jHop's Blog

I know, I've been lax in putting up the balance of the Five Minute projects.

truth is, I've not been able to get them going.  You see, when I brought the table into the house (and discovered it was too tall), I moved it temporarily to the kitchen.  To protect it that evening from any accidents (it was spaghetti taco night, and the oldest still gets spaghetti sauce on the back of his shirt when eating - seriously, when do teenagers grow out of that stage? - from time to time), I covered the table with a quick and easy table cloth in the form of a vinyl shower curtain from the dollar store.

Somebody noticed it was a convenient counter top height.  And right away, the temporary fix became a semi permanent fixture...  and still never got completed.  So today, the spring cleaning got done (late start, don't ask) and the table is still in use.  However, it has to go soon, as it is blocking the access to the dishwasher that now needs to be repaired.  So I should be able to finally finish that project and move on to the next...

the catch is, this is finals week.  Oh, and I've gotten another job.  For the past semester, I've been contributing to the student newspaper at my college.  This past Friday, I was given an appreciation award for my hard work and dedication, and also given a position.  So my duties (and summer classes) will also slow down the progress.  However, I should have a better insight to the college furniture that's needed, so expect to see a few projects this summer, although few will be as large as this eventually to be completed table.

(If you want to make this table as a counter, I'd cut the plywood sheets to 18-24" wide, and closer to 48" long.  This way, you can actually get two counter tops out of one sheet, or even double up the top for more sturdy use.  The table has not sagged, but it does wobble, more to my choice of locations for screws than anything else.  One thickness of 3/4" plywood is holding up well for general purposes, but if you will be using it as a countertop, I'd suggest (nothing more strong, mind you) a thicker layer might be in order.)

And if you're interested in finding out more of the writing I'll be nominally directing as an Associate Editor, check out the online version of our paper here: http://www.cccvoice.com/

So I promised another entry on the College Student Furniture build, specifically on the next step on the table.  Unfortunately, I'm going to have to delay that a week.

I apologize profusely and heartily, but this is beyond my control.

You see, as I've explained before, I have an outdoor shop.  This past week has had my available outdoor time confuddled with rain... which we all know does not work well with either electricity or wood.  So I cannot drag the parts outdoors to work on, without facing the wrath of Mother Nature.

True, it has not rained all week, but those times it has not been raining, I have either been at work, at school, or helping with an emergency that should be handled and hopefully completed in the next month.  Meanwhile, there are some thoughts I have on the project, that I'd like to share with you at this time.

First off, if you have not created a plan for this project, you certainly should.  I discovered that "winging it" may be fun, but I overlooked a couple of things in the process.  Secondly, be careful when you carry the parts and sub assemblies.  The table framing in particular could use some cross support, not just from side to side but front to back.  (This is why it is both college furniture - meaning functional, useful, necessary, and in the end temporary - and a Five Minute Project.  There are ways to make it more sturdy, but that will have to come later.)

The sides flex noticably with this construction.  I was considering adding two cross support rails from side to side out of plywood, adding some half-lapped 2x4 support both side to side and front to back, and doing a "honeycombed" support network underneath.  Keeping with the simple concept, I'm going to use just the 2x4s where I planned on the plywood rails.

One thought I had about securing the table top to the apron... why mess with "L" brackets?  Using the plywood, and you should have noticed there was about a quarter of the sheet left, you can make flat panels that the table can be screwed into that will be attached to the frame/apron.  This will also stiffen and support the frame/apron, and the table itself.  The first location I would put these would be on top of the legs, in the corners.  The second location would be in the center of the table along the narrowest point.  Third option would be to put two of these across the narrow location.

Here's how I would describe the process (as I'm typing this without access to my home system and the photos stored on it):  When you set the apron together, cut a pair of plywood panels to fit the short ends.  These don't have to be wider than the apron sides itself, which works out to about 3~ish inches.  While the apron gets set on edge, the supports and table top mounting plates (which is what I'm calling these small pieces that are being cut now) are set on the face.  The 2x4 legs get set into the corners on top of these plates.  Then, commence with the drilling and screwing, with two addendums: Drill two holes along the (now bottom) edge of the long faces in the corner.  (I would actually recommend screws smaller than #8s, but you can use this size.  Screw length should be kept under 1 1/2", but longer than 3/4")

I would do all the corners before you turn the frame assembly over.  (Don't put the screws into the plates just yet.)  Once you flip everything over, and then place the plate back into position over the legs (you should see a gap between the top edge of the apron and the leg that will match the thickness of your plywood plate).  You can screw the ends of the plate in, and I would add one screw from the top of each plate into the leg top.  (If you have a small chunk of 2x4 left, you can use this as a template to figure out where the leg is without flipping anything over.)

