My old fence started to break, sag, and just fall apart. It took me about five months to get enough logs. The logs also had the bark removed. A neighbor came over and redrilled the holes, then I plugged the hole with a post. Cut the post to length after they had set for a while.

Cutting the rials between the post took the longest time. I had a fixture that would keep me six inches down from the top, they I had to measure the rails diameter to cut out the notch. Drill a large hole for the washer and head, then a through hole for the 12” lag screws. The drill a hole for the body of the threads in the rail. Then I get to do the same thing on the other end. I used adjustable saw horses and they were a life saver.

After the lower rails were install, I could put the top rails on. Boy they went fast. I just measured the distance between the post, added 12” (six inches overhang on each end) then cut the notch, drill the large hole, a through hole, drill a hole for the threads.

And just think, I didn’t use a rechargeable drill. 220’ of extension cords, and three electric drills.

Overall this took me about four months for two acres.

The sign was from leftovers. I sliced then just larger than half the diameter of the log. Drilling the three through holes for the threaded rod was a bear. I can’t drill a straight hole and the spade bit wasn’t really long enough. But I used an impact gun to drive the threaded rod home. Jam nuts and it is locked in. Flat enough for me. The letters are used from a font on my computer. Plotted each letter on a sheet of paper. 8 1/2” x 11”. Made from MDF. Cut-out on my scroll saw. Chamfered the edges. Drilled holes for ‘Cut Nails/Horse Shoe Nails’. Wife painted them black.

The only help, other than my wife, was my trailer. It is what I use to move the rails.

Would I do it again, at this time, I don’t think so. I don’t like fences anyway.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

I am in the process of replacing my existing fence. The old fence is down and gone.

The old holes were redrilled for me and the post are cut to height.

Now come the rails. Half of them goes between the post, and the other go on top. Between rail goes on first. I have a fixture built, although too big got to make smaller, to cut flat spots on the post so the rails can mate using a 3/8” x 12” lag screw/bolt.

Now you just can’t hold a rail in place while doing all of this, that is why the ‘Three Legged Adjustable Saw Horses’.

It seem like all I ever do is make saw dust.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Just an added note; you might want to spray/spread the legs just a bit. Little tipsy.

Just a thought.

OK, here is what I got after cutting the trunk of a Salt-Cedar bush/tree.

I used the root to make a little box, and it didn’t turn out all that well. I want to split, chip out, and just wasn’t good.

Anyway, here is the trunk part, and you’ll notice splits which is more like a branch. The pieces are under 1” thick and the longest is under 12”. Not much to work with and what worst, I don’t have an idea what to make with it. It has been sitting outside for about 9 months and inside for about 3 months. It isn’t dry by any long shot. One board has a dark brown spot and that is because the bandsaw didn’t cut that straight.

So what do you all think? Is there anything left that is worth anything?

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

I have other projects in the works, but I have been working with wood that I find around town.

The first is a box made from ‘Salt-Cedar’ root. This root split as it dried but gave more wood than you see here. Lost some in the planner. The rest was just too small. The wood is much like Poplar, what I call soft. But this is the best of what was left. The root was about 8” dia. and about 12” long. Check out the rays. Otherwise, it would have been in the trash.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Like most of you, I have too much excess material from other projects.

What to do with it all.
1. Burn it. I don’t like that idea.
2. Use it. But for what?
3. Recycle it. Isn’t that the same as ‘Use it’?

I have some ideas, like glue it up into small boards and make something reguardless of what the material looks like.

It will take some time to get things off the floor, so I got to sort by thickness, route the ends for joining, and then glue them up. Run them throught the planner.

Then I may have something to work with.

Test cuts for getting that miter just right. I did find my miter gauge is off. File the hole and now I am closer. I think, and hope.

These are the ends and the first time I put them together they didn’t fit. The second time they did. There alive, maybe.

I hate miters.

It isn’t just like Norm’s, a lot more drawers and no dividers that he had.

On the face frame I dove-tailed the joints. To make thoes joints I made two fixtures. One to cut the tail and the other to cut the pin.

Notice in the pin fixture, three finger one, a whole in the center. It allows me to center the fixtrue.

I am not happy with my system of locating the drawer guides. Got to find something better. Maybe a T-Square type.

Speaking of drawers, note the handles. Just 2”x4”s cut in half and turned round. Or close to it. The handles are 12” long, and 6” mounting screw holes. I made two fixtures for them. One to drill the holes in the drawers, from 2” to 6” from the top of the drawer. Then I made another fixture, with Vee blocks, to drill the holes in the handle. Oh yes, another fixture to slide between the holes. Dirll first hole then slide the fixture on the fixture to the other hole. 18 drawers plus 6 in another cabinet and you have to make fixtures to get the work done.

Now I have a place to get the stuff off the floor.

Bought a whole bunch of plywood the other day, cut it all up to make this stack of drawers. This plywood worked so well that I cut dovetails to hold the drawers together. Three bottles of glue later and there you have it.

I wander how much stuff off the floor I can get in there?

The design from the Yankee Workshop, but I change the number of drawers. Norm’s are too big for me, I think.

Now to put those drawers, 18, into the cabinet. Drawer slides are going to cost. Maybe I can find a sale?

More to come later.

I have some empty spaces. I need some more clamps.

I did use a garbage can to move them out here, and just now built this to store them.

It is quick, dirty, and uses scrap pieces.

Proto type works and it doesn’t work.

I needed a table slide or something to hold a sheet of plywood out there in space.

Yes I know that there are fixtures, got one, but my skill saw doesn’t leave a clean edge. But my table saw does quit well.

Friction, used paste wax. Works better than nothing.

If you notice my out feed table, it folds up also, it made out of particleboard with marlite surface. It is a lifesaver. If you don’t have build yourself one. You will not be sorry.

Anyway, that gave me the idea for this. That open space must go. Also it needs to be longer in both directions. Otherwise, it works.

I also add some pictures of my outfeed table. Then the whole thing is folded up.

Small foot print, isn’t it?

Just making saw dust.