# Apartment Projects



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Million Dollar Idea...*

How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
About 5-6 years ago I was visiting a friend and she had one too, with one pull marked with an ornament. I asked whether the marked one was for the light or the fan and she said she forgot! Well, I said to myself, this is ridiculous! So I gave thought to scrolling out something to define the pulls once and for all…
My first thought was just to cut the words "Light" and "Fan" out of a couple pieces of scrap, but how would that help someone illiterate or who spoke a different language? 
Anyway, I went to work that night and as luck would have it there was a bulb out in the basement of the restaurant. I went to get a new one to change it, and there…on the side of the box…was a little cartoon of a light bulb! A light bulb went off in my head and I had the answer, at least for the light pull. I thought about a small propeller type thing for the fan but didn't think it would wear well with constant yanking…
Ultimately, I came up with these:
I could have tied them to the string, but I was too lazy to try to untie the loop, so I just made a couple of quick fishhooks out of a clothes hanger. Life couldn't be better now…It's amazing how good it is when the simplest little nuisance problem is resolved, permanently! And everybody that sees them wants some for their own! You guys and gals that work the fairs and such ought to bang out a bag full of these! They cost next to nothing to make, and I would think people would think nothing of giving you a five or ten spot for them…$$$$


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Great idea but do they hit together with the air of the fan at full speed?


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


No, they're heavy enough not to go flying around but not so heavy that they wear on the switches either…


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## hrsm (Jul 3, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


One Problem solved another waiting round the corner

Well done Mike


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Mike, yoiu really didn't have to go to that much trouble. With the light bulb hung, the other has to be…..................?? )

Good idaea & job!!


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


great idea, but my ceiling fan has one chain broken off, luckily it is the light chain, so the fan still works good.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Great looking idea. Nice catch.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


That one turns on some lights.


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## scrappy (Jan 3, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Great idea. I have turned some pulls but they are just designs. Yours solves the wich switch problem good.

Keep it up.

Scrappy


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


and i urbaje , from mongolia ,
can tell difference in dark !
it say i in wrong house !


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Thanks!
Topomax: I thought of that too!! But it didn't look balanced or finished because I still had to tie a 1/4" nut to the other one to weight it down. The string will tie itself in knots if unweighted…someday I'll break down and buy a couple* chain* pulls… if I ever think of it while I'm actually* at* the hardware store…
Scrappy: It occurred to me to simply paint one "White for Light"...That way, any shape would do…
Patron: My Blind Friend said, "Just take the string off the light switch! What the heck do *I* need *that* for…?"


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Great idea Mike!
Necessity is the mother of invention… and creativity!
Ellen


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Great thinking Mike,

But aren't you afraid of getting a shock by grabbing the brass end of the bulb? <O}#


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## Innovator (Jan 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Million Dollar Idea...*
> 
> How many of us have one of these somewhere in their home?
> Yeah, I thought so, almost everyone. Am I the only one, or do other people have a hard time remembering which pull is for which? 50-50 chance and I was forever picking the wrong one!
> ...


Wonerful idea Mike.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*An Ugly Situation*

Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
Incredibly, it actually works like a charm, so the idea was to disguise it. I don't like to put holes in the wall of a place I don't own and ended up making a sort of trestle shelf that slides in between the tub and the wall. This strangely shaped contraption is what I came up with…
Originally made entirely of particle board, the top got swollen from water and needed to be replaced. When somebody threw away a table, I took the opportunity and sliced a piece off the table top and "slapped" it in… 
Here's how it looks today, in place, with an old bandanna covering the outlet pipes
It still isn't pretty, but it's very useful, and certainly better than staring at the pipe…


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Cool solution to a very ugly area, Mike.
And - you could use wood to make the whole thing attractive.
Ellen


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


You need a wooden tub next!


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Smart idea Mike.

Necessity is the mother of invention.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Actually you need a wooden tub with strips of contrasting wood running through it. Now where did I get that idea?


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## Jimthecarver (Jan 14, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Thanks for starting my day off with a smile….thats a good idea to fix a visual problem.
But then again the pipe could have doubled as a grab bar.
Thanks for sharing.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


I thought of replacing the whole thing, but I'm trying to "thin the herd" at my place. Truth is, I don't know how much longer I'll be living here. My Parents are Seasoned Citizens and not entirely well…At some point I may move back to help them out…
At one point, I had a mirror on the back of it, which looked fairly good 
But, again, I'm trying to clean house. You all know how much "stuff" can accumulate over time…


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


The master of disquise, Like Dr. Balls from the Pink Panther Series. LOL


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Are you a Peter Sellers fan, Mike? I know I am!! Did you ever see "The Party"? Somebody want to explain to me how, at an elegant dinner party, he's sitting in a tiny seat, face barely above the table top, being struck by the kitchen door as waiters bring out the food?
Or his last flick, "Being There"... or "Dr. Strangelove"... He was a very talented comic Actor.
I couldn't believe when they made a re-make of Pink Panther! Steve Martin is funny as well, but there's no comparison… Sheer Blasphemy!!


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Nice cover up job.

The next thing you'll see is remake of Pink Panther, & someone imitating Steve Martin, Yuck!


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## RexMcKinnon (Aug 26, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Looks good to me. Not worth the time or effort to improve on something that is not yours. Few landlords would allow you to make improvements and reimburse you for the materials but I think most would just take advantage of the situation. Perfect solution in my opnion.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Hey, Big Guy, I thought I told you, no PDA's!! 
Yeah, it's a four-footer, as small as they came. They must have got a deal on tubs on legs back in the 40's or 50's when they renovated. My Mom grew up on this street, five buildings down, and actually baby-sat here when she was a teenager. At that time, she says, this was a six unit building, with the fold-down canopies on all the windows and porches, a real grand old building. Somewhere along the line they converted it to nine units, and they're still big apartments. It's a *big* apartment building, not as big as some, but bigger than most. The footprint of the place is 30' X 100' not counting the porches; brick foundation, 3 stories high with a full attic above that. It towers over all the neighboring houses! Built in the late teens, early twenties… If it wasn't raining, I'd go out and snap some pictures…
But to get back to the tub, and size, I'm 5' 6", about a buck-forty (that's POUNDS!!) so it works fine for me. Growing up, my folks still have just a bathtub, so I have no problem with bathing rather than showering, I actually prefer it. Nothing like a good hot soak…
As far as marketing them to the neighbors, mine is the only place that hasn't been "modernized", the only one that still retains the original charm and character. It's a little rough around the edges, but so will I be when/if I'm still around in my nineties!!


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## JimF (May 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


If you wash your clothes and fill the tub with the wash water, then bathe in it, you would be the greenest person around (but not necessarily the cleanest!). Wait, that even grosses me out.

The shelf is cool, but I'm glad you got rid of the mirror. Broken glass in a bathtub would be no fun at all.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Mike i'v studyed the pic and i still dont understand what thst hugh pipe is for or am i being stupid


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Pommy, it's the drain pipe for the clothes washer…


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


but thats going into your tub


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


That is correct…crazy, huh?


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


sorry do you live in a house or apartment is there anyway you can redirect that pipe


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Why? It's only soapy water… I bathe every day, and only wash clothes once, twice a week tops…There's a hose attached to the faucet in the tub so I just rinse it out when I'm done, and clean it as often as you would any bathtub…
I rent an Apartment… If it was my own place, I'd change this situation, but I don't own it…


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


i supose if your happy with it that cool but if it was me i'd get the landlord to look at getting it redirected

just my view mate


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## nmkidd (Sep 18, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *An Ugly Situation*
> 
> Welcome to my prehistoric bathroom! When I first moved in, over ten years ago, this is what I was faced with
> I'd wager that even the most experienced remodel Pro never saw an arrangement like that! Ugh-ly!!
> ...


