face plate to make the base of the plate, and then tried to use a slightly larger face plate to attach it and it would not stick.
I think my first project for today is to make the face plates all the same diameter. that will solve a bit of my problem later. I think. I seam to remember that I ran into problems where one had to be a little smaller than the other for the system to work.
I also figured out yesterday that I need to take the platter off the lathe to remove the face plate I used to hold the work to the lathe on the first try. the force of trying to drive a putty knife between the two pieces of wood, dislodged the work from the second face plate that the chuck was hanging onto.
One thing I am after with this system is to come up with a system to create platters with a consistent design, and do it quickly. The cutting part is not hard with this system, if I can get the holding part of the system correct.
I brought my second rate works with me today and I set them all out on the workbench. I then examined each piece and classified them as to whether they just needed a new finish, which will likely require them to be sanded to wood and revarnished, or whether they need to be re-built.
Like any beginner, my early woodworking is of the wrong design and gets really thick, especially near the base. I am looking at what needs to be re-mounted on the lathe and re-cut, and what might not be save-able.
Part of the project is to figure out what will bring the best shape out of them. some might never be "presentable" but they will be better than they are. Those that are not up to quality, might end up being gifts or sold for a few bucks at yard sales. I will decide that after the first few whether this will be a viable project.
After I got home, I got a call and had to run to help my brother. He had an engine problem with his work truck. The original plan was for me to tow his trailer home. Instead, he went and got the part that failed and was able to drive the truck home. I mainly sat and watched his truck.
I will see what I actually do tomorrow.
Year 10, Week 12, Day Two (week 534)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-04-10 Sunday.
84 degrees under the awning, official high was 79, lots of blue sky, widely spaced thin ripples, nice breeze, no humidity. This is the kind of weather I thrive on. I was comfortable and really enjoyed the day.
I have reason to think I got a very slight sunburn during the past two days. Standing at the lathe, I am facing west. Most of my lathe work is in the morning part of the day. The sun starts behind me, and on my left. The left side of the back of my neck is a tiny bit tender.
I noticed the top of my head sore. I could not figure out why. Nothing I could feel. It dawned on me that when wearing the face shield, the top of my head is exposed to the sun. I cannot wear a hat under the face shield head gear. I don't have a thick mop of hair any more, it is thinning out. I may have gotten a little sun-burn on top my head. I won't be in the sun all week so I will recover easily and start tanning over the next few weeks, which will become protection against the sun.
This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
I stopped and picked up a two by twelve inch by eight foot yellow pine board. I got it to make more platter blanks.
After petting the beast of the back yard, who is acting like a house cat, I went to the shed to get out the circular saw so I could cut the board. when digging for the saw, I ran across several blanks for plates I had made before. I set the board to the side for later projects, and dug out the blanks.
when I make the blanks, I start with a square piece of wood, and draw lines from corner to corner. I then draw a circle centered on where the lines cross, to the biggest diameter I can get from the closest edges. I then put the blank onto the band saw and knock off the corners following close to the line, but just outside it.
The corners get trimmed into square stock with one of the "tails hanging down. These become bearded pencil heads. Cut with the grain and one can carve it.
The blanks were already trimmed. I chose which side would become the face of the plate. On the face side, I took a compass and, measuring my wood face plate radius, I drew a circle on the board. I then added my double sided tape and centered the wood face plate in the circle.
I mounted it on the lathe and set the second face plate on the other side, held in place by the tail stock. With the lathe spinning, I first trimmed the edge which is always out of round. once the edge is round, I trued up the face and back of the bowl, at least an inch in.
I take a thin parting tool and cut deep right against the tail stock face plate, which marks the inside of the base rim. I then move out a short distance, quarter or half an inch and cut in a second line. Anything outside this line becomes the rim of the plate.
On the edge of the work, I go in from the face, which is the motor side of the lathe, and cut in about half an inch down. It is thick for a plate, but when all is said and done, it will be thinner.
Finally, I trim down the excess wood on the back, essentially from the base of the groove near the face plate to the cut on the edge of the board. I usually allow about quarter to half an inch cut in on the base. some of that will be lost later in truing up the piece in the last steps of finishing.
Once I get the back of the plate shaped, I sand, and then remove the tail stock face plate and cut out some wood on the inside of the inside groove. I try to make that as flat as possible, no angles center to edge. After sanding that, I put double sided tape on the tail stock face plate and place in into the inset, and apply tail stock pressure.
Finally I turn the platter around. the back is now in the chuck. I cut in the inside of the plate so if follows the back. You can see both sides if you position yourself right. I sometimes will stop and feel the thickness between my fingers. some people can do this, others cannot.
Once everything but the wood beneath the tail stock is done, I remove the wood from the lathe, pry off the face plate, and then remount it. I finish removing the wood, and try to make the center indention the same size as the bottom ring. The face plate can fit into it.
I will bring the tail stock up against the wood and leave a post in the center as the double sided tape does not always hold well. The longer the tail stock secures the piece, the better the final result and less trouble you will have. The farther away from dead center you get, the more forces on the tape you are applying, both in pulling away from the face plate and also in causing the work to spin on the tape. Removing the final post has the least amount of forces on the whole project.
ON one of my pieces, I was removing the post from the piece and caught on the side. it popped out, taking a bit of the bottom with it. I have glued it in, and have removed all but a nib of the post. I will grind that off a bit later and sand it flush. One may, or might not even know something happened there. There are other ways of hiding the mistake.
I ended up making two platters today and two yesterday. That is not too bad. Both days, there were interruptions and I could have made three both days if everything fell together. My system for making these platters is not perfect. I am getting better results, and making them faster than I have in previous times.
the big difference is having the work held in place by the tail stock until the last cuts of each side. I need to play with the process more and see what I can do to improve my results.
Four platters made this weekend.
Between the platter, but after lunch, My brother and I replaced a headlight on my truck. I had noticed the blinker was brighter than normal and had no idea why. I had followed my brother last night and they saw one light was out. Not as expensive as I was expecting and we solved a trim problem while we were at it.
I need to see about going down to the Dania Water Gardens some time during the week and leave my bio for their display. If I cannot make it this week, I hope to make it down there Friday. If it is Friday, and I work at it, I could have these platters to take with me.
I will have to see what all I do next week. I don't know if I will be making more platters, fixing some existing pieces I have, finishing some projects I have in process, or working on something new.
I will have to see what next weekend brings.
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