TheKingsTreasures's Blog at LumberJocks.com

Are we ready yet?

TheKingsTreasures — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:14:09 GMT

We have been working real hard trying to get ready for the craft show coming up on Friday. I made a bunch of signs and Terry made benches to take but today he called me at work and said that we were not going to have anything left to take to the show. He sold 3 signs, a table and 4 benches already this week. I only have 2 days left to try and catch up. Maybe I’ll just have to take orders like I did last time but I was trying to have a good selection of different signs to choose from. I am glad that the things sold at the shop but now I have some more work to do.

Another craft show coming up

TheKingsTreasures — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:32:33 GMT

We have just agreed to do another show in our area on Sept. 6th. That doesn’t give us much time to get ready. 14 year old daughter has agreed to help, with compensation of course. She has helped a little in the past but I think this time she will be pretty much involved in the sign making process this time. It will be an interesting next 3 weeks.

Step by Step

TheKingsTreasures — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:07:38 GMT

In response to the many requests for information about how I do the routing on the signs, I will give a step by step below.
When I get an order request the first thing I do is pick out or make a sign blank in the approximate size the customer requested, then I go to my computer. I have a program on on my computer that will print out banners, I use Print Shop. I can choose many styles of lettering and adjust the letters to any size that I need to fit on my board. When I get everything how I think it will look best, I print the banner. I move the banner over to my board and tape it down where I want the lettering to be. I use carbon paper to transfer the letters to the board. Then with the appropriate bit in my router I sit, get comfortable and just follow the lines.
I have tried many different bits and found myself always going back to 3-4 different bits. I like the usual v-groove lettering bit for most jobs, adjusting the depth for larger or smaller jobs. I also use a 1/4 inch straight bit or a 1/8th inch straight bit for small letters. If I am doing small letters that only take one pass to finish, I sometimes like the 1/8 inch round bottom bit. The v-groove bit cannot make square corners when I need them so sometimes I will go around the edges of the letters with a smaller to get the nice corners then finish it with the larger straight bit.
As for the router I use, I use 2 machines. I use a regular router for most jobs and for the smaller detail work I us a Rotozip tool with small Dremel carving bit. These bits are not made for this kind of work so they get dull real quick. That’s okay with me because when I use a dull bit it burns the wood as it goes, making the line dark. I like that look on some signs, it saves me from having to paint it.
When I paint the lettering and designs I just use regular indoor-outdoor craft paint and I am not really careful about staying in the lines. When the paint dries I just sand the piece again and clean up my mess. I like to coat it with 2 coats of polyurathane, add the screw eyes and the chain to hang it and it is done. Oh, I be sure and get a picture of it before it goes to it’s new home so I don’t forget what I did. !

Craft show

TheKingsTreasures — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:10:40 GMT

Aginst my better judgment, someone convinced me to set up at a local festival-craft show.The last couple of weeks we have been working hard getting ready for the show at Riverfest at Leavenworth. I was thinking that after the show we would be able to slow down and mellow out a little but, I think not. I got so many orders for signs that the next few weeks will be a bit hectic again. Well not “so many” orders, I think it was 10 or 11 but some of them want more then one sign. I only sold 4 signs but Terry took about 15 benches in different styles and we sold 5 of those I think. Our take home total was fair but we didn’t get rich by no means. I made a bunch of business cards and a lot of them went out so we may get a few more phone calls. Someone that bought one of the wide benches is calling it a coffee table and called and wanted to know if Terry could make them a couple of end tables to match it. Some one came in the shop and bought 3 benches yesterday for $85. They said they would be back for more. A lady left a message on the phone yesterday ordering two. She doesn’t want them put together, she wants to haul them in the trunk of the car. Terry makes the peices, includes the hardware and wraps it all in the plastic wrap and they put them together when they get home.
The festival was not as big as I thought it would be, maybe 20 to 25 booths and Terry thinks we were the ones that probably made the most money that day. Everybody loved our stuff but in these days and times they are hard to seperate from their money. It was mostly local folks there but we did get the word out about what we were doing.

We have been busy

TheKingsTreasures — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 02:21:49 GMT

I haven’t posted here in a while but we have been busy. Christmas was a really busy time, we had a lot of sign orders for gifts. Now that the weather is nicer we have been getting out a lot more projects and coming up with more ideas. The orders are coming in, just enough to keep us busy but not stressed. I am enjoying the challenge. When the orders stop I have some ideas of my own that I would like to try. I look forward to this summer and all the summer time projects.

Satisfied Customer

TheKingsTreasures — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:33:40 GMT

She was really happy with her bench. She will be picking it up Monday and taking it to Georgia with her. I’m glad she liked it, we like happy customers. This bench inspired us and we made another on the general pattern. It is not quite as heavy and is made of soft maple. I will be putting a picture on the back of the bench with the router but have not decided what that picture will be yet. Maybe a big eagle. I will post pictures as soon as we get it finished.

Sigh of relief

TheKingsTreasures — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 02:39:12 GMT

All before Christmas orders are done, now I can relax. I even have all my Christmas shopping done. Now I can sit back and enjoy the family dinner tomorrow. Oh, forgot , still have to make the cole slaw. I better get busy.

Busy week

TheKingsTreasures — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:32:47 GMT

Here it is Thursday evening and I think I will manage to finish all my orders before Christmas. I had 11 signs to do this week and today I did the last coat of Polyurathane on 8 of them. I still have to sand the two signs that were ordered without polyurathane and I can do that while I am here at work. They will be picked up in the morning. I need to attach the screw eyes and chains to the mule sign and all 8 of the others but will have to do that Sat. morning since I will be at work here for the next 36 hours. I has been a busy week and I appreciate my daughters help with all the painting.

Snow day

TheKingsTreasures — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 15:00:38 GMT

Because of the snow today there will be no church but I will have to get out in the snow since our workshop is about 5 miles away in our shop building. I must get to work on the Christmas orders. I have 11 orders to finish before Christmas and with me working at a job 3 days a week this will be an interesting week. I am hoping to finish the mule head sign today and will post that photo as soon as I can. It is a neat sign.