Wow…...a bath tub with feet. I thought those were obsolete. Super cover up job.

Reminds me of my Uncle….....back in the mid 50's he bought a new footed tub for a bathroom remodel. It came in a big wooden crate which he 'temporarily' stored on his closed in porch. Over the years, the crate became a table, complete with a table cloth, for setting his cold brew on while he contemplated the bathroom job. In 1988, with the help of my cousin….the bathroom finally got its upgrade, complete with a brand new bath tub with feet. And Auntie and Uncle became the fashion setters on their block!


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*A Better Entrance*

One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
The Red-painted door pictured, is one of the old wooden doors with interchangeable screen and paned glass inserts. What were my hopes of getting one of them…?
Actually, not that bad!! Near where I live, there was a place called Vermont Salvage, a place that bought up bits and pieces of buildings that were being demolished. They've since moved across town, because their own place was demolished for a highway-widening project, but what a place it was to browse through!! Around every corner, big and small treasures from the past were to be found! A friend of mine bought a pedestal sink for a bathroom re-model he was doing at his folk's house, cost him about $50…
Anyway, after measuring the door frame, I took my tape measure there to see if they might have something… What they had was about 40-50 screen doors of varying size and condition, but one of the last ones I looked at was exactly what I was looking for! It even measured right!! I selected it, and rummaged through their hardware and found some hinges to match (they even had the screws taped to them!), and a knob and locking mechanism. Brought it to the front desk, fearing the dent this was going to put in my wallet, but the total cost was only $65!! Whatever people say about me, or what I sometimes think, I guess I was born lucky!! As I said, this place was just down the street, and I was fully prepared to carry it home, but who comes driving by but my Dad, taking his F-2 Pick-up out for a spin!!
What Luck!! He gave me a ride back with it and within an hour, after mortising for and attaching the hinges, I had this:
Not bad, huh? And I didn't have to shave a whisker off of it to get it to fit!
The screen insert needed a little work, it had been pushed in on the bottom by a small child or dog, so at first I just tacked some thin plywood on the inside to cover that section. When I made the flag cases I bought a 3' X 4' piece of lexan and had a large section leftover, so when I got around to replacing the old screen with new, I made a protective barrier for the outside, complete with slots so as not to impede the air circulation.
This will keep inquisitive cats from screwing up the screen and kids from pushing on it…
When I got the thing, I also needed some method for it to be self-closing. I devised a way that uses the same force that wants to keep me in bed in the morning, gravity. Using nothing more than a sash weight, sash pulleys, and a little bit of clothes line that I had kicking around, that simple task was achieved…
It has a dog leash quick-release hook on the end so I can disable it if I'm moving something in or out…
And there you have it. Aren't the landlords (I'm on my fifth owner in ten+ years!) going to be surprised when I move someday and take MY door with me?!


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


A clever door closer. Does it tend to slam the door fairly hard?


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


you mutha ,
thats invention !

looks like your 
good to stay !


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## nmkidd (Sep 18, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Cats and bugs begone. Good salvage job.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Mr. & Mrs. C: It wants to close, there's no doubt about that!! But it doesn't close riotously hard, no worse than most… It's actually better with the glass in it. The added weight makes gravity work harder, so it closes more slowly. Plus the door fits so snug, there's a "pillow" of air at the end of the closing. I also put a door sweep on the bottom, low enough so it scrapes the deck of the porch. The added friction helps too… I live alone, and know that it's there, so I don't usually let the door fly…
When people come over they never see it on the way in, but when they leave they never fail to notice it. I usually get a, "Wow, that's cool!!"  
David: The Mothers of Invention! Good Band!! Don't tell me you knew them too, along with Frank Zappa!!
Doug: Thanks! So long as gravity continues to work I should be all set. Those pesky cats can still get their claws through and reach the screen, but not enough to do damage. I keep an old Windex bottle around full of water, for spraying the plants, but it works really well for discouraging cats too. One spray in the face…they don't like that very much. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike cats, had 2 or 3 at a time most of my life, but they can be annoying when they're using a brand new screen, that was just replaced, as their scratching post!!
Mario: Yeah, we get some Winter, no global warming here… That chair has been a thorn in my side for years!! It's a school chair, so it's uncomfortable as can be! It doesn't even make a good plant stand, the writing leaf sticks so far out, it catches the unsuspecting waist or leg every time you walk past it, knocking over all the plants. It's actually one step closer to the trash sitting on the porch, but found one redeeming quality of being a useful place to set down groceries while I fumble for the keys…So it has a reprieve, for now…
My dad would be happy to here you like the truck! It's a 1948 Ford F-2, 3/4 ton pickup, from the year they began the F-series. It's been a work in progress since he got it in '66. The thing starts on a 1/4 turn!! He slowly and meticulously restored everything but the back, but despairs now of ever finishing. He's no longer able to work on it, and it frustrates him to the extreme…


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


for your dad ,
this is my f-1 1948 .
just needs points !


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


That looks like it's in pretty good shape! Why isn't it up and running?!
Dad's had his apart more times than I can remember
He has "new" front fenders for it, that he already painted, bought them from some warehouse down in Texas years ago. Still had the factory original Ford replacement parts tags on them from '48! $300 for the pair!
He also had this little honey for a few years
A '35 Chevrolet. He sold it to some guy that led him to believe that he was going to baby it like my Father had. The guy slapped some paint on it, and my Dad saw it listed in Hemmings' a month or so later for a grand and half more than than the guy paid. Broke his heart…


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


I get confused easily snow, doors, trucks,cars . So I'll coment in order cold, cool,cool,cool again and to bad.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


As usual one thing leads to another and we are richer for the experience. Thanks for the tour Mike (I like that name)
It's good to see old things that are still useful recycled. Nice job on the door and thanks for automotive part too.


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Mike,
That is a really fine looking door. I love that you recycled the door.
I think we have become a "throw-away society"; it is always nice to see something put to use.
That piece of plexi is a stroke of genius!
Ellen


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Here's some nice pictures of a restored 1948 F2, really nice.

*It sold for $33,000.*

My Dad had a 1935 Chev. that he used for a work car in the early 1950s.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Nice work!


----------



## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Well done ….


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


*Hi everybody!!*
Had to finish a box and glue on the hinges…
A1Jim: You're not confused at all, you have it entirely correct!! 
stefang: You know, Sir, I've never personally met a Mike I didn't like!! Through LJ"s, now I've met another!!
Ellen: If I owned this place (or any place) I'd be the type who would aim for restoration rather than renovation. It's 2009 and no one has to wash clothes on a washboard anymore, of course, but the old stuff was made to last longer. My apartment is the only one that hasn't been re-done lately, in the time I've been here, but by luck or chance whoever lived here before me didn't punch holes in the walls or similar recreations down through the years, so it's in fair condition. I do the best I can to keep it that way… I don't re-use out of any Green responsibility, it's more out of a Yankee Thriftiness I learned from my Parent's…A Good Farmer never throws anything away!!
As far as the Plexi, nothing smart there! We had two German shepherds for many years… My Dad installed a 3/16" sheet of Aluminum to keep the house dog from going through Theirs!!
Mr. & Mrs. C: That Truck is Breathtaking!!! I sooo wish that I could talk the folks into getting a computer, so my Dad could see those pictures!! I think they're starting to weaken on their resolve not to have one though. ;-)
Charles & The Man Wearing the Mask: Thank you very much, my Friends!


