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Got a Need…Got Scrap…Got it Made…Got Overkill

6K views 28 replies 13 participants last post by  jbertelson 
#1 ·
Got a Need…Got Scrap…Got it Made…Got Overkill

PREAMBLE

We have all done it. Unless I am the only imperfect one here…which is a distinct possibility………….(-:

In the shop, and you see a problem, something happens over and over again. That's a reoccurring issue. Fix it.

This is a real mundane problem, with a real mundane solution. However, instead of trying to buy something, like a simple plastic tray…....well, got all this scrap, let's put it to use.

PROBLEM

I am sure most of you do not have this problem, but I am constantly moving things in my relatively small shop so that one of the project tables, which is being used for gluing things, suddenly has to be an outfeed table, or something similar.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I am gluing, I have a glue bottle, a small pan of water to wash off my fingers and small brushes, a bunch of folded up paper towels, usually some quick drying filler, and a putty knife as well. Moving all this stuff is a pain.

In addition, there is water involved, it inevitably spills, so I have to have newspaper there. Need something to hold this stuff, need containment for spilled water. A plastic pan, aluminum pan……all kinds of stuff might work.

SCENARIO

But I am a woodworker, an LJ at that, and I have scrap, and scrap is always a temptation……right? It's free, headed for the garbage or the fireplace. Satisfaction in using scrap. Probably an award out there for it….and there has been an LJ contest or two, using just scrap. Enter the scrounge mentality.

Digression:

I am sure there are those of you for whatever reason, irrationally scrounge things up to do something, because of past experiences, or upbringing. Folks my age, had parents who came through the depression. They were real careful what they threw away. It is amazing what simple things gave them pleasure, because they had been through rough times. My folks lost everything. I remember rationing in WWII. I remember the end, the headlines about the atomic bomb. We didn't have a car until I was in eighth grade….because we couldn't afford one. So there is my sob story, and my paltry rationale for……..making do. Because, I do not have to make do. But it is burned into my psyche. So, understand, what follows……..

SOLUTION

Let's see, lots of wood, some acrylic, plenty of tools, easy 'off the cuff' design.

Want it to be easy to carry around, handle the occasional spill, be big enough, have some aesthetic value, and like all my shop objects, outlive me………(-:

Make a box with handles, big ones along both of the lateral edges. Have some left over 1/8" pine trim pieces from the minibench, cover some plywood surfaces with pine trim.

The box:



OK, you say, that looks pretty good…….but wait a minute, what happens with the spills?



OK, made an acrylic insert, silicone caulking attaches the wood rim. Should do pretty well.



Yup, there it is, acrylic insert in place. Can take it out and clean up any spills, it is basically waterproof for the usual spill, no problem.

……..and here it is in use……….



Now, that really didn't take too long……….but you know….a simple plastic tray would have worked. But I get a lot more pleasure out of this totally overwrought creation.

I am sure I am alone. I apologize for……..taking your time, appreciate your indulgence, and will try to do better next time.

But you know, I really like using that tray……..really……….(-:
 
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#4 ·
Hi Jim,

You're not alone! I do the same thing… I usually "think" about something awhile before I finally "pull the trigger" and do something about it.

I find great pleasure going to the scrap bin pulling out pieces for "Instant" on the fly jigs, Stops, etc.

Many times I will make Pulls from the scrap bin…

I thought you were going to have a cup of coffee or tea in your box… LOL

Thank you.
 
#6 ·
lol…when i see this im thinking a dr's tray in the operating room…the one thing missing is the pair of gloves…lol…you wouldnt need the water for clean up..well i guess you would for the brushes…but…it is a good use of scrap and befitting a true lumber jock…using what was handy and getting the job done…i stand and applaud…now if you could have a plate of halibut chips and some fries…next to that…it would make me much happier…oh…the hot dog story while fishing …its an alaska classic…i hope they were reindeer sauasge…
 
#7 ·
Arlin
Good idea, that would be neater than than pan of water, but then I like to wash my fingers in it…......finger bowl if you will…....(-:

...and I clean off the putty knife and brushes as well.

I don't know about you, but ever since I read some darn article, I think in FWW or some such that showed you needed to apply glue to both surfaces and use a brush….........gluing is no longer so simple.

.............that's probably overkill as well.

Jim
 
#10 ·
Love it Jim. And yes, I too had parents who saved everything "just in case" and it does get imprinted into your psyche.
You wouldn't believe how many empty coffee cans I have ! lol
Plus, you aren't going to see that tray at any discount store.
That's what makes it special!
Thanks.
 
#11 ·
Grizz

Nope, they were plain old hot dogs…............BUT…......

I have piles of caribou dogs, and caribou with jalepeno and cheese dogs as well, in the freezer, courtesy of a close buddy who is into hunting. I eat a lot of caribou hot dogs of both varieties, frequently cut up in put into a pasta thing, or some variant on tomato soup….....when I am eating lunch alone, which is quite frequent. Or just make a plain old hot dog.

Have you salivating?

Sherie and I were talking, on a road trip today for a little bit of shopping….I bought a small wood workers vise for here in La Conner, Shop Fox….that we have to learn the fish taco recipe from the local microbrew. Then get some halibut (buy or plead with some friends) and cut up some fish taco size pieces.

......OK, I am really sorry, I know this is hard on your psyche…..........(-:

Have a good one, Grizz…..........

Alaska Jim
 
#13 ·
Eric

Whenever I think of cans like that, I think of Crisco cans and such. In WWII we would collect all the drippings from the hamburger…didn't have much else….my Mom always said she had a hundred ways to make hamburger into something….and saved those, and drippings from bacon and such. And then when you went to the little main street to grocery store in our Northern Minnesota mining town, Virginia, we would turn in the can. The shelves behind the counter were lined with those cans. Fat was rendered into fatty acids, and glycerine. The glycerine was used to make gun powder and other explosives.

