Weekly Blog - Merry Christmas

[john]

Another week has come and gone and a busy and interesting one it has been.

One of the best parts of the past week was reading all the posts and seeing the fine work produced by the members. we saw everything from turnings, to scroll saw work, a nicely organized shop, and a great fireplace surround/bookcase. Nicely done!

On the personal side, I worked until midnight the night before the seniors' show to finish things. The show is a family thing with me, my wife, and sister-in-law. Not big but the residents and staff like it. The famous harvest bin has a new home as a microwave stand, and there was almost a fight (just kidding) over the doll cradle, but since I only had one, I have been requested to make another. The grilling planks were popular too. I have attached a couple of pictures including one of my dear wife with her shortbread tins and blankets/covers, etc that she makes to keep the residents warm.

Christmas is fast approaching so tonight I will start some more grilling planks to use as stocking stuffers. I hope to find pictures on my pc of the recipients working over the BBQ so I can personalize the wrappers. Don't know if I have them all but I hope so.

Tomorrow I must get out to find something for the dear wife.

At this point, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy and Safe Holidays, and hope that we will all still be producing fine sawdust in the New Year!

John

[osx-addict]

Nice looking stuff you've got there! I'd LOVE to get back in the shop -- perhaps this weekend.. My wife is recovering well from her recent hip surgery.. But, my sister-in-law who was over last night tripped and fell on the tile floor last night and broke her left knee cap with complete separation.. We spent ~4 hours in the ER last night and were sent home with instructions to have it operated on within the next week by an orthopaedic surgeon.. Ugg! She's out for the count for a while.. Luckily my 12yo daughter is having fun playing nurse-maid for her so she's well taken care of at home with the remaining family members.

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!!! I've still got more shopping to do for things I can't make with a Shopsmith -- I've got to buy a replacement wedding band for my hubby -- not sure I want to use the lathe to make one..

[cocacola1012]

I've got to buy a replacement wedding band for my hubby -- not sure I want to use the lathe to make one..

My wife dropped hers (golden nugget wedding band) down the garbage disposal at Thanksgiving. It got kind of bent. All she wanted was for me to get it fixed. $12 at Jared's, that was an easy gift. She didn't want a new one, this one was more sentimental to her.
Have a Happy Holidays.

[john]

Rick:

Sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. This is not the kind of thing we need to happen at any time, but this close to the holidays it's a real bummer. I hope everything goes well.

All the best.

John

[jimthej]

Have actually had enough brain power to get into the shop again this week. Had to turn another batch of spurtles to give as gifts. These are bocote.
The redheart and others went last week at the office.

I also figured out how to get my SS safely up on blocks by myself. The pictures show the right side and the left The key to getting it lifted safely and getting the blocks set in the right place is this - a rope based come-along that I acquired a long time ago (I know, it says right on it "Not For Lifting", but it's only about a hundred pounds.) and some heavy hooks in the ceiling joist.

The last photo is a small modification I made to the sharpening deck someone designed either here or on one of the other forums. It uses a sanding disk with paper on both sides, clamps to the Extension table on the left side and rests on the headstock My modification was a line of 5/8" holes across it to hold smaller chisels while turning.

[JPG]

Have actually had enough brain power to get into the shop again this week. Had to turn another batch of spurtles to give as gifts. These are bocote.
The redheart and others went last week at the office.

I also figured out how to get my SS safely up on blocks by myself. The pictures show the right side and the left The key to getting it lifted safely and getting the blocks set in the right place is this - a rope based come-along that I acquired a long time ago (I know, it says right on it "Not For Lifting", but it's only about a hundred pounds.) and some heavy hooks in the ceiling joist.

The last photo is a small modification I made to the sharpening deck someone designed either here or on one of the other forums. It uses a sanding disk with paper on both sides, clamps to the Extension table on the left side and rests on the headstock My modification was a line of 5/8" holes across it to hold smaller chisels while turning.

I'll bite!:p What is a 'spurtle'???

Curious why the long side of the blocks is on the 'inside'. I would have had them stick out(longer base that way).

[dusty]

I'll bite!:p What is a 'spurtle'???

Curious why the long side of the blocks is on the 'inside'. I would have had them stick out(longer base that way).

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/Shopping/spurtle.htm

I think that you see four or five hanging in the first photo that Jim posted.

[nomoman]

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/Shopping/spurtle.htm

Looks like an old "billy club".

[jimthej]

I did the blocks that way so my toes would not get entangled while working on bowls. I may move them and inch or so in to add a little more stability. My shop is very small and the machine is actually sitting on the casters in some small cups i bored in the top. Basically it still has the footprint of a standard SS.
Thank you ,Dusty, for the spurtle link. I should have thought of that.
The story is that about a year ago, I had a scrap of 3/4 maple about 10 inches long left over from another project. I was bored, turned it into a spurtle, finished it with mineral oil. Gave it to my wife. Now it seems it is her go-to stirrer in the kitchen. Doesn't scratch pots, handles easily for her, fits her hand, rinses off quickly, goes in dishwasher. In short, it just works for her. I made about 20 of them this last month for the ladies in the office. (I work at a school, lots of ladies in the office.)

[paul269]

You should give a Haggis recipe out with your spurtle.