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


I don't know your Dads age, but I got my first computer at age 70.

We've been having a ball with it. Tell him it's almost impossible to break a computer

if that's what he's worried about, & if he's retired, he has plenty of time to learn.


----------



## studie (Oct 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Great post! I want to make doors but for $70 wow maybe not. The truck, is it a 3/4 ton F2 (not F1) old cars got to be as endearing as old tools, got to have em!/Users/scottater/Desktop/IMG_0189-1-1-1.jpg


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Mr. & Mrs. C: I'm working on them! LJ's helps even there! I've printed out pages of things that would appeal to them from here, and they always comment on how really nice everyone sounds, what good people we all are… I'm going to print those pages of that fantastic truck, maybe that will turn the tide! Dad was an Answer Man his whole life, the guy everybody went to when they didn't know what to do… His interests are many, and varied, like live steam for instance. He built a locomotive in his "spare" time!! Mom is an avid gardener, and keeps one of the prettiest yards around. I'm slowly trying to convince and show them that there are excellent groups for those things and many others…
Their chief objection is that they say they could never learn how to use a computer. I try to tell them it's so easy a caveman could do it, but they're not buying it! I haven't given up yet though!! I'm convinced that they would really enjoy it, if they only gave it a chance…
$tudie: Scott, my Dad's is an F-2. They're actually the rarest ones for that year. The F-1's and F-3's, 4's, and 5's were very popular, with Farmers and Businesses, so there are many more of them out there… It seems that everyone wanted either the stylish small one or one of the large work trucks, and skipped the "between" size. Which is good, for a collector… For my Dad, it's a pride of ownership thing, plus the whole challenge of "making it right again" by restoration…


----------



## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Damn ! That Chevy was a beaut !


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Yes Don, wasn't that a Peach?!


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


*Did your Dad ever get a computer?*


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


My Dad passed away a few months after that Mr. & Mrs. C… No, he never went on-line…
I wrote about it here
and reflected somewhat about him and his life while I built his Flag Case


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


We're very sorry about your Dad Mike!

I happend to miss that thread. Please accept our belated condolences.

I lost my Dad in 1955 at age 61, I was only 23 at the time. You are very fortunate to have as much time as you did with him.

My Dad died from a lung infection also caused by Perc. A dry cleaning fluid.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Better Entrance*
> 
> One of the very first things I noticed moving in over ten years ago was that the porch entrance had no screen door!! I arrived here in mid-January, in the dead of Winter, so it wasn't an immediate issue, but it was on the top of my priority list for that coming spring. There are too many beautiful days, when it's nice to be able to throw open the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Of course, I didn't want to also let in every manner of flying insect, cats, bats, etc. so I considered my options. I could have asked the Landlord for a new one, which would have been greeted with a lot of hemming and hawing, and with the end result of me getting one of those Aluminum jobs that I really can't stand and that don't really match the age of the building (1920-ish). Or I could have made "something". But I didn't have the wood, or the tools at the time to fabricate a proper door…
> What I really wanted was what my Parent's have on their entrances:
> ...


Thanks Mr. & Mrs. C, I do appreciate your condolences,
and I'm sorry for your own loss,
despite the time that has passed…


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Paying the Bills*

Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
Of course, over time, three things eventually occured: #1) The box filled up with receipts, #2) The cardboard envelope box began to wear out, and #3) I ran out of envelopes!! I purchased some more envelopes and, wouldn't you know, the new and improved envelope box was more like a dispenser and couldn't be used in this fashion… What to do…?
If you haven't guessed already by the repeated use of the "key word", I built a box!! Bet you couldn't see that coming, right?
Nothing fancy here!! I had a scrap piece of Oak that was the approximate height, and used some leftover Lexan for the bottom. Since the appropriate size was already established, the challenge for me was to make a box that the cardboard box would slip right into… Much is said about "Thinking Outside the Box", but there is a lot that could be said about thinking "Inside the Box" as well!! For those of you who have done this before, you know what I mean, but I found it very instructional and kind of "Backwards" thinking to make a box that another would fit inside of…
I used the cardboard one to mark the cut depths for the box joints, and added the thickness of the wood to both sides to get my side lengths… It was actually an interesting little project, working inside-out like that!!


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Good deal Mike. You found a way to combine efficiency and need and turn it into a practical shop project that will hone skills and make good use of that scrap laying around.

David


----------



## woodtimes (Jun 14, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Cool little box.

I made a simliar one (same overall size size) but it has two dividers making three compartments where I keep pencils, pens, inexpensive reading glasses, 6" ruler and scissors.

How about some other ideas guys?

For example, we have another one about this size we keep on our kitchencounter top. There is no bottom and we lay it flat. The small TV is placed on top of it and on the inside we keep a small cable TV box to save counter space and it's easy to turn the box depending what side of the room we are watching it.


----------



## Russel (Aug 13, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Necessity it the mother of invention and sometimes Mom says, "Stay in your room!" There are times when being practical is more important than being artistic. The box does what it was meant to do, and looks good doing it.


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


I hear you Russel!

Bob, I love it when people turn to their shop instead of Walmart when need presents itself. This box is nice. I have made a few projects for practical use that got the job done, yet was uglier than sin. Last year, I needed a cart in my utility room for holding laundry soap and those types of odds and ends. After price checking some cheap plastic models, I went downstairs and constructed one out of some of the ugliest lime green plywood boards you ever seen (I tore them out of a room in my house shortly after buying it. I kept them for odd uses) and some pine 2×4s. I ripped the boards for legs and shelf supports and put on some wheels I saved from some other trashed item. Took me a couple hours and I had the cart I needed. It fit the bill and probably will last forever, though I wish my sons wouldn't greet new guests by showing them the cart that "Dad made."

Very cool idea on the use for a hollow box for counter space efficiency.

David


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Mike,
Another box… how addictive! 
I love the practical nature of this box. It is always nice to make something we can use immediately.
Have a happy holiday.
Ellen


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## daltxguy (Sep 7, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Dude! Online banking, online billing, automatic payments - no checks, no bills, no receipts, no envelopes. 
You can still build a box - but you'll have to use it for something else!


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


well done


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


gee mike ,

now i'm going to measure my refrigerator ,
thats about the right size for my paperwork !

i have saved everything for 20 years , 
as they say you might need to prove ownership ?

but i am smarter than that ,
when i find something i cant read anymore ( faded ink ) ,
i throw it away !


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


I had so much paper work… I built a timber filing cabinet. For the hangers I cut some strips of steel 12 mm by 3 mm and slotted them in front and back… now can hang the folders in a drawer… need to weed out all the older stuff so I can fit some more papers in… lol
Good job on the box…


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


*A great project for leftover boards.*


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## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Mike,
Oak is the right wood!! My boss is always on me to think out of the box (our company has a tooling shortage).
I've used the envelope box thing for years, and then I throw the envelope box into a bigger box, and then we throw those boxes into a moving box, where they are stacked for our children when we pass away. They might even find my first pay check stubb from Dogs beautiful, $1.25 an hour. Nice box, and the perfect organizational system.

