What did you do in your shop today?

I did make a change to the setup of my modified dust collector. Not, of course, until after I got the new jack :)

Turns out that I didn't have quite enough space between the impeller and the barrel and it was pretty unwieldy to get the barrel in and out when it had shavings in it so I picked up a piece of flexible tubing to go between the impeller and the barrel to make it easier to move it.

While I had the barrel out I also cut a small chunk out of the side and riveted and sealed a piece of plexiglass over it so I can see when it's starting to get full.
 
I spent less than one minute in my shop today. Had a package of pen kits I ordered arrive this morning and I took it out to the shop. These kits are for some pens my mother-in-law ordered for her to give as Christmas gifts this year. Got to send out some blanks in the next few days to be dyed/stabilized - she requested these pens be team colors - a couple Chicago Bears and a few Green Bay Packers pens. It's nice to be able to start selling a few pens!
 
I got new castors for my jointer platform. Most of my tools are on wheels, but the chinese ones that came with my shop fox platform crumbled. I went to install them and the bolt holes are not quite right, no biggie I'll just drill them a little bigger. Can't find my corded drill so I grabbed the cordless, dead batteries of course, charging now. So I figured I would check my emails and the wb while they are a chargin.
 
I had plans to start polishing the 350 pen order but since the VS unit on my Delta died on Saturday and I don't have a cone center for an MT3 tailstock I can't even use the oneway to get working on that. I drove the lathe down to the nearest service center and dropped it off, ordered an MT2 to MT3 sleeve which should hopefully arrive tomorrow and then cleaned the shop to within an inch of its life. Hopefully the Lathe will get back to me soon.
 
What did you do in your shop today?

I just broke Tony & Daneil's peppermill . . . .

Tony'sPM.webp

:banghead:

In my defense I knew selecting ERC for a crushgrind mill was a bad idea but the blank was sooooo nice looking. I'll never again use ERC for a mill where the walls get thin in areas. It's just too brittle. I'll get another one made Thursday Tony cannot get to it for a few days. :sorry:

So who all is hoping they draw me for the PM swap? :lol:

@Tclem
 
I most have spent all of 45 mins in the shop today. Stamina running on fumes.

A two day show which was within one hours drive. Both Saturday and Sunday, get up at 5:30, get to show between 6:30 and 7, set up, around 5 break down, drive home, get home around 7:30, have beer, collapse.

I'm getting to damn old for this.
 
Last edited:
I hear ya Alan. How'd you do at your show?
 
Saturday was excellent and Sunday was good. I depleted my inventory of ornaments and pens.
But I have 4 weeks to build it back up.
I do have a nice sunburn. I guess I lost my Arizona immunity to the sun.
 
Last edited:
Got a couple hours in the shop today. Did some finish work on a few small items, finished some bottle openers (just waiting for epoxy to cure now for them to be done).

Also started to take apart, clean up, and restore the Taig Micro-Lathe my dad gave me. Not a lot of parts - a pretty straightforward and well built little machine. I'm really looking forward to getting it up and running.
 
Today I built a workbench. Going to set my lathe up in a small corner of the basement for the winter - taking over a small area about 6'x12'. Going to put my lathe and drill press down there so I've got something to do when it's too cold to be in the shop. I also plan to do a little work out in the shop whenever it's not too cold out there, and then bring the pieces into the basement for final fitting, assembly, gluing, etc, since it'll be too cold out in the garage. It was 38 in the garage when I began working out there late morning. (Was 23 outside when I woke up this morning.)

Materials purchased for the bench: 2x4's (6) and 2 pieces of countertop from the Habitat Humanity Re-store. The countertop pieces were $5 each! Used a few other pieces of stuff I had on hand, plus screws that I also had on hand. Nice and sturdy too - not bad for under $30 and a few hours work. I'm planning to just leave it in the basement for use in the winters.

Since I know that I won't be able to do much in the shop this winter on account of the cold, I'll use the winter as an opportunity to work on improving my turning skills and trying new things on the lathe. Then, once it's warm enough to work in the shop again, I'll dive head first back into flatwork projects. Maybe by next winter I'll be able to get heat into the garage.

No pics of said bench yet, but will try and post one of my little corner down there once I'm set up and ready to go.
 
Had the Texas Ebony shell I've been working up to completion self destruct on me. Darn it I guess I'll repurpose it as a lamp or something.
 
This happened earlier in the week, but haven't had time to post this. I finished and delivered what has been the most frustrating and drug-out commission I have ever gotten. This woman that works with my wife had a 100+year-old wagon that somebody else rebuilt for her. He told her he couldn't rebuild the wheels, so she asked me and like a dumba** I said sure, I'll do them!". 6 months later, I delivered them. Like nothing I have ever done before and frustrating as hell. Glad it's over!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Decided to make a couple of candle bases for the shelf I built in the bedroom.

IMG_20141101_181531.webp

After I posted it on Facebook I had two people ask how much I would sell them for.
 
In the last two days I've finished the engraving, sprayed black enamel on all of them and done the final sand and polish on 348 pens. about 275 are assembled. Tomorrow plan to finish assembly, turn the last few I need to complete the order on the Oneway and then deliver on Monday and pick up a decent sized check.
 
Colin, I am once again humbled by your drive and determination.
 
I started out by making more progress on my home built router lift.

20141108_165038.webp

Then I managed to cut a few bowl blanks in spite of myself.

20141108_165119.webp

And after that it just stunk.

Literally.

I turned another juniper candle stand.
IMG_20141101_181531.webp

Started on a couple of camphor hollow forms to fulfill a trade that's long overdue:

20141108_164929.webp

(I'll have my first try at filling cracks as well.)

And started a couple of red eucalyptus bowls:

20141108_165010.webp

Other than that, not much.
 
I made sawdust and shavings and then managed to slam my thumb in my arbor press.
 
Ken you had a very productive day. I started on an open style cabinet to go on top of my roll-around lathe cabinet. Sort of like upper cabinets lol. I'll take a pic when I get done.
 
So after delivering that huge job last week I ordered parts and got the lathe back form the doctor and I've been working on inventory for the holidays, Spent a few hours in the shop this morning to add to my rack of stuff ready to assemble (This is a couple days work) Then took off for the afternoon to go watch two of my kids in the all school play.

2014-11-09 10.53.27.webp

Then after getting everyone fed decided to go look at a motorcycle for sale locally and to my surprise he was really motivated to sell and took a fairly low offer (I figured start out low and we'd meet in the middle) Now I'm the proud owner of a 1982 Yamaha Maxim 750. IT needs some carb work to get the idle figured out but it's quick and rides quite nice. And of course there is snow in the forecast here for tomorrow so it'll be spring before it gets ridden much more.

2014-11-09 19.03.26.webp
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top