The center plates will fit between the apron rails, just like the plates over the legs.  You may need some help holding those in place: your blue tape clamp will work there as well.  Here's why I like the plate idea.  Not only does it add stability and rigidity, you can now drill 6 holes through the plates (2 per plate) into the top.  One thing that I did not mention, and most experienced woodworkers are aware of, is that wood moves, meaning it expands and contracts in varying humidity / moisture levels.  By using the plates and the table top, you are able to keep the expansion down a little (as these are both plywood, which resists but not ignores the movement factor).  To ramp up the holding factor, the holes in the plates can be widened slightly by rocking the drill back and forth (please, pick one plane only) to make an oval slot.  You are not trying to make a very large hole, just an oval slot.

Simply place the top on the frame, locate the slots underneath the frame, and screw the two pieces together.  Screw length here should be withing that 1 to 1 1/4 inch range.  For the process using the angle iron or "L" brackets, your screw length will need to be 3/4".  The reason for such strict lengths is that you do not want to poke through the table top.

I have been using the table as a kitchen table for the past week, and I can safely say that it has held far better than I thought it would without the support pieces.  I covered it with a cheap vinyl shower curtain, and while it's not my preferred color of table cloth, it does cover and protect the surface amazingly well.  (And since it was available at my local dollar store, it was almost in my preferred price range: uber cheap.)

Now, I'm just waiting on the rain to stop... think it just five minutes away?

I needed a bench. I mean, I already have one, which my lathe and drill press (and stuff that doesn't have a home yet, or I forgot to put away) uses. But I need another one. (Isn't that the usual cry?) The excuse of "I can't do it because I don't have a bench" was getting way old, so I decided to do something about it.

So, I went quick and dirty. Getting the lumber home was actually the hairiest and dirtiest part. Stacking the lumber up took a helper (I finally got him into the shop!) where I discovered he can't walk a straight line backwards. Oh well. He's still just a teenager.

One 3/4 sheet of CDX plywood, set down on the concrete pad. One circular saw, and one burnin' desire to ..... just ..... make sawdust fly! Ha! Haha! HAHAHAAHAHE EHE AHAHA HEE HEE HEE hooooooo.... Okay. sorry, just free expression of constrained radicals, or something.


And for those who were afraid I'd do something foolish.... well...


however, I did miscalculate the amount of space available to me. It turns out that my work area is just a hair over 8 feet.... which makes cutting an 8 foot sheet of plywood.... complicated. Fortunately, I remembered an approach that should work.


Flip the pieces, one on top of the other, and cut to length. (In my case, the bench is 23" by 68". I separated the halves, spread glue on the lower panel (after making sure that I had set the top face on the sawhorses face down), set the bottom half on top, and laughed. Yup, potato chip. Fortunately, I planned for this: I drilled, countersunk, and drove probably two dozen #8 1 1/4 screws in, starting in the center, and flattened (most of) that chip.

Currently, the bench is on end, as I have not completed it, but I've finished it enough to use. (I also discovered the hazards of a bench top you set on plastic sawhorses, but I was able to salvage and repair the one damaged horse.)


So, in less than thirty minutes, I had a bench, with no runs, no drips, no squeeze out, and only one splinter. And the bloodstain that is on the bench came from the lumberyard when they unstrapped it, not me. (Yay! Character!) Just wish I had finished the other three projects today with as much success. Oh well. There's always next week.

I've followed up on the earlier entry I made regarding the DIY table.  So this is basically a College Student Series.  Right now, it's in a pause point, since I kinda forgot to get an essential part.  (no, not the wood.... the L brackets.)  Still, I figured I'd do what I could to get the project going.