Bob


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Thanks, Everybody!!
Steve in NZ: Yeah, I do that now, but when I made this (3-4 years ago) I didn't have a computer… And there are still Rent payments to be made, which require a "Old Fashioned" Check… And ATM visits… And I still manually keep track of it all in my Checkbook, to keep the Bank honest…
Just a few months ago, I was confounded by their numbers never matching mine. Asked at the bank, they looked into it, and $8 to $12 was being siphoned out of my account a week by some bandit company out there on the internet… They issued me a new ATM card and #, so far, so good… Be careful what you click!!!


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## asthesawturns (Aug 23, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Looks great, I would assume this is also free wood as that is your MO, Hope things are going well for you, enjoy the holidays


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## nmkidd (Sep 18, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Paying the Bills*
> 
> Yeah, Everybody's got to do it! About 8-9 years ago, I was doing exactly that, paying the bills, when my Girl Friend casually told me about her "system". She kept her Checkbook in the same box that the envelopes come in, and put all the Deposit Slips, ATM Slips, and Sales Receipts where the ATM Card was used, behind the envelopes
> Maybe a lot of people do this, but I had never heard of it and really liked the idea of keeping the whole procedure, and records thereof, in one place.
> ...


Great concept Mike…..however…if your like me…instead of emptying the box when full….I just get another, and another, and another etc….... until I have a small wall of boxes.(and I know how much you like to build boxes)

Then the stuff gets put in the burn bin and I start over. Good luck!


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *

Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
*The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
One has a curved top
The other a flat top
It's my understanding that the curved top ones were more desirable, way back when, because they always ended up at the top of the stacks in ship's holds. But in my situation, because of the contents and the relative conditions of the two, I want to stack them to conserve some room but I want the flat top one on top of the curved… *The Solution* I decided to build a small trestle-style skid, purely utilitarian, to provide a flat surface. I was telling my Girl Friend that I was taking a brief break from box-making to do this and she asked "Why can't you make it into a Box?" 
Why indeed, or should I say why not? 
So I took a few quick measurements the other night, then scrounged around in the lumber department… I found two bed rails that aren't pretty but they'll be perfect for this simple job, and a drawer bottom that I'll use as well.
They're some sort of hardwood plywood, Maple I believe, and have a hardwood cleat that was glued and tacked to the rails to hold the bed slats. I had previously tried to pry one of these off and it was a cursed nuisance. The Glue proved stronger than the Wood and tore layers off no matter how careful I was. So I resolved to simply cut those areas off. First I cut the pieces I need to length,
And then cut away the cleat sections
I then cut a shape on one end of the long "Stretchers" and used the cut-off to mark the other ends
Then I put them in place on top of the trunk (which I protect with an old sheet) to measure the length the rails have to be, in this case 10 3/8". If you look closely you'll see that I cut a Round out of the bottom already, I forgot to take pix of that step… Sorry…
Drew some lines on the rails by centering on 15" on the rule and measuring out 5 3/16" in both directions
And that's as far as I got yesterday. This would take only a few hours if I had the time to devote to it, but precious Shop time is coming brief and intermittently lately…
I hope to have this done by the end of the weekend, but who knows? Stay tuned though! I'll keep you all apprised of any new developments…


----------



## HallTree (Feb 1, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *
> 
> Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
> *The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
> ...


An interesting project. Looking forward to see the progress.


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## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *
> 
> Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
> *The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
> ...


The round top chest is a treasure--as is--Is it going to be displayed in the Livingroom??? What a great treasure, I love family history stuff.

Also some of those old chest have great value, you might want to research them. Don't try to restore them that can effect the value.

Looking forward to the finish….oh you just started…lol


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *
> 
> Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
> *The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
> ...


Bob: For now, I just want to get them out of the way, and together! But it is in my mind to later get a glass top for this curved top one and use it as a sort of Coffee Table and conversation piece. It's one of the reasons I wanted to "flatten" this top in the first place… ;-)
Restoration is out of the question as they're in pretty tough shape, particularly this one. The Hinge on it is gone, along with the locking mechanisms, and both of them lost their trays many years ago. But they do still have all of her stickers of passage from various ports, on both sides of the Atlantic so, if nothing else, they're definitely Family Heirlooms. I put all of our Family photographs in the flat-topped one, while this one contains various Family "Treasures", small things of little value, but meaningful to us…
Rather than restoration, someday I may attempt to recreate one or both of them, using these as a guide. The construction is remarkably simple! But there are a lot of elements to them, each contributing to the strength of the whole. We shall see…


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *
> 
> Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
> *The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
> ...


Wonderful family treasures to have. It'll be interesting to see how it comes out.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *
> 
> Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
> *The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
> ...


I love the story behind this one and very well thought out plan on storing them without disturbing them as much as possible. I spent some time, a couple years ago, on family genealogy and played connect the dots with a few family heirlooms so I understand how important that family history is.

I think recreation is a great idea. Just an additional thougt, when that time comes…

They make replica steamer trunk labels on a few different sites. One of them is here. You might be able to find some that are exact, or close anyway, to the labels on the current trunk and that would allow you to also preserve the travel history of that trunk as well. If you can't find a suitable label, you might be able to take some close up shots, scan them in, crop them, print them out on regular paper, glue them on the project, then seal them on the new trunk.

Good luck with your current project,

David


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## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A sort of Trestle/Skid/Box/Tray? type of thing... *
> 
> Ordinarily, in my "Apartment Projects" entries, I showed you things that I've done over the course of the years I've lived here. This one is a small work in progress.
> *The Problem:* I have two steamer trunks that were given to me by my Dad about five years ago. They came from his Parent's house and belonged to his Grandmother; the very trunks she used when she came to America back in the late teens.
> ...


Sometimes the stickers on the chest are the real value of the chest. Certain ships for example that might have carried Royality, or the famous people of the day. You maybe able to research that and find out about your greatgrand parents voyage-the peole they were with, the points of origin might even lead you to find out who your great great grand parents were. One day you may have time to look into these things. I find the whole thing fasanating.

The glass top idea is a good one. I know how hard it is to get all the projects done. Starting next week I'll be working 60 hour weeks for a month.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Another Quick Hour's Work*

I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
I marked the tenons using just the ruler itself being the guide for the width, 1 1/8".
The step that I forgot to photograph yesterday reappears here today. I need to mark a gentle round in the bottom of these and I did it this way, with an old scrap, a ruler, a nail and a pencil
One of the two had a better, more accurate sweep, so after I cut it out I used it to transpose the curve on to the second one[IMG alt="Using "Right" curve to mark the other"]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2588/4277098645_7f92dfa4d7_o.jpg[/IMG]
Even though I've tried to do these fairly accurately the same, I still use each individual pairing of joints to mark for the mortices, first for width
And then for thickness (using one of the cut-outs)
And that's it!! Painfully slow, huh? LOL
But I had to stop and try to fix a leaking clothes washer and clean up what had leaked at the same time, and I only had about an hour to spare to begin with… Man, it's always something!!


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Another Quick Hour's Work*
> 
> I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
> I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
> ...


Yup, it is, always somethin'


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Another Quick Hour's Work*
> 
> I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
> I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
> ...


Great step by step, Mike!

Sorry about the washer.

Lew


----------



## HallTree (Feb 1, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Another Quick Hour's Work*
> 
> I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
> I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
> ...


I am enjoying this project. Looking forward to the next posting


----------



## studie (Oct 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Another Quick Hour's Work*
> 
> I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
> I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
> ...


