In My "Spare" Time: Year 18, Week 50, Day One (week 988)

Year 18, Week 50, Day One (week 988)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
12-22-18 Saturday

The city requested the lawns to be watered during the week before the holiday, that way they could then order the actual Christmas weekend weather to clear and cold. Snow they hoped for was to be back ordered for too many months anyway so this was a compromise. A squall line did a good job, and then a light drizzle lasted about a day then it cleared on Thursday. The cold spell that was the snow was supposed to come with, did hit us. Saturday met us with 54 degrees early morning, 75 late afternoon. Had I known it was going to get this cold, I would never have moved here. This weather report was brought to you by The City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

During the week, I finished painting and passed out most of my first batch of cards, and have a good start on my second batch of cards.

We wore coats when we went for breakfast, and then came directly home. After a little bit, I had to go to Lowes for something I needed. They ended up not having the key item. I did leave some money there. No coat was needed by then.
On a Saturday mornings, one does not go to Lowes directly. I took the southern half of the yard sale route. I found two yard sales. One was a guy who has had it before, had a box of cords. There were two I knew I could use and a couple others that might be useful. I could have lived without them, but I decided to take the chance.
The other yard sale was damaging... I found an unused pencil and pastel kit. The wood box was nice and everything in excellent condition. I figure this was quite an expensive purchase originally. I’ve wanted a kit like this.

Recently I saw a set of videos on how to work with oil pastels, which was in this box. I had tried some a couple years ago, and the color applied to the paper in spotty fashion. I had the same results with crayons. I instantly lost interest. These videos showed that you fold up paper into a tight wad. When you apply your color, and then rub the color with the paper which blends it. You can then apply the next color and rub it in. It is no longer spotty, but clean colors. You use the compressed paper to blend it.
In working with charcoals, they have what is basically a paper stick called a stump, and that blends or removes charcoal from your drawings. That is what the tight paper used for in the videos, except they were using the slick part of the paper, not the edges. The stump is more a rough paper that can pick up materials. The final pictures in the videos looked as good as an actual painting.

The real reason this stop was so damaging, was a team of Beanie Babies rushed past me and climbed into my truck and threatened to drive off with it if I did not pay for them. They kept moving the truck each time I walked closer. I had no choice but buy them. I needed my truck!!!
There was two sealed bags of Beanie-Baby state-coin teddy-bears. These are collector items. Each one is decorated for the state, and there is a state quarter on the bottom of one foot on each of them. The previous Beanie Babies I picked up at yard sales were intended to be given away wearing clothing I crocheted. That will not happen to these. I doubt this was 50 of them, it might be half.
At this moment, they sell for about twice the purchase price. I figure in 30 years, they will be worth something real.
I should remind you that “WE” ARE NOT COLLECTORS!!! We are storing them for the collectors. Thousands of people buy something. They end up being given to children, damaged by fires or floods (or leaks), get dirty or otherwise spoiled and get tossed out. They get sold for pennies in yard sales or just given to people or charities who don’t know their value. After several decades, there are so few left that are in good or pristine condition, pieces are now valuable to those who want to have it. That is why there are stamps where there are only four or five existing that are worth millions. It is also why bottle caps are generally worthless. The collectors are only interested in them once they become fairly rare, so you have to store them and hope yours is the last in existence.

When I got home, I went outside and examined some tools. I was planning on passing on a chisel set to a friend. The angles of many of the blades are just plain wrong. They would not cut into the wood even after I sharpened them. I have to play around with them more to figure out why they won’t work or how to use them properly. The person I considered sending them to is just starting out in wood working. Bad tools can ruin a hobby big-time.
I then sharpened some turning tools I will pass on instead. They are sharper than anything I would normally use.... (my bad) I then sharpened two knives that person will also receive and made a wooden sheath to protect the points and edges and fingers.

