A bit of sawdust and burning

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Here's the result of the first venture into wood this season. Reasons are many, but I'll save you the details.

Went camping the 16th, and took a couple extra "decompressing" days, and was able to do the wood burned ornaments. Still have to put the string through, and finish the clear coats.

The campsite signs are where they'll stay, until I get another air compressor... but, I got them cut. The dark one, I got the wood from John (thanks again! Can't wait to cut the other one!) and three of the four on the other, were cut on the left over cedar planks from the deck. Doing the fishbone design, you have a lot of scraps.

So, doubt I'll get much more accomplished; no energy. But, thought I would share with my friends what I have done.

I hope everyone is well, and I'm sorry I haven't been around; no excuse; can't explain it.

P.S. the deck (and gazebo) are officially complete, with the railing being done a few weeks back. Extremely happy with the end result.

image10695[1].jpg

Camp 1.jpg

Sunday Set.jpg

[old55]

Very nice Barb.

[Herb Stoops]

Fantastic,Barb,
I am a real fan of your work anyway. you have been busy.......looks like the dog approves too.
What happened to your air compressor?
HErb

[Nickp]

Very nice, Barb...hopefully you have been enjoying the new deck...if not, it's about time you did...

Good luck with the compressor...always good to see your work...

[Stick486]

ME TOO!!!!

About being a fan of your work... well done Barb...

[Stick486]

this one gets my vote...

SNOW.jpg

[Herb Stoops]

That entered my mind the second I saw it too Stick....
Herb

[Stick486]

That entered my mind

it's snowing in there???

[Nickp]

Herb...Stick's just trying to get in your head...pay him no mind...

[OutoftheWoodwork]

this one gets my vote...

I have a cousin who moved to CO a year or more ago. I teased her over the weekend, saying something about still having snow on the ground out there

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Fantastic,Barb,
I am a real fan of your work anyway. you have been busy.......looks like the dog approves too.
What happened to your air compressor?
HErb

The dog, is my daughters dog-His name is Bear. I call him Lovey Huggy Wolfie Bear, because he thinks he's a lap dog and always wants to snuggle and give hugs. He was chaperoning me Sunday morning, while I was cutting.

Funny thing about air compressors; they get condensation in them, filling up with water, and when they aren't emptied, you burn them up! Yeah, neither of us thought about keeping it emptied; I went to turn it on, smelled something burn, saw a flash, and the "lights went out" at that point, never to start again. It was a pancake compressor-Bostitch, and I guess for never being emptied in the three or so years I had it.... *UGH*

Not doing another pancake compressor; looking for an upright, but then again.. oh hell I'm undecided (as usual)

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Ken will be gone this weekend (going to our daughters to do some clean up so they can get ready for fall deer season) so if at all possible, I need to do more ornaments, signs, etc. Who knows.

Anyway, @Nickp Here is the deck in all it's glory. I still have to get the gate on, which will be a split, out-swinging gate, but Yes, we've been out here, and spend a lot of evenings watching movies, and Weekends we have coffee out here, under the umbrella, when we can. The screens are there for privacy, as well as protection from the UV rays, and Ken moved one of my lilac bushes to the front right corner (opposite the rose of sharon bushes). My neighbor asked if we were going out to the camper to watch television (because they could hear the sound), and I laughed, telling her "no, we have a television set up on the deck" and she ended up getting a tour of the deck, new camper, and my workshop (since she had never seen any of these. She's a homebody, worse than I am.)

[Herb Stoops]

WOW! You sure did good on the deck. You guys have been busy.
On any air compressor I have known it has to be drained. Water and air compressors don't mix. If the humidity is high, then it really collects.
HErb

[Cherryville Chuck]

Barb one of the things I love about your signs is how balanced you manage to get the script to look. When the script isn't well balanced it makes signs look very amateurish.

A covered outside space to go relax in is a real treat that most people don't get to experience. Having grown up in the deep south where all the old houses had a large roofed front porch was something I missed when I moved here. So I added one onto my house and in the summer we spend a couple of hours a day sitting out there. I added the porch swing too which was also common. Some of the best things in life really are simple ones.

I bought one of those supposedly portable twin tank compressors. I say supposedly portable because it weighs about 98 pounds I think. Barely portable would be more accurate. It will surprise you how fast they get up to 120psi. It is a kind of in-between size though. It will operate an impact gun but not for long. It's way bigger than you need for any type of nailer. It's a pretty good size for painting. You don't tend to run out of air for that. For an air chisel or die grinder it's once again a little small. You'll be waiting for it to pressure back up a lot. Mine is Hot Rod brand but I think they are all the same machine with different names. If you are using them regularly you should drain at least once a week and if you are painting with them then drain before you start.

[Nickp]

WOW...nice job finishing the deck. Home away from home...!

[Stick486]

Barb one of the things I love about your signs is how balanced you manage to get the script to look.

SPOT ON!!!....

[OutoftheWoodwork]

@Cherryville Chuck , @Stick486 thank you for the compliment. It means a lot coming from you guys. I just go with what I think looks good when I'm laying it out in my computer program. For you guys to tell me that the spacing is "spot on" (as Stick put it) and coming from experienced routers like yourselves, really touches me. Thank you.

@Herb Stoops @Nickp thank you. Love how the deck came out. I've been working out under there when the weather permits it, rather than sitting in the house all day on the computer. (Still working remotely.)

As for the gazebo, we're all day sun, so we had to make our own shade. This is the second revamp on this deck in three years, and I have NO intention of doing it again! I still need to get some sort of screen system that doesn't look trashy; what's up there now, is just until we can get something on the deck to protect it, and I can design some sort of screen system.

The air compressor: Yeah, I know we were supposed to keep up on the water in it; we both kept overlooking it, and with it being a pancake compressor, the water got up to where it destroyed it quicker. My old blue compressor was a lot taller, so it was safer. So many factors to look at when looking at a new compressor: psi, noise, and size are all being taken into account, which makes it more difficult for me. I almost regret getting rid of my old blue one... ah well. When I find the right one, I guess it will pop out and bite me. (Hope it's more like a nibble... don't need any scars lol)

[Jon]

They signs are great pieces of work but that deck takes the votes. Well done on all fronts.
Bummer on the compressor.

[Herb Stoops]

Barb, they make automatic drains for compressors. for example,
https://www.amazon.com/VIFERR-Automatic ... 84&sr=8-22

The quietest compressor I have found is the CalAir, when it comes on you don't jump out of your boots.
Just saying.
Herb

[Bushwhacker]

I heard that Herb. I have been concentrating in my shop when Mine will come on and scare the s*** out of me.