My mentor in carpentry was once told "Ben, you're like a Ford tractor Slow but steady, you get more done than these guys that rush & screw up a bunch of materials" I see a cool indoor arbor for climbing house plants with your parts here! I like the curves & the details at the ends. Keep plugging away Mike, Looks good!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Another Quick Hour's Work*
> 
> I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
> I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
> ...


Looking better all the time Mike. I think this is going to be real nice when you get it finished. If you are enjoying the work then I suggest you slow down a bit. Enjoyment can be hard to find!


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Another Quick Hour's Work*
> 
> I left off yesterday beginning to mark the rails for this contraption I'm making.
> I suppose I could measure them to length, cut them, and nail/screw/biscuit them in, but that would be too easy!! I'm going to use the old "tried and true" through tenons. There is going to be three rails but, for now, I'm only going to work on the outside ones. The middle one is going to have a somewhat different fate…
> ...


And… moving right along there, Mike!
Following this project (and so many of your other projects) has been fun.
Ellen


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Almost Home...*

Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
This would work already but I'm choosing to make at least a Tray for now, maybe add a lid at a later point. So I'll need to cut a slot to hold a bottom. I did that with the Table Saw, cutting a kerf wide, 3/8" deep swath and then kicking the blade over to widen it in all the parts.
I'm not using anything fancier than a drawer bottom as a bottom for this. After measuring I mark it and cut it, and then slap it in!
I re-thought the idea of the third rail in the middle. For one thing, this thing is as strong as the Dickens already! Secondly, my plan had been to through-tenon the middle one as well, but I've got an Arch sort of thing going on here. I'm no Engineer, but it would be like removing the "Keystone", and weaken the top of the Arch…
Anyway, no middle rail… all that's left is to drill some holes to insert pins into, cut the tenons to a more seemly length, insert the pins, and toss that other Steamer Trunk on top!! Hopefully, tomorrow…


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


What is it for? No handle?


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


Bob, underneath that bed sheet is an old curved-top Steamer Trunk. So all I did was make a curved surface flat, so I can stack another one on top of it…


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


Good work. I wonder why they didn't make them flat on top? Too keep them from being stacked??


----------



## lumberdog (Jun 15, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


I believe they were made like this so they would be placed on top of other trunks, that way they were the first ones unloaded.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


I figured that it was so they would be top loaded, but if they are rounded, seems like it would get to be quite a mess in the cargo hold ;-))


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


Lookin good Mike. The design looks great. I like that you are using recycled materials. Often the recycled stuff is better than what we can buy and usually dryer too.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


Great Job, Mike!

Your pictures and explanations are really easy to follow.

Lew


----------



## mtkate (Apr 18, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


The curved top is probably a function of history. The tops of chests used to be 1/2 of a hollowed out log. Likely the other half would be the bottom of the chest. Thus, one could stack them.


----------



## Kristoffer (Aug 5, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Almost Home...*
> 
> Got home from work today and jumped right in, cutting the mortises that I marked yesterday.
> These are a snap with the Scroll Saw, after I drill a few corner holes for maneuvering the blade
> ...


Looking good, Mike. I'd really like to see you sand and refinish those trunks!!! Not only bring out their beauty but protect them a little better.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Ship It!!*

If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
Today, it was a simple matter to drill the holes
Then I marked and cut some rounded ends on the tenons with the Scroll Saw
Marked and cut some Pins
And there you have it, a flat top for a rounded Trunk…
You'll notice I sized this to rest against the inside of two of the ribs on the top of the Trunk, so it doesn't slide anywhere…
And one final pic of the original purpose for this project
Not much of a project, huh? But it's a thorn removed from my side…
I can't help but think I'm not the first one to make one of these. On board the old Steamers, it seems like somebody must have knocked together a similar contraption or two…


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Simple but cool design well done.


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## HallTree (Feb 1, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Interesting project.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Practical, functional and COOL!

Nice job, Mike!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Thanks, Guys! Really, I appreciate it… 
My next assignment, should I decide to accept it, is yet another Cribbage Board. Mine disappeared at Christmas time…


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Nice and unusual project Mike. I'm sure you are correct in assuming that something like this, but surely not as nice, were used to stack rounded top chests lower in the hold. Thanks for the great blog.


----------



## Eagle1 (Jan 4, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Cood way for saving space..


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Pretty good… They look extremly big. Pretty convient for getting in the top trunk also.


----------



## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Mike it works so you on to a winner good job done well mate


----------



## asthesawturns (Aug 23, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Ship It!!*
> 
> If you recall from yesterday, I left off with this simple trestle/skid type of thing in place
> Before I knocked off for the day last night, I took a minute to mark the location of where the Pins will be. I took a poor picture, just to demonstrate, but I think you'll get the idea. I clamped the thing up and set the Brad point bit that I'll be using where I want the holes… and gave it a good tap with a small hammer
> ...


Great job, Thanks for taking us through it.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Holding Up the Night Sky*

Many Years ago, for Christmas, my Dad gave me one of these really cool Smithsonian Star Finders
By "Dialing In" the correct Date and Time, it tells me what the Night Sky is showing for constellations outside. But, more often than not, it would find a home in a room next to a window and get blown over by the wind. The original plastic stand that it came with was hinged and the hinge finally broke in one of it's many falls. I replaced it, using the plastic one as a guide, with one made from Particle Board. 
I used what, for lack of a better term, I'll call a Slip Joint, instead of hinges. I fully intended these as patterns to make some out of fine wood. Maybe someday the stars will be aligned in such fashion that I have the right wood, the ambition, and the Time all at the same moment and I'll get that done…
When I did this, 9-10 years ago, I also had in mind a similar use for such a thing, as a Book Holder. I had a Neighbor who's Mom was Born-Again and a real Bible Thumper (no disrespect intended) and I thought of making a Bible Holder for her. I experimented with the idea, trying this first
It didn't work. The splay of the legs was too wide and the book tended to fall off the back…
I rethought the idea and came up with this
With the joint at 45°, it worked very well, but it's a very size-specific thing. Each Book would have to have it's own holder… 
Roy Underhill was the guy who got me going with these, back in the early eighties. On one of his programs, he made a water wheel, and I thought the Jointery was so nifty I just had to try and make one!![IMG alt="Roy Underhill's "Water Wheel" idea and jointery"]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4302413880_59870a3bbe_o.jpg[/IMG]
These were small under-shot wheels, usually made from Oak. For my purposes (none at all!) I made it out of a Pine Log and some strapping that was kicking around the house. The trick here is jointing the four pieces in one Plane…[IMG alt="All "Paddles" in one Plane"]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4301665755_b93b5c4951_o.jpg[/IMG]
Each Piece only has one quarter of the whole size left in the middle and they slide through the log "stepped up" by one quarter for each piece…(You'll note the top one in this picture is broken. This is somewhat of a conversation piece and has been taken apart and put back together many times, to show people who were sorry they asked just exactly what it is. On one of those occasions I forced it, and it broke…)
Boy, I used to have a lot of time on my hands back in the Eighties!! I made this with the most rudimentary tools and still can't believe the holes went through straight enough using a Brace and Bit!!


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Holding Up the Night Sky*
> 
> Many Years ago, for Christmas, my Dad gave me one of these really cool Smithsonian Star Finders
> By "Dialing In" the correct Date and Time, it tells me what the Night Sky is showing for constellations outside. But, more often than not, it would find a home in a room next to a window and get blown over by the wind. The original plastic stand that it came with was hinged and the hinge finally broke in one of it's many falls. I replaced it, using the plastic one as a guide, with one made from Particle Board.
> ...