To make the sheath, You cut a piece of wood in half, or take two thin pieces of wood, and, making sure they match flat, you lay the knife on one and draw around the blade. Then you shave out the wood where the knife fits, going deeper at the back than you do at the blade edge. Placing the two sides together, you should be able to slip the blade in. It does not have to go all the way in as that will work the hole open with use. It will eventually get loose. I had one that I had to insert the knife in upside down to keep the sheath from falling off.
You then glue the two pieces together, keeping the glue from the area you carved. Once dry, you carve and sand the edges and surface and the sides so they match together. I always shape the outside to match the shape of the blade. One of the blades has a straight edge, so that side was kept straight. The back, I then curved to show visually which way to put the blade in. The other knife, the cutting edge is curved and the back is flat, so I shaped that one to match that knife. Years ago, I had carved one sheath to look like a running fox. I have no idea what happened to that one.
The main purpose of the sheath is to reduce the chances of fingers meeting blade edge or point and also, when bouncing around in the knife bag or box, it reduces the chances of the knife becoming dull or damaged, though I was told “thousands” of times to at least strop the knife before using it to make sure it has not already dulled.

I decided I needed to make a special present for my brother, one he has not seen. He mentioned he wanted a BIG BOY steam engine. This was the biggest steam locomotives to be built. The way steam engines are classified is by the wheel arrangement. They count the pair of wheels on the axles. Many engines have leading sets of wheels, which help pull the engine around the corners, then the drive wheels, then some have trailing wheels to hold up the firebox (those wheels are under the cab of the engine). A steam engine with just two drive axles would be classified as an 040. An engine with two lead axles and two trailing axles with six drive wheels would be a 262. A big boy had two lead axles, two sets of four axle drive wheels, and then four trailing axles. It is classified as a 4884. They had to separate the drive axles so it could make it around corners. The boiler was so long that on corners, it would stick out to the outside as the running gear beneath followed the curve.
I cut a piece of wood that I thought was long enough. It ended up being about one or two inches short, but I made it work. I used the band saw cut a chunk from the front which was a platform formed by the leading wheels. I cut half way up the side of the stick and started removing wood for the boiler, defining the cab. I then began relieving wood for the wheels.
I made several mistakes, shaving the wheels off and starting again. Making the whole thing narrower in the process which helped.
Mom did not like what I was doing so she gave me some punches. We think they were for leather. The rings of the tree this stick was from, ended on two adjoining corners. One side of the engine had the ends of the ring, the other side had an the face of the rings. The punches did ok on the ends of the rings but barely dented the face of the ring. I twisted it to get a mark to go by.
I finally got the wheels in place and carved in some details. I made the mistake of, instead of having 8 sets of drive wheels, I had seven. I should have removed the center ones, that way it would be a Challenger, a 4-6-6-4 engine. I still have a lot to do. When my brother comes over tomorrow, I will work on something else while he is here, then after he leaves, I will work on his steam engine.

Year 18, Week 50, Day two (week 988)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
12-23-18 Sunday

56 degrees early morning, 78 late afternoon. Good thing I didn’t start early this morning. Some of the ice that formed on the roads melted before I left home so I was able to get to Mom’s with little problem. My route does not take me near any mall so the traffic was light. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism....

I dragged out the lathe, and took a piece of white pine that had a big knot in it. I first turned a Santa with a conical robe. I removed to much wood from the hem. I left the body part proud so I could carve in arms and face. Once the santa was designed, I started creating a finial for the knot part of the wood, which would become a ball. I had the knot area somewhat rounded, and was extending the finial when the wood broke.
White pine is not a very strong wood so is not great for turning small stuff. I really should have just concentrated on making the ball and then glue in the finials, possibly from another kind of wood. I did some knife stuff to the ball ornament to remove excess wood and get it ready for turning again, then put it back on the lathe and turned on it some more. I had a cup style point in the tail stock and just stuck the finial on the other end into the hole in the chuck and turned it.
I also carved the santa. I shaved the back and carved in the face and arms, removing excess wood. I also made the hat in more of the floppy conical hats.
After my brother left, I took out the big engine and worked on it some more. I got it about as good as it is going to get. I used the dremmel to make windows and door, digging into the wood (I likely will do this with the other engines I have started), and used it to do some clean up also in other places also. Later I painted it and have to do a couple more things to it, like sanding the bottom and signing it before applying varnish.
In the ball ornament, I painted the finials and left the ball is bare. It will get a varnish finish also. I painted the santa. I did the red, but need to do some white. I will do the hair yellow and leave the face wood.