For those not into chemistry, nitroglycerine is the basis of a lot of explosives. And fats are fatty acids connected to glycerine. If I said that wrong, someone correct me, but I think that is correct.

It was a nationwide endeavour. One of the ways we won that war. Mundane, but important.

But you are right on the money, that tray is something special….and it works well, and looks good.

.......the simple things in life….......

Alaska Jim
 
#14 ·
DOWN ON MY KNEES JIM…....oh how i wish i could be your Gardner…surely i would wessel a reindeer dog out of sherrie…and i can garden…..and th other thing i do very well i cook…i could fix you some Alaska seafood that would curl your toes…....have you ever cooked your salmon on a red cedar plank…....well let me tell ya….....the best…....yea i should not have looked at your blog tonight…im in a alaska breakdown…....i know one place in eagle river that use to carry these monster hot dogs…they were called Bahama mama's…and when they were loaded with the fixins…you were breathing fire by the next stop light…well ive got to go to bed…between la conner and alaska..im severly depressed…....lol…...goodnight jim…goodnight dennis…with your pork and eggs and dark bread…im going to fix me some dark pumpernickel….and eat the whole loaf…yep…blood sugar through the roof…lol…grizz..goodnight
 
#16 ·
Jim,
I think we are frustrated engineers. Sure it could be bought but then we'd have to adapt it to our needs. This way we can (over) engineer it from the ground up to greatly exceed our wildest expectations.
Lew
 
#17 ·
Lew

OK, I agree with that. I thought I was going to be an engineer when I entered college.

Let's face it, I love designing things (engineering?), and that is one of my main interests in the hobby.

Hope all is well there, getting a little late, when I get home I have a mega project/blog on the minibench, a strange beast.

Remember, we have to get into this pizza thing. I think you did not use a stone when you put it on the grill, right?

Later…......steaks are on the grill….........

Jim
 
#19 ·
Hey Jim,
Love Recycling… Love History…Love the Story and comments.
It made me smile.

Good solution for a simple problem.
I use an old shallow drawer sometimes for the same thing.

Imagine…..in 100 years, this tray will be on Antique Road Show for…..

" If this were to come to market, I would put a value somewhere between 3 to 5000.00"

"Reeeaally?" Ha!

Thank you for sharing this.
 
#20 ·
Well the other thing is that if you're anything like me you have to be doing something constantly so why not take that energy, add scrap, and make something useful and creative like you've done here on this thread. Free energy plus free scrap equals something nice for the shop that will save you time. Do a few of these and from the free time that you have saved you make another and another and so on. Before you know it you have improved your shop tremendously with free scrap, free energy, and free time. What a great habit to get into if you think about it. BTW, nice presentation, Jim.
 
#21 ·
Roger
How are you and Kentucky doing? One of the projects on my list is that mobile clamp rack you built. I probably can work some scrap into that as well…..(-:

This project was built at home, and used there. I don't have the tools to make one here in La Conner, but by the end of our next visit in September, this little shop should be more capable. Probably do some design work today so I know what materials I will need to turn my solid core door on saw horses into a real workbench.
 
#22 ·
helluvawreck
I tend to build these things in the middle of other bigger projects, as the need arises. I have a break-down project platform to finish off when I get home, so I can blog on it. Used it to work on my minibench project, which is only a few hours from complete. The minibench just needs some cord keeps.

One of things I am learning, however, is to improve the utility and longevity of these little things by thinking how I might use them in the future, and also finishing them off, at least with a coat of Watco.

Have a good day. Glad you enjoyed the presentation, putting a little effort into a post increases enjoyment for everyone, including me.

Alaska Jim
 
#23 ·
Jim, I think you've hit on one big reason I like WW so much. There's almost nothing I can't build from wood if I want to committ to it.

Imagine the 'suit'(from one of my favorite movies "You've Got Mail"). He comes home from the office, changes into his leisure slacks for the evening. He sits at his store-bought writing desk and says to himself "Self, I'd like a pen holder, or a lap board, or a (insert your choice here)." He has but a limited choice from what he can find at the store locally or online.

Us woodworkers, however, are only limited by our imaginations. We can go out to our lair and design the perfect widget and build it. And we can usually do it at 2am if need be. The 'suit', he won't have his widget until he goes to the store or orders his, and he usually has to 'make do' with what is available.

Yes Jim, I love woodworking. Thanks for sharing.
 
#24 ·
rance
I have made quite a few items as I proceed through the resolution of a quartet of shop projects I call the "tar ball". I am about to go fix up the pictures and do a teaser of the minibench, which actually is a combination of two of those projects, my reversible project table top, and a heavy duty base I decided that top needed for protection and utility. The other two members of the quartet are my super sled, in heavy use now, but still needs a guard, and more stops, and the TS Dust Collection project, which is multiple projects in itself. Yikes. A tar ball, but the end is in sight. Watch for the teaser later today.

I love designing and building things, and I love woodworking because it is a good medium for me to design and build in.

I dropped you a SU texture link on your latest blog….........I am sure you will find them useful.

Later….....
 
#25 ·
Mark
Usually try to answer in order, but got two blog items going at once and I get confused.

Yup, someday, someone will be looking at that thing after I am dead, and it will probably get used for something totally different. Watch Antiques Roadshow also. What I like about this thing is the handles, and the water tolerant insert. And if there is a calamity, I can take out the insert and dry everything out.

Thanks for coming by…....more to come later today…......
 
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