Really neat projects, Mike!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Holding Up the Night Sky*
> 
> Many Years ago, for Christmas, my Dad gave me one of these really cool Smithsonian Star Finders
> By "Dialing In" the correct Date and Time, it tells me what the Night Sky is showing for constellations outside. But, more often than not, it would find a home in a room next to a window and get blown over by the wind. The original plastic stand that it came with was hinged and the hinge finally broke in one of it's many falls. I replaced it, using the plastic one as a guide, with one made from Particle Board.
> ...


That was interesting Mike. I especially liked the water wheel bit. I can see the principal but I wonder how these were used. It would be nice to see an overview of that.


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Holding Up the Night Sky*
> 
> Many Years ago, for Christmas, my Dad gave me one of these really cool Smithsonian Star Finders
> By "Dialing In" the correct Date and Time, it tells me what the Night Sky is showing for constellations outside. But, more often than not, it would find a home in a room next to a window and get blown over by the wind. The original plastic stand that it came with was hinged and the hinge finally broke in one of it's many falls. I replaced it, using the plastic one as a guide, with one made from Particle Board.
> ...


are you gearing up ,
to run your scroll saw with that ?

the holders are well done ,
it's amazing 
what the human mind 
can do for fun 
and excitement !


----------



## asthesawturns (Aug 23, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Holding Up the Night Sky*
> 
> Many Years ago, for Christmas, my Dad gave me one of these really cool Smithsonian Star Finders
> By "Dialing In" the correct Date and Time, it tells me what the Night Sky is showing for constellations outside. But, more often than not, it would find a home in a room next to a window and get blown over by the wind. The original plastic stand that it came with was hinged and the hinge finally broke in one of it's many falls. I replaced it, using the plastic one as a guide, with one made from Particle Board.
> ...


Great job, thanks for posting. Roy underhill, is responsible for my 3 teired racking kitchen shelves, I adjusted his plan to be all wood with only a couple of screws.


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Holding Up the Night Sky*
> 
> Many Years ago, for Christmas, my Dad gave me one of these really cool Smithsonian Star Finders
> By "Dialing In" the correct Date and Time, it tells me what the Night Sky is showing for constellations outside. But, more often than not, it would find a home in a room next to a window and get blown over by the wind. The original plastic stand that it came with was hinged and the hinge finally broke in one of it's many falls. I replaced it, using the plastic one as a guide, with one made from Particle Board.
> ...


Hi Mike,

Been looking at cars and working OT and now I'm sick…Fun 4 days….

Bible thumper, I ve always liked that term, always makes me think of some really good freinds.

I like the scroll work for the star finder and the bible thumplings. Roy underhill, I'd watch him

and think dude get some power tools!!!! The kind of patients, and the time to learn his craft

as with all hand wood workers and carvers is all very time consuming. I marvel at the guys who can

budget their time around wood work- kids-wife-work…work-social time-and teach. I am always

to involed with one and neglecting the other. You need to find some place to put your water wheel in

water!!! Great projects….

Bob


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Not Fine Woodworking...*

With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
Regrettably, I have no pictures of the canoe stand in use… I had a stand in either corner of the living room, inverted the canoe, and placed an end on each stand… It was a great conversation piece!!
But the canoe is long gone, and I was left with the stands. I took one a few years ago and made a frame for a full-length mirror…
Yesterday, with the second one, I slapped together an overhead storage area using a convenient feature of this old apartment…
The door frame to the left is the same height as the frame around the built-in small closet in the chimney enclosure, so there's nothing needed to hold it in place besides gravity…
It's already full with our extras and has been dubbed "The Loft"  
For those interested, I haven't completely neglected the small table project… For some strange reason, I elected to shape the parts by hand, using a rasp, a file, and sanding… It was slow going, but they're almost ready for final assembly…


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


there you go ,

organization .

onward ,
and ,
upward .

table is looking good !


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


looks great Mike, good to have someone handy when the need arises.


----------



## nmkidd (Sep 18, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


recycling material is good…....claiming unused space for storage is even better!!!

small table is coming along….....and now whilst doing your most favorite thing…..(I'm speaking of sanding)

you have someone to converse with!!!!

Good show Mike


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


Good idea, I am somewhat of an organization freak,

I don't like tripping over stuff. Table is looking good!!!


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


Nice work Mike. You can never have enough space!
Glad to see the table coming along….
Enjoy the wonderful New England fall weather.
Ellen


----------



## fernandoindia (May 5, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


Hi MIke, 
is always fun to have a couple of 2×3 hidden around !!

Happy Birthday too,


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


the never ending story of the spacebattle continue in new homes
yep we often forget those spots right abow our heads
thank´s for the reminder Mike

take care
Dennis


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


Hi Mike,
I also got the recycle and make some order illness…
You have done a fine job in the organisation.
I cant wait to see that tray done, it's becomming more and more interesting.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Not Fine Woodworking...*
> 
> With my Girlfriend Debbie moving in recently, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find room for all of our collective stuff… With space at a premium, Yesterday I went ahead with an idea I've had for years… It took about twenty minutes…
> But I have to back-track a little…I made a canoe stand about ten years ago. It consisted of two posts that I made, by screwing together a couple of 2 X 3's, and attaching some plywood "feet" to hold them upright.
> ...


Girls will do that to you… Hog up all your space and time…


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Something for the Kitchen...*

I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
Debbie went in for a scheduled operation a few weeks ago, and I've devoted time to caring for her… She's fine and recuperating nicely…
You may laugh to hear this, but though I own a car, I'm one of those kooks who never got their Driver's License!! To help Debbie out with Doctor's appointments, and because it's kind of silly to own a car and not drive, I decided to get my license…
I don't have it as of yet, but I've been doing almost all of our driving, for practice… and doing some serious reading…
Pretty droll reading… I'd like to take the tests sometime this week, or next. To be honest, I'm most worried about the eye exam!! LOL
Anyway, I was doing the dishes the other day and after emptying the dish rack I saw this…
Might be time for a new one, eh?
I made this one when I first moved in because, like everything else in our apartment, the sink is a non-standard size. The store-bought ones won't fit…
So, if you remember the broken clothes drying rack that I made the last box out of, I had a pile of dowels "left over" after using the sides…
I measured, marked, and cut a couple of quick sides out of some Rock Maple that was kicking around and drilled them… 
After cutting the dowels to length I had a few minutes of consternation, lining up the dowels with the holes, but was ultimately successful…
From clothes drying to dish drying, a sort of appropriate re-purposing…


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


quite the 'leap of faith'

it is amazing you got this far here in the states
where everything is laid out for 'car junkies'
(the man with shoes is king) lol

you will be a hit
on the streets
with a rack like that

well done


----------



## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Innovative. Lining up holes is a true gift…


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Clever, Mike! You are the most talented recycler around these parts!
I am so glad you are getting your license… you will be able to do so much more.
This has been quite a 12 months for you… Debbie moves in, you get a car, you work on your license… what else!!
Ellen


----------



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


I thought you had to have a car to drive yourself to elementary school in the US. You've missed out on a lot there; rising fuel prices, compulsory seat belts, rising insurance costs, gradual crowding of the roads - you sure you want to do this???