My initial plan was to do this tomorrow, posting photos in the evening, after my morning classes.  However, this afternoon, my plans changed suddenly and drastically.  Since rolling with change is a part of what the online woodworking revolution is founded on, even if it teaches traditional methods and skills, I am posting here the project I completed today.  (Well, one of them, anyway.)

First off, there's no official design plan for this project.  It exists in my head, based off the mentioned dimensions (try saying that five times fast...) from a post on WoodTalkOnline.  It got me to a place I've enjoyed browsing, Larsen Lumber, in Brecksville, OH.  (No, I'm not affiliated with them, but I firmly believe in spreading credit where credit is due.)  While the costs on the plywood were more than I was expecting, I'm very satisfied with my purchase, and the service I received there.  The project is not completed, it has gotten to a point where I can share it with you, and you get an idea of where it is going.

Its as simple as it gets in tools and materials.  I used only a Craftsman circular saw, equipped with a 40 tooth combination blade from Freud, a corded drill by Chicago Tools from Harbor Freight, a 1/8" drill bit, a folding rule (but feel free to use whatever measure device you wish that will reach from 3 inches to 68 inches), one sheet of 3/4 A/C Plywood, and two 2x4 studs.  For marking devices, I used both a pencil and a regular Sharpie, although the Sharpie is not necessary in most steps. (I used it so people could see my marks, and so I could see the spots in the bright sunlight.)

As my shop is outside, I hope the photos translate well.  Today was the first warm weather day that I had available when I have not been at work or school.  (So the cards fell well today.)  Some of the time, my vision was washed out (hence the Sharpie), but there were only two moments when I wished for an indoor shop.  I also did not have the lumber yard cut the plywood for me, despite my comments that the retailer where you purchase the materials can do so (and probably should, for the college student without a full array of tools available).  So there are some "make do" steps that people with experience will recognize.  Please try to remember that this is an instruction on basic, quick furniture.  While the project was not done in just five minutes (my actual time today is closer to four hours), there was some delay because I needed to photograph my work, and because I did not have a set plan of what I was doing and what I needed.

I would like to point out that if you are going to do this project, you will need materials.  For starters, one sheet of 3/4 Plywood, preferably cabinet grade or better.  You will need two 2x4s, preferably "select" grade or better, but I did find two straight studs in the large supply that was available.

(This is most of what I purchased today: only the top sheet of plywood and the first two 2x4s will be used in this project.)

I used sixteen #8 screws, 2" long, but the drilling pattern I used is not as stable as I would wish.  I will elaborate in a second.  What I did not get, but is definitely needed, are "L" brackets.  I plan on using between six and eight of them, but I will describe that in a second post once it has been completed.  For those brackets, I would recommend more #8 screws, but this time 3/4" long.

The table measures 32" by 60", and is 32" tall.  (This actually needs to be adjusted, which will also be covered in the second post - once I complete it.)  I did not use a drop of glue on this project, so it can be disassembled and stored, if needed.  (I actually plan on discussing that in the second post.)

Again, as this is a simple build (or intended to be an instruction to make it simple), there are some steps taken that are alternatives to having more tools.  If you have a larger tool selection available, use them.  To break down the plywood sheet, I laid it good side up on the concrete pad of my porch, which is elevated from the yard.  I made three layout marks rather than one solid line.  


This shot is from the side, to better illustrate the placement of the plywood so the saw blade can safely cut through the wood.


I used a simple approach to setting the depth of the cut.  

Note that the saw is unplugged for this step.  I heartily recommend everybody do this as a safety measure.  (I accidentally squeezed the trigger of my own saw while repositioning it; fortunately I had not plugged it in.)  Here is a close up showing the blade against the plywood.


To complete the depth, I get the wing nut finger tight before lifting the saw, and then tap gently (like you would if you were making a toast at a wedding) on the sole of the saw, to get a couple more millimeters of clearance.  Keep in mind, I did not actually measure the depth.

I used one of the 2x4s as a straight edge to guide the saw over this cut.  Whatever saw you have, make sure that the saw motor cover clears the 2x4... Mine did not, requiring me to make a second cut.  Not a problem, but I did not photograph it.  I did, however, take this shot, showing the measures I took to counter balance the sheet of plywood.  Here, I am cutting off 16 inches from the width, but due to the way my porch lines up, I ended up with slightly over 30 inches on the concrete to support the face.  This will affect the cut.  If you have a spare 2x4 to place under the cut, or some foam insulation, I'd recommend that.  Either is fairly inexpensive.  It will end up as scrap, however, so plan accordingly.