I am on my second batch of Christmas cards. I added some more colors. I had expected better, but they look poor. I might add a couple more colors and have do some pen work on the picture tomorrow, then I will fill out the inside and outside. they are not what I was expecting them to come out as. somehow, the first batch looks better, as disappointed I was with them.. we will see for sure what these look like when I am done.

We are having a Bar B Q at Mom’s house so I sliced up a roll of hamburger mom gave me. It was a five pound roll. I set the slicer to maximum and sliced it through the plastic as it had not frozen when I decided I had to deal with it. I got 17 slices this time. Not too bad.

I still have not wrapped anything yet. And we are opening presents Noon Tomorrow. I have things to do to get ready for Tuesday's BBQ.

I did have a good day and did get some things done. too bad I don't have two or three weeks more to get ready. I have never had a Christmas where I was actually ready for it. I have had many a Christmas seasons where when I was wrapping presents, I was also painting cards. I am a bit ahead on that.
I have lots to take care of tomorrow.

Year 18, Week 50, Day Three (week 988)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
12-24-18 Monday

I got to mom’s early and as soon as it was light out, I went out back to finish the three ornaments I was working on. I sanded the bottom of the steam engine and signed it, and the other two. I added pen line around where the paint stopped, but not done well. I then gave all three ornaments a varnish finish. The santa and dangle are not great. They will do They will hang on my tree.

I worked on finishing the cards, Mostly lettering them. I wished I had added smoke from the train, but did not have time. that would have been at least two colors for it to look right. None of them came out like I imagined. I decided that most of them are not horrible. Some are not good, but I can ignore that. I have a bunch of them to mail out. a few more will be handed out after Christmas personally.

We got together at the house of my nephew and his family. After we ate a light meal we opened presents. I gave each person an ornament and a key chain.
I have a box of key chains. I cannot remember where I got them, either a yard sale or given to me, but I ended up with a load of key chains, ear rings, and pins. I picked out a key chain for each person.
I gave mom a tool-bit set instead of ornaments or key chain. I had bought one for myself also.
Santa gave me two Home depot gift cards. Early last year, Santa said I could have the entire contents of a Home Depot store if I was a good boy. Well, apparently, While Santa knew most of the incidents I was involved in, he did not learn about ALL learn about all of them.....I really got lucky this time....
The kids got a bunch of toys. Mom gave them tumble trucks and they would not work. Later we found remote controllers the kids tossed to the side. We had no batteries for the controllers. Mom took them home to make sure they work or she would return them t o the store.
I got on the floor and played with Jenga blocks with one of the youngest. I later got back on the floor and helped pick them all up. I am not good on the floor. It takes some effort to get back up. I had to use their plush couches to help me back up.

A while back, I learned that one can almost totally disassemble the grill, only the outer case is what is left. I never got a chance to clean the case of the grill, but everything was scrubbed at the sink with brushes and steel wool.

I might have a chance to carve, or I might not. I will have to see.

Year 18, Week 50, Day Four (week 988)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
12-25-18 Tuesday

64 degrees early morning, 79 late afternoon, a breeze strong enough to send paper flying a short distance in the morning, but became a calm breeze in the afternoon. The herders must have found better pastures as the sky was filled with flocks of sheep like clouds meandering across the sky. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

I got a slow start this morning. I finally got going and helped mom set up for the BBQ dinner we were going to have. I first moved my wood working equipment and supplies around to make room for the tables. While we were expecting good weather, it is better to have people and food under cover.
After that, I pulled out the folding tables. I opened the long one and put it on an angle just to have it sit someplace.. There was more room around it than the two tables end to end, like we ended up with for Thanksgiving. I opened up the small table and saw that the tables on the angle was not going to work, so I put both sticking out. I had to assemble the as when cleaning and washing the parts, I left them off the case. The inside of the case was not cleaned, but that was not food bearing surfaces. I got the grill out back. And then wiped down the upper surfaces so it looked clean. I then took a long break.
Mom said she liked the tables that way. That was a big surprise.