I never thought I'd get a chance to say this, and not salaciously you will note, nice rack!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Not much of a project, I know, but I had a half hour to kill…
David, I'd guess that less than one driver out of ten remembers and/or applies the stuff in the Driver's Manual!! At least it seems that way out on the road… No one drives the speed limit, directionals are only used by people over forty, and courtesy is almost non-existent… It's a challenge but, God help me, I am enjoying it…
Debbie says I'm doing very well, but she might be biased…
On the other hand, I gave her brother John a ride and he thought I was a natural…
We'll see what the State of New Hampshire has to say next… 
Thanks Everybody for your kind thoughts…


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Nice little recycling project Mike. Good luck with your driving test. When I was a little kid living in Minnesota I seem to remember that all you had to do to get a drivers license was to send them your name and address with 35 cents. And no, it wasn't before the advent of automobiles, it's 1945 I'm talking about.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Nice reuse, Mike!

Happy to hear Debbie is on the mend.

Certainly, the drivers license will provide a novel, new freedom. Just think how many trips you can now make to the "big box" stores :^)

Lew


----------



## moonls (Mar 23, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Glad to see that none of the clothes rack wood has gone to waste! And I'm glad you'll be a licensed driver before long too. Hopefully gas prices will go down so you can range out of NH to another LJ get-together!


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Another great save Mike. Wow, I think you have more saves than Gerry Cheevers. I assume you remember him Mike?


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Thanks Mike, those were simpler (and happier!) times… 
Lew, it's a coincidence that you re-handled a knife recently, because in the last week I happened across two re-handling jobs that I did, albeit not nearly as elegantly as you…
At work, I had need of the kitchen mallet, and it's one I put a new handle on…
The second one was for an old Adze head I found many years ago…
The adze handle was straight from a tree and already had the nice shape…
I put an edge on that at one point and tried it out… Nice tool, but rather dangerous… swinging a sharp, heavy blade towards my feet, well… it sorta goes against my grain…
Lorna, that's what I'm hoping!! 
Thank You Lenny and I do indeed remember Gerry Cheevers… The B's are on a roll this year, despite the last couple weeks…. Can you say, Stanley Cup??? It sure would be nice to see them go all the way, it's been a long time!!


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Mike, Maybe a pair of steel toed boots would be in order until you get a little practice ;-)) Good luck with the driver's test. You are wrong about the number that apply it. Your estimate is too high!! I think I'm teh olny guy in King County that isn't tailgating. I saw one guy one time that almost had his bumper under the the back bumper of the truck in front of him. I'm sure he just mixed up the rule's nomenclature; it is two SECONDS, not 2 FEET! ) Nice save on the drying rack. How mcuh do yoi uhave left?


----------



## Kristoffer (Aug 5, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


What's a driver's license?


> ?


 It must be like one of those contractor's licenses…... Just another pieces of paper that an institution requires you to have. You can have either one and not apply what you have learned to acquire them. I think that we all see this too often. Either way, good luck with the test! And remember that you do not have to pull over and disassemble the automobile when you see a horse drawn wagon;-)

I too am glad to hear that Debbie is recovering quickly.


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Well if your getting a license and you got a car it's time for a road trip!!!!

Deb must be doing pretty good if she's getting in the car with a student driver.

I remember the 7th wrong answer on my written exam (barley passed that),

" If you approach an intersection where the traffic light is green, but an officer
is directing traffic and motions for you to stop, what should you do?"

Do not answer B "Continue Thur intersection with green light." I still can't figure

that out I say if you got a green light go, no need to cause a traffic jamb!!!

Nice dish rack too Mike, necessity is the mother of invention!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Wonderful recycle, love that.
Good luck with the license.
I love the handle on that adze, but I think you will get stucked in the wood, since the angle looks quite steep… http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?93964-Making-an-adze-handle
Here in Korea:








Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Topo, I forgot about the tailgaters!! I can be driving 5 mph over the speed limit, look in the rear-view, and there's someone right on my tail… Debbie tells me not to be intimidated by them, but…
All I have left of the clothes drying rack is a couple of the spindles…
Kris, thanks for your(and others) well wishes for Debbie, they're very appreciated!! That's good advice, but we don't see too many horses around these parts any more… The Police are the only ones who have them, and they don't know how to ride them. One Officer a few years back got "thrown" from a STANDING horse!! They got rid of the horse… You know how frisky 16 year-old horses can be…
Bob K., when the light turns yellow, that means to STEP ON IT, right???


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Good Link Mads, Thanks!! 
I put the handle on as an experiment and, after a good sharpening, it actually worked really well. Nice chips, and I got a log roughly flattened on one side in no time at all…
I've since used it only for chopping ice…It's as dull as a butter knife… Pretty bad, huh?


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


Mike, Just leave enough room for both of you to stop. That is about all you can do about them. The horse stroy reminds me of a freind who is active in the gun club near Portland, OR. They have an accidental shooting once a year on average. You guessed it, cops training. The last one was a lady cop who shot herself with a rifle!! ;-))


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


at least you drive with automatic gear and not with manuel gear 
and don´t even think of using a big aighteenwheeler where you have to hit the clutch twice with mittlegas 
to shift gears … LOL

I hope you passing the test with a bang ….. LOL

take care
Dennis

Ps. great recycling


----------



## blockhead (May 5, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


It's good to hear Debbie is recovering nicely and you were able to get in a little shop time. It certainly looks like you got good use from the old dish rack! Good luck on your DL test too, I know you will do fine.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


now you have been thrugh the first copple of pages can you tell me what red light meens …..
I see it all the time when I go to bed :-( ..... LOL

take care
Dennis


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Something for the Kitchen...*
> 
> I've done precious little Woodworking of late…
> You know how it is… sometimes Life can keep a person pretty busy.
> ...


I remember telling my daughter that a yellow light meant cross the street real fast….

Didn't go to well with the wife…She was 4 years old back then, but now she's 30, and crosses real

fast with the yellow light. So just maybe I gave good advice!!!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*The Apartment...*


In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
Nobody ever came over, so I thought to bring the apartment to them…
The thin plywood has since warped terribly, and even begun to peel, but originally I could have set it anywhere by a marked, true North, and had a fairly accurate representation of the Sun-cast shadows through the windows back home…
The Walls and Sides have tabs that slide into slots in the base…
The "Doorways" of the little structure required each their own tab, because the openings extend to the "Floor"...
I'll leave it to you to guess which room the shop is in, but I'll give you a hint… the salt shaker is on the kitchen table…

*"Yeah, but what have you done lately?"*

Two weeks ago, I began what was to be a very special box… actually a very special urn…
Unfortunately, I am too slow a woodworker, with too little time… and the Lord has His Own Schedule…
My Older Brother Steve passed away last Tuesday. He had been diagnosed with Cancer in the summer of 2004, fought and won every battle, but couldn't win the war…
There wasn't enough time to finish the urn, because it all went very swiftly at the end…
I truly do not have words, but I felt a need to share this with you my Friends…
He was 57 years old, a Great Son, Grandson, Brother, Cousin, Uncle, Husband, Father, Co-worker, Friend, and Person…
He will be missed…


----------



## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


My condolences to you and your family.


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


thank you michael
for reaching out and sharing this with me 
through this time of hardship 
for you and your mother

i know we could only offer our thoughts 
and feelings to each other
but somehow it helped
i know it did for me
and hope it helped you in your grief too

it may be that this box is yours
to remember steve by
like a personal conection
that's how i remember joe

there may yet be other boxes for his wife and children

but i do feel you need to have this as your own

and again thank you
for helping me get my own pain and fears in perspective
in a calm and kind way

love you michael

we really aren't that alone
when we can hold the memories
and the laughter shared
and be better through them


----------



## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Hi Michael,
I knew how you feel with the lost of a loveone after such a struggle but we knew that there will be a day that will come. I had a sister who died of cancer too (30 years ago) and what we really felt is the pain she suffered the same way I see in your brother. He is in good hands now. Though he lost the war, he wins the glory in God. My condolences to you and loveones.