At this point, I moved the plywood to cut the end off to get to a final dimension of 60".  I used the off cut as my straightedge, again counterbalancing the weight of the end to be cut off.

Due to the space requirements, I extended this cut further than I was really comfortable with, so I used something to prop the end of the plywood up.  Be creative, but don't cut through it.


This piece you cut off will be set aside.  The only thing I used it for was the straightedge in the next step: cutting the 16 inch wide piece in half into two pieces 48 inches long.  Your plywood should now resemble this:


Next, cut one of the 16 inch wide piece into strips approximately 4 inches wide.  I started with cutting the outside strips off, and then ended up with a center that was only about 7 inches wide.  This piece is cut into two pieces before being split in half: one 20 inches long and the other 28.  In this process, I ended up with a piece that is very hard (and dangerous) to cut with a circular saw.  However, I solved this issue with some creative clamping, as shown in the next two photos.


The perpendicular piece was merely used as an additional fulcrum clamp, with my knee and hand providing the application of my body mass.  (This cut was freehand, so I could not leave the top board there as my saw would not have made the cut otherwise.  I later discovered the sole plate of my saw has a measurement of 4 1/4" from the edge of the blade to the far edge of the plate, which was larger than the half of the board.)

At this point, we are ready to create the apron.  I set my table top (the one large panel left) on my bench, but you can do this right on the ground where you cut it originally.  Lay the 4 inch strips on edge, as shown below.  The image only shows one corner, but each corner will look similar.  This is a simple butt joint, with a simple clamping method.  I should mention that the ends of the apron sides do not match; the second photo (showing the dimensions the apron sits from the outer edge) should illustrate this better.


Now it's time to cut your legs... for the table, that is.  I cut the 2x4 to 31 1/4", but this ended up being too tall.  I would recommend that you cut yours to 29 1/4".  As this is a straight cut, I free handed it and did not photograph it.  I did, however, use the first leg I cut as the template of all the other legs, so they would all match.  Just flip the end so the cut end matches the cut side, and the straight "factory" edge matches.  (I cut the segments off each 2x4.  If I were to re-do this step, I would cut one so that I got three legs from it, and cut the fourth from the last one.  In the next post, I should better explain what the remaining portion will be used for.)

At this time, you can put away your saw, and break out your drill.  I did not use a countersink bit, but if you have one that will make your project look that much better.  I predrilled the holes for the screws, as I have had issues with wood splitting on me before.  (Move the assembled apron to an edge where you can get the drill to the lower point.)  My drilling pattern is shown, but this is less stable than I had hoped.  I would recommend two screws per corner, instead of the 3/1 pattern I used.  If you do plan on doing the same pattern I used, add a second screw to the shorter edge.


One piece of advice, remove your "clamps" before you insert the screws.  Especially if you drilled through them.  It will be easier to do so now rather than later.  I made my way around the apron assembly, drilling and screwing one leg at a time.  I did not check for square, so the table may rock later.  If it does, and you do not have carpet, I would recommend some of those furniture pads that you can get to slide the furniture around if you do not wish to take the time to make the table level.  

At this point, you should have something that resembles this:


Next post will show how to attach the table top, and ways to make this more stable.  I currently have this sitting in my living room, in front of my existing table, and enjoyed a nice dinner on it.  It was longer than my "five minute" goal, but it is comprised of a lot of simple, "five minute" components that every person, regardless of skill level, will be able to accomplish by the end of this project.


The post after that will cover finishing, and I will keep this simple for those who just want to accomplish this in a weekend.  If you want to use it at this point, or skip finishing, I'd recommend a picnic table cloth (with the plastic on one side and the fuzz on the other), although you will see a lot of threads catching in the edges and unsanded top.  Including finishing, I'll try to keep this low-fume and short on time, so those college folks who need a table in a day can eat a meal on it.  The approximate cost - as of this step - is under $60, but I'll have an exact amount for materials at the end of the next post.  Finishing cost will be calculated at the end of that post.

