Byrdie

Looks a lot like what I plan to build. I've got the lift, now I need to get of my ... couch.

+1 I check in during down time. Guess I'll have to find some real work to do.

Typically wood should be surfaced before it is dimensioned so that the dimensions are true from flattened surfaces. If the pieces are to large or unwieldy to handle then I would *rough* dimension them before surfacing them. Basically you want flat and true surfaces to work from.

+1 - I agree with Tom wholeheartedly.

Hate to admit it but I got my wireless system at Harbor Freight for a little over $200. Comes with 2 cameras and can be expanded up to 4 cameras. The cameras do need to be plugged in for power but transmit wireless to the base. Add and SD card and you can record for months. They also offer a wired system that will support up to 8 cameras for about the same price. Did notice some anomalies - I originally had it set to record 30 second videos but noticed that only one camera can record at a time. I walked from the field of one camera into the coverage of the other and it wasn't getting the second because the first was still recording. Shortened the record time up to 15 secs. each and now it works well. The one camera that's outside sort of faces morning sun and now, after about 1.5 years, the night vision doesn't work - still records but you get a black screen. Works great during the day. The camera that's inside my shop works flawlessly - love the shots of a spider crawling over the lens. New/additional cameras are about $80-100 depending on if you can catch them on sale. It has a way to transmit to your phone using Skype but I haven't bothered with that (yet) because I don't like my phone.

I'm hoping you don't give up totally on this one but take the lessons learned and apply them. I, for one, would still like to see how something like this could be done. Perhaps you need a different bonding agent, maybe one that's not so reactive to the surface but rather works on top of it. Maybe you need to shellac your surfaces first to prevent absorption. Might try a different approach for creating your base as well. Or you could try gluing up smaller sub assemblies of 5 or so stars and then gluing the sub assemblies together.

The crest is a little more apparent in the newer photographs and I'd agree with the Flycatcher.

Hey @Chestnut A few possibilities on this one. The Crested Flycatcher is a very good guess and highly likely for this area. It looks most like a Kirtland's Warbler but it could be an immature Goldfinch or one of the many varieties of Tits. (I didn't make up the name!) The Kirtland's isn't supposed to get this far West but it does get into Northern WI so it's possible you got a stray.

For *my eye, I think I'd want to see the far side of the arms flow more into the rim of the bowl rather than turn and meet the bowl in the almost perpendicular manner that the appear to now. I also think I like the original where the arc of the arms appeared not to rise above the rim of the bowl. Do these comments come across clearly? I'm not sure I'm saying them the best way I could.

One can never have too many clamps ... I'm going to have to look for some of these!

That has to be one of the funniest autocorrects I've seen in awhile ... Just glad it didn't put an M in front of it or I'd still be rolling on the floor.

Oh great. Now my YouTube search is going to be full of that ...

Interested in organs and organ making, unfortunately not interested in moving ... again. If I were a bit younger this would be real tempting! Wish the best of luck and hope you find who you're looking for.

I wish that was my level of "mess."

The other advantage of wider legs on the bench is that you don't end up with a long unsupported section of bench outside the legs. Too long a piece ends up acting like a teeter totter when someone sits on it. Don't ask me how I know.