My Winter Awards 2008 entry

I have just discovered how to get out of the Christmas cleaning … visit your children who live out of town. That way you get to be the guest and they clean for you. If I had known this before, I’d have had my kids move across the country years ago.

-- If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a darn fool about it.

We only “get” Christmas every fourth year, so I try not to complain too much.

-- Maplewood, MN

I also picked up a construction grade 2×4 this week for my first time entry into this kind of thing….... I have put the current project of my motor cycle to the side to try and get this entry done. Christmas is also a time stealler from the shop. And as soon as it’s over we are off on a familly vacation to Puerto Plata.

Actually, I have got a lot done on this project this week…...should be no trouble making the deadline…..

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

Thursday the 27th. Today I get to make some sawdust. I have done my sketch and made a cut list. There will be some resawing and some turning involved in this project.

Note to self: try to remember to take pictures of the steps as they are taken.

-- Maplewood, MN

I have cut the stud to the sizes needed.

Did the resawing.

and did the first glue-up.

-- Maplewood, MN

this is fuN!!!! can’t wait til your next blog.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

great blog entry … I’m still debating on what to make myself.

-- a legend in my own mind ...

Friday 28: Chucked up the block I glued yesterday and roughly turned the head.

After sanding the resaw marks off the lumber I cut some grooves and made some splines.

-- Maplewood, MN

Saturday 29: Of course I didn’t take any pictures today. I knew that I’d blow that at some point.

The glue-up was all cured. I trimmed the excess splines off. I trimmed the stock to final lengths and widths. I chamfered the surfaces that form corners, and I cut some grooves. I did a “tape-up” and all the miters looked pretty good. I have some of the material that I made splines from, so I plan to spline the miter joints. It would be nice to use contrasting wood, but I know it is not allowed. Maybe I’ll stain the spline material really dark…

-- Maplewood, MN

Staining is good. Great start.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

looking great…. this is so exciting!
Yes.. stain it, stain it, stain it.. and there you go.. just like having two different types of wood

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Sunday 30: I had to build a jig to cut the slots for the splines for the miters. This is what I came up with…

Then I cut the slots in all the stock.

Not much progress today due to other commitments. I still have the next two days off, though, so something might get done yet.

-- Maplewood, MN

just look at that transformation!! Who would have thought—oh right – rikkor, that’s who :)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Well, I discovered my entry will not qualify. I just re-read the rules and noticed that I cannot use plexiglas. Since it is an important component of what I am making, I can’t work around it. Bummer. This was fun. Maybe I’ll finish it anyway and just post it as a project.

-- Maplewood, MN