Year 21, Week 10, Day Two (week 1104)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
03-20-21 Saturday
60 degrees as the early morning low, 70 when I got outside, a momentary high of 78. The clouds were drifting by, scattered, broken, clear, shifting on and off. The weather report suggested possible showers after one. We never got any which made it really nice. This weather report is brought to you by The City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
I stopped at Mom’s to get a bolt to copy and then I headed out. I got the replacement bolts for the dolly/furniture mover. Those ACE / TRUE-VALUE stores are so nice. They are small but they have the right stuff.
I then followed part of my yard sale path north, then dropped down to the Northern Aldi’s (for my area). There is one south of me too. I went in for just one thing. Experience has shown me that if you enter a store for one thing get a shopping cart. After spending $50 I left ALSO with that one thing... While I was at it, I picked up some stuff I really did not need to get, but they leaped into the shopping cart and hung on tight. I had a choice of taking them home or leaving with nothing.
I went back north and caught the north end of my yard sale route on the Eastern side of the highway US-1. Heading south, I found 2 yard sales. One was big, had loads of stuff. I walked around it a few times and ended up leaving empty handed. They had a portable drill press that has an electromagnet in the base. This thing weighs a ton but will do the job if you need it. It has a 3/4 inch chuck which is kind of rare. Using the electromagnets in the base, you attach it to metal and then you can do chin-ups on it. His dad worked on water towers. He said that it was a pain to get lined up, but it drilled a good straight hole. He wanted a nice price for it. I have no use for it, but my brother might be able to use it. I chose not to get it. I did not have that kind of money on me anyway. He also had a metal steam engine, O scale I think. I considered getting it for mom but she could only put it on display, not use it. She has a different scale track, as I do also. There was a plastic diesel engine also.
The second yard sale was small, and they have had yard sales before. I ended up buying a knitting book for a dollar. I am not yet trying to learn knitting, but the book looked good. Sometimes you just need ideas.
I got out back and added new bolts and nuts to the dolly / furniture mover and cinched them up tight. That one is good for a long time now. I took the old bolts I had and fixed the ends so the nuts can go on them now, and then worked the nuts to near the head and back out again, adding cutting oil in order to clean some of the rust from the threads. They are now ready for a new project .
I think I should crochet dresses for the new dolly..... <g>
I accomplished little after that. I looked at the bandsaw and could not find where the tip was adjusted. I put the blade back on and did not set it as tight as I was. I did a little bit of cutting and it stayed on. Will have to see. I am beginning to think that I was just adding too much pressure on the wheel. It does not have to be cranked as tight as you can tighten it.
During the week, Mom had trimmed the Clerodendron and had trimmed off some of the thick trunk at the top and saved some of it for me. Next year this time, it will be just as tall as it grows like a weed. I took a smaller piece and put it in the lathe and started making a daffodil. It came off the lathe and by then I needed to sit down. It is way too rough, some material is removed but have more to do before I can start carving it. This is a soft wood. You can break the small branches by hand easily. It is stronger that balsa but weaker than pine My plan was to rough out several from the same piece of wood, cut them off, before I then carve them.
By the time I was ready to get up again, I decided it was late enough to pack up everything. I sat with mom and talked for a while, then left there about 5:30.
Year 21, Week 10, Day Two (week 1104)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
03-21-21 Sunday
59 degrees early morning, 63 when I got outside, The wind was from the right direction and it was in mid 70s, shifting from high overcast to blue sky and back again off and on. It was really nice to be outside. This weather report is brought to you by The City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
I stopped to gas up on the way to Mom’s and then drove north up the East side of highway US-1 like I did for yard sales years ago. No sales, but it was a nice drive. They’ve been working on the bridges for years and the southern one in this section was now under construction. Yesterday I drove South on the East side of Highway US-1 from the North end which is Hillsboro Blvd., and ended my drive mid way, which is where mom is, and today I stopped mid way heading north. There is only one section I did not hit and that is just south of Mom’s house.
Yesterday I took a piece of the Clarodendron wood mom gave me that I started turning for a daffodil and worked on it today. It cracked a little last night. I made a second one below it on the wood. Then cut them off. On one, a chunk of the bell broke off. Once I got to the table. I later tossed that one. I did do some carving on one and got a good start. I put it in a clamp and glued the crack in the bell.
For those who have not looked at a daffodil, they can be described as having a platter of individual petals with a frilled cup sitting in the middle. I carved the leaves using the dremmel, some higher than others, and then frilled the lip of the cup. Not horrible. I can do better, but it is a good start.
While my brother was here, I got the knives very close to being useable by grinding on finer and finer stones. They need just a little more work to become sharp enough. They will cut but not well. To be good carving knives, they need to be sharp enough to shave with, though few if any of my knives are really that sharp.
Other than talking about videos we had seen, and projects we worked on. I accomplished little more. It is hard to make noise and talk at the same time, especially if you are concentrating on what you are doing.
After my brother left , I swept “at” the whole area. There was shaving and sawdust from the past month or so of work, along with leaves that accumulated in the corners blown there by the wind. I got the worst of that today. I could have done better. I’ve been lazy and not cleaning up for quite a while. I still left a lot of stuff because I was too lazy to move things, but it was so much better than it was.
I have a number of projects I need to work on. I am still thinking of doing car and truck style Christmas ornaments this year. It would be a good time to get started on that. I have another puppy bouquet to make. All the materials are there and I have learned so much more since I made the first one. I have that bowl I want to carve up. I would like to get that done soon. I also want to make some daffodil flowers. I had made foil flowers and I figure I can replace the really bad ones with these flowers. While I am at it, I could make tulips again. I did that many years ago, making them from broken goblets I was making. I have another egg that needs to be carved also.
I will have to see what happens next week.
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