A bit later, I helped bring some of the food out, like the frozen meats I had put in a cooler, frozen on top. Mom reminded me about the push lawn mower. I pulled that out and made a few passes in the lawn. When everybody arrived, the oldest of the kid mowed part of the back yard and a good portion of the front yard. I touched up a few places in front. It actually looks mowed. He had a lot of fun pushing that mower!!!

After people arrived, I was running back and forth, gathering tools, equipment, food, Mom’s neighbor allowed me to store food in his fridge and freezer. I have to do all the work retrieving it.

When our BBQ chef arrived, he cooked up the burgers, and brats and ignored the dogs. I forgot to add boneless chicken to the cooler. It ended up where he cooked up a big package of brats and most of the burgers. He did them slowly, soaking the raw patties and links in an apple cider, then grilled them, then soaked them some more in apple cider another pan. Both were subject to the heat so they did some cooking while in there. Talk about good. We had fixings for sandwiches and just a few sides. I had some blueberry coffee and the carafe (about half a pot) was empty when we put things away.
The whole local family was there and we talked, ate, talked and ate, and then ate some more.
I was back and forth between houses and the back through the entire thing. I know I will feel it tonight.
I will see how I feel tomorrow.

Year 18, Week 50, Day Five (week 988)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
12-26-18 Wednesday

Light breeze, lots of broken clouds (repair men were on vacation) a little sun in the later part of the day, 72 early morning, 79 late afternoon. This weather report was brought to you by The City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

I was one of only two people who did not know we were closed today at work. I open the office so I made the coffee and waited. I began suspecting we were off when one of the guys comes in very early did not show, and I knew we were not open about half an hour before everybody was supposed to show. I waited until after the start of work and then closed up and went home. I needed the practice. They would have had to retrain me if I did not come in..... I had been too many days off.....

Last night was a bit rough. I struggled to get to sleep because my feet and legs hurt. My left foot felt like it was cramping. Once asleep, I slept fairly well. I got up and my legs just felt slow, but otherwise not bad.

At home, I did some computer work, then went to Mom’s house. I needed to move the equipment back to where they were supposed to be. I have a problem with the set of wheels with the lathe. They will have to be repaired soon, which means unloading the lathe. That will be a good excuse to clean the whole thing up for use. That is a whole day project.

A chair I picked up a few weeks ago broke. I decided to see what needed to be done to repair it. On one side, a “cap” on the rod that goes from one side to the other that held the wood was missing. It had pulled out. On the other side, the wood was cracked near the place the rod went through.
My first project was to deal with the end cap. Mom had some aluminum nails used for gutters, so I stole one of them (telling mom after the fact). It was a bigger in diameter than the hole it was going into. I drilled a hole all the way through the end of the rod, which the end was hollow for a short distance in, I then measured the end hole and cut the aluminum nail to length, then used a dremmel to reduce the diameter some. I then drove it into the hole until it was flush. I then used the hole I already drilled to drill through rod to also drill through the nail and stuck in two brads to act as pins for holding it. That likely was not needed but I did it anyway. The hole I drilled was just too small for the rod of the brad to get past the heads, so I ground the heads on one side, then forced them in and cut them off.

I should note that I did not have a clamp available to pull the legs together to give me access to the end of the rod, so I used a trick I have seen several times on line. I took too bar clamps, which were long enough to go just past half way and linked their tops and had them pull on each other to get the length I needed.
After I had the brads in place, I drove the rod end, with my aluminum nail head, into the hole. The pins had to cut their way into the wood. That is going to hold it in place even better.
My next project was to reinforce the cracked area. I took a piece of flat molding and cut it to length and drilled a bunch of fine holes into it and then drove screws into both sides of the crack. There was better wood around I could have used as this is not a strong wood, but I decided it would hold the crack in place so it won’t break any more. I used a grinding disk to hollow out a relief a little of where the head of the rod met the wood. That would allow the patch to fit tightly against the surface.
It might have been a good idea to glue the surfaces, but I chose not to. I did not have the right glue with me. White glue is not water resistant.
Anyway, the chair was repaired and likely will stay that way for years to come.

We have another holiday starting next weekend. I am planning it to be a project weekend. I have loads of projects to do that won’t get done any time in the near future as it takes too much time and effort to do them, compared to the amount of time I can commit to them..
I will see what I do next weekend.

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