I've been quiet lately, actively posting but not working in the shop....
That's as much my issues as fault. You see, in addition to working weekends, I'm going back to school full time. So that's three days a week at classes, ranging from a few hours to twelve hours in one day... not to mention homework. Then, there's helping out at my grandparent's estate, getting it prepped for sale (and my car off the driveway). And I pick up hours at work when I'm able.

On the workshop side of things, I don't have an enclosed space. Which means any purchase of lumber needs to be small enough to fit into the small storage "shed" I use as my workshop. Considering there's really no pattern right now... that means a small board or two is it. I've got plenty of stuff set aside for the lathe, once the world heats up enough for me to run an extension cord out to the shop for power. (Did I mention it's unpowered? Probably, but it bears repeating.)

So the next few projects are going to have to be planned. And, thanks to some recent dish breakages, I've discovered a need for additional shelving. So, there is a rapid need for projects to appear in the house. And as luck would have it, there is a break in the weather, and the snow has finally stopped falling. (Of course, locally, we know that the snow could still fall for another two months, but I'll take any chance I can to get back to wood work.)

So, I have three projects lined up for my first available shop time... and none of them are high class. The first is the obvious one: a bench. Basically, this version is going to be a set of laminated 3/4 plywood sheets, approximately 24" deep by 60" long. The top row will have a strip of dog holes drilled into the front 3" of the plywood, but not through the second row. (I don't want to lose my dogs on the ground in just 1 1/4" inches... knowing the luck of the local geese, myself, and the thickness of your average sheet of plywood...) The second will be a basic cabinet for the pantry; nothing fancy, just 3/4 plywood. I'm checking out sag tomorrow, so I may add support rails in unusual locations, but that has yet to be determined.

The third project is a lumber rack... for the car. I recently came into possession of a new (to me) small SUV, and have discovered I can now carry things like plywood home... except I don't want to put them on the luggage rack and not support the center. So I'm going to get some 2x4s and pipe insulation, cut them into a small, portable "double frame H", and leave them in the shop until I'm ready to get the lumber. This project will probably be first, as I need it to get all the plywood for the next few projects.

The fourth project I have planned is inspired by a post here, under the catergory of DIY help. I'm going to tackle the basic design I mentioned as a possibility in Elizibeth's request... and see just how badly I muck it up... Don't worry, I'll post the photos of the successes as well as the failures. If I can't get the location to cut the plywood, I'll break it down and show the steps. Since I don't have much of a tool collection, this should be very helpful to those just starting out. (Especially in how to hide the bloodstains and mistakes.... I have a feeling I'll make a couple due to nerves.) No video... I've never invested in a video camera.

So look for a lot from me in the next 10 days. If you have any questions, feel free to comment or leave me an email. I check email at least five times a week, although the days are never consistent or consecutive beyond 3... as the initial schedule should indicate.

Best of Sawdust to you!

For a while, I have been putting off doing some of the bigger projects I have on my “to do” list.  There are a few reasons behind them, but some of them come down to that biggest complaint of the beginner: I don’t think I have the right tools.

I have watched a lot of video online, read a few books, and checked out a few magazines for their tips and tricks.  In all of them, the person doing the work has a calm approach, and a level of confidence that I don’t always match.  It’s easy to think that they have this because the person demonstrating the work has done this before.  What is often forgotten is that every person develops confidence with repeated attempts.  Nobody has ever sat down and done their first of anything with any measure of skill.

But the big hurdle I have felt to starting a project has been more difficult to get a grasp on.  It’s not so much the confidence in my skills, or the fact that I have never done this particular task.  The excuse I have used as a crutch to keep me from even trying to gain the experience is that I do not have the same tool that the demonstrator has.  It’s that simple.  I don’t try, because I don’t have the tool.

Truth is, I don’t need it.

You see, while the demonstrator is showing a fantastic job of doing or knocking out some particular task, with a level of confidence that makes this task look ridiculously easy, the task itself is easy.  The higher in experience you go, the more you realize that there are appropriate tools to turn to that are geared, engineered, designed for the task ahead of you.  In some instances, years of planning went into the design of that tool the demonstrator is reaching for.

