Sunday, May 24, 2009
The NEW Workshop!!!
Today's the day it all begins. I'm heading down now to begin putting things away and take some photos. I may also begin building the first work bench as I need a place for my vise so I can sharpen an axe (yardwork kind of sucks.)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
I took a hiatus due to the my situation
About 9 months ago I abruptly stopped postingin this here due to a lack of useful posts. Mostly because I am renting a home and there is only so much you can do on the cheap without having any lasting value to you. What I mean to say is I ran out of projects which wouldn't cost me money since I was doing them on a property I didn't own.
That will change on 30 April 2009 as the Boss and I close on our first house!! there will be all kinds of projects including building a new workshop (in the basement this time.) Come back in a month and there will be more.
That will change on 30 April 2009 as the Boss and I close on our first house!! there will be all kinds of projects including building a new workshop (in the basement this time.) Come back in a month and there will be more.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Where have I been?
For the past few weeks, I have been busy with work and small, uninteresting projects and really haven't taken the time to document them. Fortunately, this will be changing shortly! By the end of the week I want to cover tool sharpening as I have recently come into possession of a number of chisels and planes (used and dull) from yard sales and the like and am setting up a sharpening station to revive them.
If all goes according to plan, I will be building a little cart for sharpening stuff and abrasives.
More to follow ...
If all goes according to plan, I will be building a little cart for sharpening stuff and abrasives.
More to follow ...
Sunday, June 22, 2008
My Birthday Belt Sander
I had a birthday on Friday and here is what I got!
It's a Craftsman 3" x 21" belt sander!!! Here is what the other side looks like.
I really wanted this as opposed to a palm sander because it can chew through some really heavy work that a palm sander would take a long time on and also because I already have a palm sander.
I also wanted the 3"x21" because it is the most common size. I did consider the new Porter Cable mini sander. (Click here to see it.) but decided that the 2-1/2"x 14" belt was just not everywhere unlike the old 3"x21".
Not everyone will need one of these, but they do so much from smoothing out scratched wood floors to distressing old furniture to making a badly fit joint smooth as it should be. You will see this again in future entries.
It's a Craftsman 3" x 21" belt sander!!! Here is what the other side looks like.
I really wanted this as opposed to a palm sander because it can chew through some really heavy work that a palm sander would take a long time on and also because I already have a palm sander.
I also wanted the 3"x21" because it is the most common size. I did consider the new Porter Cable mini sander. (Click here to see it.) but decided that the 2-1/2"x 14" belt was just not everywhere unlike the old 3"x21".
Not everyone will need one of these, but they do so much from smoothing out scratched wood floors to distressing old furniture to making a badly fit joint smooth as it should be. You will see this again in future entries.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
At Long Last ... The A/C Project.
It has been quite some time sine I wrote in here and here is where I left off.
Above, you can see the storm windows that I have are higher at the bottom, than the window sill. This causes the air conditioner unit to slope into the house which is bad for water drainage. (It's also bad for the electronic parts and wood floors.)
Here is a photo that demonstrates this idea.
I am holding a steel ruler with a torpedo level on it. The end furthest from my hand is sitting on the storm window sill. I have lifted the rear of it up until the level reads level (about 1/2") to which I decided to add 1/4" so I have an easy, outward slope.
Because there will be so much open area between the storm window and the window sill, especially on the sides of the A/C unit, I decided to add a scrap of 1/4" plywood 7-1/4" deep and 27" wide. This will create a new "window sill" that is flat and solid across the whole bottom of the opening. Because of the shape of the track and the narrower opening of the storm window, I had to cut several notches to make it fit into the space, but in the end, it will keep more bugs out.
With the plywood cut to size and shape, I nailed a 3/4" thick strip of scrap wood under the back of the plywood and then a 1" strip of pine across the entire back to hide the edge of the plywood and give a finished look.
With this whole piece in place, I don't have to screw the bottom of the A/C into the window sill saving that damage and I have eliminated the bug problem.
Here is a photo of the finished project.
Because this is the south-facing side of the house where the sun beats on it all day long, I covered the side "wings" of the unit with some insulating styrofoam to help reflect the suns heat and keep the cool in. I also put a strip under the entire front of the unit as bugs may still be able to find a way through there. Finally, because it only has to last 3-4 months tops, I sealed all of the edges up with clear packing tape.
Tomorrow I'll be going over my latest addition to the tool cabinet ... my new Birthday Belt Sander!!! I'll also, finally get to the lumber thinmg I was talking about.
Above, you can see the storm windows that I have are higher at the bottom, than the window sill. This causes the air conditioner unit to slope into the house which is bad for water drainage. (It's also bad for the electronic parts and wood floors.)
Here is a photo that demonstrates this idea.
I am holding a steel ruler with a torpedo level on it. The end furthest from my hand is sitting on the storm window sill. I have lifted the rear of it up until the level reads level (about 1/2") to which I decided to add 1/4" so I have an easy, outward slope.
Because there will be so much open area between the storm window and the window sill, especially on the sides of the A/C unit, I decided to add a scrap of 1/4" plywood 7-1/4" deep and 27" wide. This will create a new "window sill" that is flat and solid across the whole bottom of the opening. Because of the shape of the track and the narrower opening of the storm window, I had to cut several notches to make it fit into the space, but in the end, it will keep more bugs out.
With the plywood cut to size and shape, I nailed a 3/4" thick strip of scrap wood under the back of the plywood and then a 1" strip of pine across the entire back to hide the edge of the plywood and give a finished look.
With this whole piece in place, I don't have to screw the bottom of the A/C into the window sill saving that damage and I have eliminated the bug problem.
Here is a photo of the finished project.
Because this is the south-facing side of the house where the sun beats on it all day long, I covered the side "wings" of the unit with some insulating styrofoam to help reflect the suns heat and keep the cool in. I also put a strip under the entire front of the unit as bugs may still be able to find a way through there. Finally, because it only has to last 3-4 months tops, I sealed all of the edges up with clear packing tape.
Tomorrow I'll be going over my latest addition to the tool cabinet ... my new Birthday Belt Sander!!! I'll also, finally get to the lumber thinmg I was talking about.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
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