Weekly Blog - January 27th

john · Post by **john** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:11 pm

Another slow week has passed, but I did get the workshop cleaned up. It's amazing how many pieces of "scrap" I seem to accumulate. Of course they may all come in handy for something someday but whenever I start a new project I seem to have to go and buy more wood and end up with more "scrap". I give a bag of wood, for firewood, to one of my wife's bowling friends every couple of weeks but keep the best just in case.

Part of the clean-up involved emptying the dust collection bag, the first time for this and it went much easier than I expected. The contents were put in my compost bin for use in the garden next fall. I have put shavings from my planer in the compost bin before and though they take longer to decompose than vegetable and plant matter, it makes for good compost eventually. Hopefully the sawdust will do the same.

My thoughts go out to those forum members living in California. From what I have seen on the news, the weather has been downright mean and dangerous this past week. I Hope none of our members have been adversely affected.

This week will be another washout as we are scheduled to leave Wednesday for a trip to Ontario on some family matters so I guess I will take at least a week off from the blog.

Have fun and be safe!

John

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:36 pm

From Los Angeles: What other parts of the country call a light show, we call a major storm. A few inches of water on the street is a major flood. And our flood control system can handle the output of a 1 in garden hose at any time. That said, there has been some damage due to mud slides and back up flood control. My wishes go out to those with damage, as I had my home red taged in the earthquake,...but a little humor goes a long way. It's been a good time to work in the garage on those little projects that don't require the door to be open.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:59 pm

John - have a safe trip! We will miss your blog! It also has been another 'slow shop' week here. But did get back to making sawdust for a while this afternoon. Had to begin repair of the front of our large laundry basket that I made last year. I had put pre-woven cane in the front of the bin door. I had installed it just as one would install a glass pane. As I didn't get all of the nails though the cane - it eventually pulled out in places and got bulgy - Tisk - Tisk! Thought the cane was stretched enough and the nails through the quarter round would do the trick. That's what I got for thinking:rolleyes: . I had missed with all the nails on two sides! Finally figured a new fix. Whoops! thinking again!

Our two bikes now look bright and shiny with no rust and all waxed up! Now they are out of the shop and back into the shed. Probably should have waited for Nick's rust removal formula, but forged ahead with the WD-40. Now, as least the job is done.

Don't feel bad for all the folks in Southern CA! As Gary said there has been severe damage for some. Others got only some much needed rain. Even some folks in Lancaster suffered a land slide. First fires, then rain - It's almost like the disaster de-jouir. Really don't need an earthquake. Up here in the 'high desert' we got 2.35" so far with another quarter inch expected tonight. The Joshua trees and the water table are loving it!:) At the same time snow pack in the mountains has been good- except for avalanches that caught two. Funny thing - while most of So. Cal. was colder this past week, up here we were actually warmer by about 10 degrees. Must be the subsidence effect as the weather came over the mountains.

Back to wood - John, when you use sawdust or shavings as compost - be prepared to add some nitrogen rich fertilizer. When the little microbes eat up the wood, they use up all the available nitrogen they can in their 'digestive system/process'. Because of this, the process of deterioration slows way down, until the little buggers can get more nitrogen.

Gary - Good to read from someone in 'the Valley' - There has been several Traveling Academies through Southern CA. At least two or three per year. I would have had to travel about 100 miles to most of the past academies. Be patient, it will be back! I was waiting for one a little closer, then my Son treated me to one over in Las Vegas.

Go figure! BTW, I go down to Canoga Park to buy any of my thicker wood needs. Have you ever used Integrity Wood Products as a source?

john · Post by **john** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:05 pm

The news casts usually only focus on the bad issues but from what I have seen over the past few months of weather in parts of the U.S., I will take our snowstorms over the floods, fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes that occur in "nicer" climates, anyday.

Chuck:

If you weren't so far away, you could do my bike. Every year I put it on the to-do list, but then take it out of the garage in the spring, dust it off, and away I go. And to think that when I was a "little" younger, I spent hours spiffing the old three speed up.

As to the composting it stays in the bin quite some time as I run two bins (we are not allowed to have open heaps, only plastic bins) so it is pretty well done. There is not much action during the winter months but I add scraps all winter so there is ample vegatation mixed in. The one on the go now will only be sifted and bagged in the fall.

I'm always amazed at the nice stuff that comes out of them.

Have fun.

John

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:28 pm

john wrote:The news casts usually only focus on the bad issues but from what I have seen over the past few months of weather in parts of the U.S., I will take our snowstorms over the floods, fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes that occur in "nicer" climates, anyday... John

John
I agree I have lived through floods, fires, earthquakes and hurricanes and a few tornadoes and if I had my choice I would take a snowstorm anyday. Particularily if I didn't have to go out in it.
Ed

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:03 pm

Chuck, I think I use the same wood supplier, I don't know the company name but it is at 7838 Alabama (Roscoe and Canoga). It's a cabinet making shop that supports internet wood sales. We really enjoy motorhome travel, and get to take 3 or 4 trips a year. As part of my travel I enjoy purchasing local wood that I would find hard to purchase elsewere. Myrtlewood in oregon, redwood heart wood in Northern Ca, Manzanita, etc. Since I don't play golf, it gives me a quest on vacation.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:24 am

Yep. same place Gary!

John - Hate to change the subject, but regardless of out water and mud - it is a good day in So.Cal. - - Selanne is back with the Anaheim Ducks under a one year contract! Didn't stay retired very long.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:56 am

kalynzoo wrote:As part of my travel I enjoy purchasing local wood that I would find hard to purchase elsewere. Myrtlewood in oregon, redwood heart wood in Northern Ca, Manzanita, etc. Since I don't play golf, it gives me a quest on vacation.

There are several excellent wood sources in Oregon and southern Washington. Check out Cooks Woods they sell lots of turning stock and pallets of wood, they put out a weekly newsletter with discounts but they go very fast. If you stop by you can just pick what you want.

Another excellent source is in downtown Portland, Woodcrafter's. We also have Emerson Hardwoods.