There’s nothing wrong with this.  The experience along the way has shown the demonstrator that, while any tool can do this task, this particular one (or type of tool) does this task better than most.  For a beginner in any task, it is too tempting to say “I cannot do this because I don’t have” whatever tool it is.  What is important to remember is that everybody started somewhere.

I do not remember which particular title it was in, but I remember a fiction tale where a weaponsmith and blacksmith discovered he needed to make a hammer.  People later following his trail discovered a crude forge, and discarded lumps of metal that were primitive and not very attractive.  Several puzzled over these artifacts, until one person confidently stated, “Oh, that’s simple.  He used the first to make the second.”

The beginner needs to know that the demonstrators have learned that a particular task is easy with the appropriate tool designed for this task.  That is why old cabinet maker shops have hundreds of planes stacked in shelves.  Yet there is the tale of the Loretto Chapel, in Santa Fe, where a travelling handyman visited a chapel completed in 1878 without a convenient access to the choir loft.  This traveler had his tools carried on the back of a donkey, which means he needed travel with a smaller number of tools.  This particular story ends with an amazing spiral staircase of a design that experts still marvel at, with a level of skill defying the manner in which it was accomplished.

I’m not saying that the beginner can complete a project that will stump historians for over 125 years.  But it is possible, even probable, that the beginner can accomplish some mundane task without having the designed tool.  It’s all a matter of picking an appropriate tool to accomplish a task.  For the beginner, maybe the point is not so much that it must be done with a twelve point left-handed danglespanner, but that the process to this particular task needs to be done in several steps.  For someone with the access to the right materials, that first step might be recognizing the tools you have are not appropriate to the task at hand.  So you make the tool you need.

The real secret is that the skills you need to make the tool you need are all around you.  Like the smith who made the first hammer, to make the second hammer, the first part does not need to be pretty.  In fact, for a utilitarian tool, it probably will be downright ugly.  The first pair of tools will probably be a sturdy rock and a relatively flat surface, which will lead to a stable hammer and a less rough surface.  It does not take an expert to make a basic hammer.  But even the expert needed to start their skills somewhere.  Going back to basic rocks might seem like a punishment, but it can in fact be very liberating.

Who knows?  Maybe I might even find a better way to make something simple.  Now, if you’ll pardon me, there’s a rock out there calling me to my workshop.

Two days ago, I'm rushing through a project, looking forward to use my hand tools.  It's a nice day outside (for a change), but not nice enough to run power through an open door.  After all, it is November.  So after a major cleaning project by the rest of the household, I go claim my handplane from the closet.  I've already set up the temporary workbench, done my best to keep the wood straight (it is warped slightly), and cut the board.  I reach for this favored plane, and decide the blade is too far advanced.  So it needs to be adjusted.

Except the thumbwheel is missing.  

Not a big problem, as parts are available to fix this.  It's an older Great Neck plane, probably a #4,   I've never really learned how to use it, but I've had fun with it, and gotten some good results.  The problem is that I need this plane now.  Midst of a project.  Kind of like painting yourself into a corner and needing hover shoes to get out (or at least scaffolding or an open window...)  Now, I have power tools that will help me do this, but I really wanted to use the plane.

Now, I was able to use another product to do the sanding.  I've wanted to test this concept out, and to my surprise it worked better than I expected.  I'll have more on this later, as I need to apply it to the project I really have in mind.

The bad news is that my plane is now not functional.  Missing one simple piece, and I cannot use it the way it was intended.  

The good news?  I get to go shopping!  Parts!  New Tools!  New material!  New products!  Try new concepts, new tools, new toys!  It really is a happy holiday season!

This morning, everybody piled into the car.  This is an unusual event for my household; typically I carry only one other person in the car at a time.  We have a larger family sedan, so it's not a space issue.  The heater core in my car does not work nearly as well as I would like it to.  (Then again, I was not born in Ohio, so my preferred temperature range is slightly warmer than most of my neighbors.)  The point is that the car started to fog up, faster than the defroster could keep up with.

This got me thinking about wood storage.  When I bring home a selection of wood, I tend to just pitch it (figuratively speaking) into my shop.  Since my shop does not have storage space, even vertically, for wood, it has to fit wherever it can.  This often does not allow for adequate air flow around the wood.  And I know that the material is not supported throughout the length, meaning I will have to deal with cupping, warping, or curling.

