Today I had a great day visiting with Wendy’s people (family). One of the things that made it so great was the fact that I was able to express myself to some of them through things I built with my own hands.
As an introvert, I find it difficult to express myself…especially in a loving way to others. Wendy’s people (family) are warm, loving, kind people that I cherish. Those feelings I have toward them doesn’t always come across to them when we are at family functions.
Today was different. Wendy came up with many ideas for things I was able build with my own tools and hands for her certain people in her family. It connected me to them. Suddenly an introvert (me) had a connection to her family (them).
It was exciting. I enjoyed it. I want more of that. Hopefully this will be an avenue that we will be able to leverage in the future. Truly, I’m thankful of this venue.
I stayed up late last night staining the frame so it would be ready to lacquer and wax this morning. Early this morning I applied the lacquer and BriWax. Then I buffed the wax with a random orbital car buffer.
The results of the finish are exceptional. The quarter-sawn white oak has really beautiful rays in it that change as the angle of view changes.
Wendy took a photo of the kids and I mounted it into the frame with a glass face.
Closed view.
Open view.
Today I finished putting all the hardware in the wall-mounted workbench. I’m pretty relieved to finally be to thus point. Tomorrow Cole will put a clear coat on it then we can mount it to the wall in the garage.
With this big project pretty much behind me I can consider other things like another picture frame (mitered) and probably some toy guns for some of the kids.
It’s very enjoyable to read books written by good authors. One reason is because, in seemingly mundane sentences, they use interesting combinations of words that reach out to the reader.
Not everyone reading the book will be inspired in the same way or by the same words. But people will find something that inspires them in great books.
While reading Little, Big by John Crowley I came across a phrase like that. Maybe it’s the timing, the environmental influences, whatever it was it struck a chord with me. Here’s the phrase in the context of its sentence:
“Mother was powdered to the elbows in the process of pie-making, not a mindless task though she liked to call it that, in fact she found that at it her thoughts were often clearest, notions sharpest; she could do things when her body was busy that she could at no other time, things like assemble her worries into ranks, each rank commanded by a hope. She remembered verse sometimes cooking that she had forgotten she knew, or spoke in tongues, her husband’s or her children’s or her dead father’s or her unborn, clearly-seen grandchildren’s, three graduated girls and a lean unhappy boy.”
The phrase impacted me with the idea that hope commands (controls) worries. Beautiful. It reminds me of the many instances in the Scripture that speaks of hope.
- Romans 12:12 (NIV) — Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
- 2 Corinthians 3:12 (NIV) — Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
- 1 Peter 3:15a (NIV) — But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
Hope is one of the most wonderful aspects of the Christian faith. When I come across phrases that remind me of that hope it’s exciting! Now I’m excited to read more of the book.
“There is nothing so self-defeating as a question not fully understood when it is fully posed.”
—C.S. Lewis
Today I worked on the workbench with Cole. He was very helpful which enabled me to get the project—except for some hardware—completed.
I’ll get the last of the hardware at Rockler this week and start the sanding. I’m pretty happy with the results. I learned quite a bit about building such a large carcass.
I think it’s going to be awesome and one-of-kind. It’s very cool to build stuff that isn’t available in stores. Totally custom.
Here are the pictures from when I added the shingles to the toy Horse Stable project:
1/8″ plywood sheets bought at the hobby shop to make the shingles.
The first mark is 2–1/2″ from the bottom of the roof edge and then 1″ increments to the top of the roof.
This is a shop built indexing jig to cut consistent shingles.
This is the indexing jig being used on the band saw.
The strips of shingles are placed by measured marks to finish evenly at the top of the roof.
The shingles are glued and nailed like real shingles, hiding the nails.
A brad nailer is used wit 5/8″ brads nailed into the joists of the stable.
Beginning the roof. Keeping each row straight.
One side to the roof completed.
Complete roof with the top ridge installed.
The rare earth magnet epoxied into the gate stop.
The gate stop with the rare earth magnet.
The finished stable.
Listening to and implementing good suggestions from others improves the quality of the project you are working on.
Often, upon finishing a project, you look at it an say, “That looks really good. But…” What follows in that statement could be a list of things or it could be just one item.
That one item can make a big difference in the end result. So, at that moment, you have a choice to make. You can decide you are too tired to do more, and it’s good enough, or you could decide it’s worth the extra effort.
While working on Bailey’s Horse Stable project this situation occurred. The project looked really good, but…. It came down to the roof. Everything else worked and the roof was nice but not wow.
Wendy spotted it first. She asked the question and made the suggestion that shingles on the roof would be really cool. Time and lack of specific tools prevented me from making the type she originally suggested.
With a little thought I was able to come up with an idea to make the shingles without a lot of expense and I already had the tools for the job. Pride could have prevented me from being receptive to Wendy’s suggestion but I think the project wouldn’t have turned out as well.
Here’s what the stable looks like with shingles:
Now I’m so much happier with this project! Before you start thinking, “Sure, it’s nice if you want to feed your narcissism,” consider this:
This is a gift for a child; Wendy’s niece, Bailey. The reaction that others, especially adults, have toward this stable will affect her. When people give it the wow effect she’s going to know someone gave her something special.
Bailey will know that her aunt Wendy thinks she is very special. That’s worth the extra effort for one more thing. By the way, everyone is like Bailey in that respect.
P.S.—I did it so Wendy would know she’s special to me.
You know, where you miss the best dog you’ve ever had.
She’s really only thinking about a treat.
She was a work dog but she liked to relax.
She REALLY liked to relax.
Between swims.
Just cooling off.
Swimming in our pond.
Food? Food? Food?
In the old workshop (garage). My neighbor called her “Sawdust”.
“…humanity as a whole is changeful, mystical, fickle, delightful. Men are men, but Man is a woman.”
Excerpt From: Gilbert Keith Chesterton. “The Napoleon of Notting Hill.”
