Grant Davis's Blog at LumberJocks.com http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:24:55 GMT Finally my search is over http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/10983 Finally after almost 9 months of being unemployed, I am rejoining the ranks of the employed as of Monday morning. I lost my job back in January as part of a major cutback at my old company. I took some time to myself and puttered around, spent alot of extra time with my kids over the summer to the point that they don’t want to see me now….teenage girls you know. I also took some time and went to spend it with my mom, just her and I. But over the past two weeks I had been interviewing for a position and they called today at 12:45 and my unemployment came to an ABRUPT end.

I start Monday morning as a Manufacturing Supervisor concentrating on welding and metallurgy

]]> Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:24:55 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/10983 Grant Davis Grant Davis I lost my job today...... http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/6990 This morning at 8:15AM my boss came to my office and asked me to come with him. We went to his office where the HR Manager was waiting for us. He shut the door and I was given the news that my position was being eliminated and I was losing my job. Just 25 days short of 20 years of service.

We were told before Christmas at a plant meeting there was going to be a work force reduction in early January. I never dreamed at the time I would have anything to worry about. However as time progressed over the holidays I could see the writing on the wall, I was intentionally held out of meetings I would normally be a part of with the other supervisors and my boss started giving me the cold shoulder. I’m finding out that all together they got rid of 9 people today.

OH well, life goes on and I will hit the ground running. I have a good support system in my family and friends. I’m looking forward to sleeping in for a few days and doing some work around the house. I’m already making calls to put feelers out, checking into unemployment and the ex wife even told me this morning that we could suspend my child supposrt for a while if I need to do so.

]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:08:21 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/6990 Grant Davis Grant Davis Kitty Condo #1: Kitty Condo series, installment #1 http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/6158 I know it’s not major wood working but what the heck, there are power tools and wood involved.

I started out a couple of weeks ago to make some sort of kitty condo for my daughters to take to their moms house. I searched the internet for designs and finally settled on the one below. Then I started looking for some carpet, so I checked a couple of different places close to my work and for $10 I filled my trunk and back seat with all different colored carpet samples from Levi’s 4 Floors.

The uprights are just 2×4’s and the base is a piece of 3/8” plywood. The cylinders are 12” concrete forms that I got at Home Depot for abot $6.99 The cylinders are cut down to 16” long pieces and the unit stands about 3’ 6” tall. So after lots of trimming, bending and stapling of carpet this was what I came up with. The cats seem to love it and it was great time spent building it with my youngest daughter.

So here we are, ready for delivery

5 minutes after delivery, the pair was already making themselves at home.

P.S. I also think my PC/pneumatic stapler paid for itself on this job alone. Close to 400 staples in this little thing.

]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:57:44 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/6158 Grant Davis Grant Davis Kreg clamping table for face frame construction http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/5899 I know there was once a discussion here about people building copies of the Kreg Clamping table for face frame construction. Just today I got an email from Woodpeck.com advertising their combo track. If you join their e-club the price is really reasonable…..a 32” piece is $13.999reg $17.99) and the 48” piece is $18.99(reg $23.99)

Here is the link.

http://www.woodpeck.com/combotrack.html

]]> Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:15:05 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/5899 Grant Davis Grant Davis Ailing mother....... http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/4489 Over the last week, my mom (Mary) has been having some breathing problems associated with fluid around her heart. She was first trying to convince herself that she had pneumonia, but after three doctors visits, she was convinced to have a heart cath(she can be quite stubborn). She has been dealing with a leaking heart valve for > 12 years and it’s finally decided to give her some problems. The heart cath was performed on Friday morning and the doctor informed me that she has three blockages (one artery completely blocked and two blocked at > 80%). In addition to the blockages and leaky valve, he said that she had suffered a heart attack in the past week. The last test he had performed on her in his office a couple of months ago showed her heart functioning at 55% and on Friday it was functioning at 25%. They decided that she would need surgery at the Ross Heart Hospital next week and transported her from the Cambridge Hospital on Friday evening to Columbus by way of ambulance.

Her doctor came in yesterday and told her that her surgery would not be until Wednesday morning. He has three heart surgeries already scheduled on Monday (each taking 6 hours). Her surgery will be the first on Wednesday. Mom told him that she’d rather wait until he was well rested :-) He wants to take the extra days to continue to get the fluid off of her and make her heart stronger for the surgery. After meeting her heart doctor I have been very impressed with him. He spoke with us for over 20 minutes, and was very patient with all the questions. Of course, mom is understandably nervous, but she’s in very good hands. She told the technician who gave her a chest Xray on Friday night that she thought everyone in that hospital must take happy pills because they are all so kind, caring and friendly.

Once her surgery is over, she will be in the hospital for one week to 10 days with 6-12 weeks recovery to follow.

My mom is now 75 years old and has only been retired for 2 years. She does have longevity on her side as my grandmother will be 102 in June.

Prayers would be greatly appreciated.

]]> Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:24:04 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/4489 Grant Davis Grant Davis New planer and the feeling of sorrow for a friend http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/4237 I just got home from a visit with my old college room-mate. He is an avid woodworker and has a shop that I envy (double income, no kids). He was showing me his newest additions to the shop and we were just shooting the breeze when he asked me what type of planer I had. I told him I had a DW733 when he asked me if I would like to buy a used DW735. I asked him who had it because I knew it was not him, he has a Jet, JPM-13CS. I told him I was interested in it but wanted to know more about it. He began to tell me about his uncle who had passed away suddenly in January from a brain anurism. He told me his aunt gave him the contents of the shop but told him he could get the tools and wood at his leisure. We decided to make the half hour drive over to look at the planer. When we walked in it was pretty obvious that his uncle did not use a DC. By the looks of the shop and how things were sitting it seemed to us like the planer was the last tool that his uncle had used before he passed, there was a small stack of red oak that was sitting beside it.

After all was said and done I ended up bringing this DW735 home with me this afternoon for $200

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2230746540074856682dRJBAn

]]> Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:23:15 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/4237 Grant Davis Grant Davis 25000 project pics...way to go LJ's http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/4102 Can you believe that today we surpassed 25000 project picture posts.

I for one am so glad to be a part of this wonderful community of woodworkers. I have learned alot from all of you and hope to continue to do so. Everyone here is great and it feels like one big happy family.

Here’s to another 25000…...CONGRATULATIONS to ALL

]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:18:12 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/gad5264/blog/4102 Grant Davis Grant Davis