The biggest thing I'm worried about now, though, is moisture.  That haze on the window was a pain to try to see through, and it comes from four bodies in the car exhaling and creating more than my climate controls can handle.  The more wood I bring in, the more I need to be aware of my climate control.  Now, since my shop does have vents that are open year round, I have material that adjusts seasonally.  I need to keep a close eye on wood movement, which is strictly in the realm of moisture.

During winter, while there is a higher moisture content in the air, the relative humidity is typically lower.  Thanks to the wonders of science, this moisture is pulled out of the air.  Thermodynamics, a language I'm aware that exists but could not speak to save my soul, dictates that warmer air holds more moisture than colder air.  This can be demonstrated by having four people get into a car and watching the windows haze up.  It can also be seen in wood, as it curls, cracks, or twists with temperature or humidity changes.

I don't have a lot of wood on hand at the moment.  I have one board of cherry, one board of Bird's Eye Maple (still thrilled about this as it's my first BEM board), one board that Lowe's labeled "whitewood" (I suspect it's pine, but I'm not going to criticize it if it isn't), and a double handful of dowels made from oak, poplar, and .... er..... well, I'm not really certain what those last two are made from.  In an odd twist of irony, my good lumber is outside, and my "craft wood" is inside, waiting for me to straighten my miter box and cut off specific lengths to fix five projects before it joins the rest of the stuff outside.  So the good stuff is being subjected to extremes in temperature changes, while the stuff that can be replaced cheaply is protected.

This winter, I do plan on picking up some material for a few smaller projects that I will do in spring.  Some will be pressure treated, for a pair of privacy screens I'd like to do for the porch and shop, so those can be acquired pretty much right before they are needed.  Some will be sheet goods, and those will need to be acquired only when the project will be started because I have no place to store them.  But some will be specialty products like poplar and pine for some shelving projects, and this can be purchased and stored until I'm ready for it.  I need to figure out how to store this, since one end will be on the floor and I only have 8 feet vertical space to deal with.  Plus, I have tools that are susceptible to moisture that I need to worry about; most of the locations I get my lumber from store the material inside climate regulated environments.  

And the defrost function on my shop works just as well as the car... slowly, and taking about four months to complete it's cycle.

As I'm writing this, it's late Saturday evening, and I need to rush off to bed to get sleep before going in to work tomorrow.  This is not unusual, as I work weekends, but lately the mere act of blogging has been an oddity for me.  It's fitting, then, that this happens around the end of October.

For the last week, we have been enjoying unseasonably warm weather.  Like, 70 and 80 degree temperatures unseasonably.  As a frame of reference, today's temperature barely climbed out of the 40s.  (In fact, during the fire drill today, we were told to stay in our seats as the rush to grab coats would add chaos to the drill.)  This warm weather comes shortly after the leaves have changed, and many have already fallen from their perches in the wind.

Change is in the air here, and not just in the biting breezes.  As some may have heard, I decided I needed to go to college, and am halfway through my first semester of what promises to be a five year program (unless I pick up summer classes.... we'll have to see what the finances have in store).  Add to this the news that I've started publishing articles through Yahoo! Voices, and that I'm picking up hours at work, and material for a second bench, you begin to see that things are dancing about chaotically like a leaf in a stiff breeze.

So it is with eager trepidation that I look out the window at the mists covering the cars in the parking lot.  I know all too soon those mists will turn into flakes of snow, and frost will descend upon the windshields of those same cars, wrapping the world in some icy embrace for the next eternity.  There are piles of leaves already clustered about the chair I have left in my shop area, one of the folding quad chairs that - ironically enough - is comprised of a camouflage leaf pattern.  My tools have been put away, but not stored properly yet.  I need to do a winterizing treatment for them, removing the last stages of rust so they can slumber in peace for a winter in my outdoor-ish storage area.  Come spring, I will reawaken them, removing newer stages of rust, before embracing new growth and new cycles.

Having an outdoor shop means that I need to squeeze more shop time into a shorter window, and my schedule has not allowed me nearly as many opportunities as I would have wished.  A moment of laziness did come back to bite me, as the recently completed workbench was left out rather than be put away, and an evening thunderstorm pretty much marked it for the scrap bin barely a week after it had been completed.  The chill air means I appreciate a good workout and active shop session, but lately my projects have all been smaller, and not required major muscle groups.  Alas, cold fingers do not work well for fine details, so those projects have been put away as well.

The positive side of all this, though, is that I am surrounded by the glory of autumn.  I get inspiration on every faint whisper of a breeze: the sharp bite of the air, the scent of dry moisture in the winds, the colors of the leaves, the glistening sparkle of the frost, and the sight of bare tree limbs that have been shorn of their camouflage and lay shyly visible for the first time in months.  This time of year brings me back to a particular project my father had finished on the scroll saw: a pin oak leaf done out of quarter inch plywood.  While the irony of the material choice for the subject is worth a chuckle, I find myself reaching for this fond memory.

One of the things that I treasure about this memory is that it brings to mind other techniques, other tools, other areas that I can look into.  I have a long hibernation approaching, and while I cannot go to a class on a technique due to my work and school schedules, I can take the time to go over several books and videos that I have access to.  True, I cannot go out to the shop to put these techniques into practice, but that makes the anticipation of spring that much better.  This season usually brings about a late spurt of activity, as I bustle about the world, gathering material to feed my inspiration, curiosity, and mind like a squirrel feasting on the hidden nuts that were stored for this exact purpose.  While I might not sleep like a squirrel, I will gain a little extra flab, and sequester myself in the bole of some sturdy abode to wait out the quiet winter.

Yes, I am wrapping up for the season, and for the year.  All the large projects are being put to bed.  All the time I spend pining for a visit to the local wood suppliers and tool retailers will be translated into time spent dreaming and planning.  My winters are usually a hectic pace of rejected project plans and research, preparing me for that moment when I can burst forth from my winter inactivity with a faint bud of hope, the first green shoot to caress the warming air and send vital energy back into my system.  Like the trees, I am storing materials in preparation for a cold winter, shedding the unnecessary burdens of a warm summer to weather through a necessary but under-appreciated time of year.  My lifeblood is bringing nutrients from the edges back into the core, feeding my heartwood, and preparing to nurture me and prepping me to send my tendrils into the world after a long slumber, dreaming of warm curls and gentle grain and the promise of spring.

I leave this now, not with sadness, but with anticipation.  This is a season where I can transfer my physical activity to mental, planning for the next year and getting ready for the time when the sun can bathe my projects and shop in full glory.  This is a season of beginnings, not of endings.  This is the time of year I dread and salivate for, as I will be bursting with ideas and eagerness shortly.  Do not mourn for me, as I will be far from unhappy; though I may be sad in the short time, like the trees I know that another glorious summer is mere months away.

Wouldn't you know that this has been a bad weekend to fulfill my promises.  Between smaller than expected paychecks, hot weather, and empty cabinets, I have not spent nearly as much time working with the shavings as I would like.  I did manage to get further on the replacement name plate, but the camera seems to have wandered away from it's usual hiding spot.  Knowing my luck, it's probably still in the pack from the camping trip, begging me to rescue it from confinement.

And most of today, aside from being a holiday, was spent well.  After taking the boys to lunch, I took them grocery shopping.  Amazingly enough, the two teenagers managed to not load the cart up with food!  (See, the trick does work!)  And I did manage to find out some of the needs they have on this trip, which led to my perusing some online sites for wood working plans.

Plus, I found my missing copy of the Woodworker's Guild Of America "Weekend projects for your shop and home" that I have been looking for off and on for the past three months.  Gotta thank Matt V for this find: that annoying little sidebar on Facebook alerted me he liked them, so I followed along and got a copy of this DVD.  So I have been spending much of today preparing for the future.

Between my homework (yes, I've gone back to school), getting the family laundry together, shopping, watching movies, watching instructional videos, previewing and drafting project plans, putting together cut lists and lumber shopping lists, and cooking, I haven't had a lot of time.  Still, I can't complain about what I got accomplished today.

So, as soon as the bank lets me, I'm off to purchase a couple of sheets of plywood, and hopefully get a desk or two built.  Oh, and there will be an update to the OSB project by the end of this week: I'm finally going to see the results of two years of sitting for one prepped segmented blank.