As for the urn to be… as David said… It is a way how Steve will always stay in you heart. Finished or unfinished, it will always serve the purpose … that you care. 
God Bless.


----------



## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike,

My thoughts and prayers are for you and all your family during this time when the loss is so stark and immediate. May you all have the strength to bear up under the weight of this tragedy.

Herb


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike,
Mimi and I send our prayers to you and your family. 
To have lost two very special people in your life, so close together, must be almost unbearable. I sincerely hope you can find comfort and solace in knowing Steve and Dad are at peace and without pain.

Lew


----------



## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike,

My brother passed away 4 years ago and I have never recovered. 
He died of a heart attack at the age of 51. He was perfectly healthy before that.
Reading your post is painfull; I trully feel your pain. I hesitated to post but l wated to reach with my thoughts and prayers.

God bless.


----------



## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


*Mike*,

It's hard.

jamie


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


My condolences to you and yours Mike. God bless.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


I´m sorry for your loss Mike. my condolence to you and the fammely

Dennis


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike,
Sorry to hear of your brother's passing. I know he lasted so much longer than you expected… the extra time is like a gift….
Ellen


----------



## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


oh so sorry about your loss

(and I enjoyed looking at the apartment)


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Hi Mike. So sorry to hear about your brother- my condolence to you and your family.
. I lost my best friend who I grew up with since 5 yrs old to cancer in 2007 and I really miss not being able to call him and discuss designs resolve problems like we used to. My friend Jim only lasted 3 weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

That will be a very special urn you are making.


----------



## Cozmo35 (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


I´m sorry for your loss Mike. my condolence to you and your Family. Keep the all close. We all have only a short time to enjoy them!


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike,

I am sorry to hear about Steve. This has been a rough year for you, and your family. I looked up the obituary

and seen his picture, you two sure look like brothers. Steve, is the exact same age as my brother Pete, you are

the same age as me, your other brother Scott, would he be 61? My oldest brother Mike is 61.

Freind, our prayers and thoughts will be with you and your family today.

Bob Kollman


----------



## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


So sorry for your loss. Our condolences to you and yours Mike. God bless.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Thank you all for your thoughts and concerns…
We will be alright… I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and, for me, LJ"S is part of "Normalcy"...
I've seen a lot of Great projects going through here over the last couple weeks but haven't had the heart, nor the time, to properly comment…
I'll be back… there is too much fun yet to be had… 
Bear with me, hopefully it won't take too long…


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


take the time you need Mike

Dennis


----------



## moonls (Mar 23, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike I want to extend my sympathy to you and your family. I too lost a brother at too young an age and I still think of him often. May the good memories of your times spent with him help you at this sad time.


----------



## fernandoindia (May 5, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike, my condolences to you and your family. Hope you´d enjoyed the extra time


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Sorry Mike.
I think the more important is that you took the time, and he was in your thoughts as you worked on the urn.
Make it into a toolbox, then he will be with you in those moments you love.

For the house model, I have build many as a architect, and always enjoyed, I love your comment to bring the house to them…

Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## DennisLeeZongker (Jul 25, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


I'm very sorry, Mike

God bless you and your family. I'm very sorry for your loss.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The Apartment...*
> 
> 
> In 2001 I amused myself (for a week or so) making a scaled-down, portable version of where I live…
> ...


Mike, My apologies for being so late with this. Nevertheless I do want to offer you my condolences. I'm sure it's not easy for your Mom and yourself and other family members, but I hope you will dwell on the good memories and think of him being in a better place.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*

So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
The problem with the old thing was that when the drawers were shut, they shut unequally, i.e. at varying depths… a few simple drawer-stops were all it took to straighten that one out…
But in closing that drawer, it reminded me that there was another little task… On yet another bureau, we had one of those "fall-out" drawers we've all seen, the kind that when pulled out reach a point… and want to fall on our toes!!
This is the only drawer that does this… It has one of those little C-shaped plastic things, that are supposed to ride a rail underneath… Either the plastic was broken or the rail (or both)... I didn't bother to check…
The fix for this one, was finding a scrap that fit in the gap at the top…

An easy find, and easy to cut a strip off of, and then to cut that in half again to make two, one for either side…

Easy too, to drill a couple of out-sized holes for screws and countersink them…

The hardest part was screwing them to the inside walls of the bureau… I probably should have drilled some pilot holes, but didn't… Just started them with a hammer, and screwed them in… it looks like Maple… 
I didn't attempt to make it a perfect fit… Wood swells, and all I wanted was for it not to fall out anymore…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sign that I was working on hasn't gotten much further… I transferred the shamrock pattern onto the wood, in this case Cherry…

I re-sawed that because I want two of them…
Anyway, they're still not cut out… Precious little time lately…

We went on vacation, Debbie and I, at the beginning of September… it already seems like an eternity ago…
Arrived at York Beach, Maine on a Saturday, and the next day I celebrated another birthday, my 53rd… We had a full day and hadn't even "beached it" yet… After all, we had the whole week, right?
Well, Tropical Storms Lee and Katia conspired against us, one coming up the interior of New England, the other 400-500 miles off the coast… It rained from mid-morning Monday until Thursday evening… Straight…
Still, a rainy day at the beach trumps a day at work anytime!! We Slept, and Ate, and Shopped at our leisure…
It turned out that my Cousin Brian and his wife Louise were up in York for the week too and it was great to see them… and not have it be someone's funeral or wedding or something…
The only wood-related thing on the journey was my Sea Latch box that I made a while ago… I currently use that as my "work box", the one that I empty my pockets into at work so I don't have all the extra "stuff" jangling around in my pockets… 
I thought it would make a good place for my shaving gear… and it did… Except, that all that rain swelled it up like Mad!! I thought I'd have to snap my latch to open it!!
Happily, a couple days back at work returned it to normal…
Finally, on the Friday of our Beach week, we had some Beach Weather!! It was an excellent day… 
Cousin Brian taught me how to play "Kubb" in picture-perfect weather…
Here's one of me playing in the Atlantic…

No Joke, Folks, I went in the water three times and enjoyed it with the same feeling I had… almost fifty years ago…


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


thank´s Mike for the repair fix 
I have always as kid wondered why some drwaers looked like they fall out ….....
finely after nearly 50 years I now know …... 

good to see you have so much fun with your bandsaw

take care
Dennis


----------



## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


That was a good fix for the drawers. It is good you had some time away too. I loved the old pic of you at the beach. It certainly is fun to relive those moments that were so special to us - and also to bring back those same fond feelings we had such a long time ago.

Nice story. 

Sheila


----------



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


Good fix, Mike. I like this series of blogs.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


Nice fix on the drawers, Mike.

Beautiful Sunrise, too! The most beautiful sunrises and sunsets I ever saw were off the coast of North Vietnam (aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation). Often thought about the paradox of all that beauty amidst the death and destruction.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


Thanks, my Friends…
Dennis: I brought the car in for it's annual inspection (birthday month) and it passed with Flying Colors!!
A few days later, I brought it in for an oil change to the man who used to do it for my Father… 
The man came out side and asked if I could tell him what year the car was again… 
I told him it was a "92…
He couldn't say enough about it's mint condition… that my Dad had treated it very well… that if I took care of it that it would take care of me… and on and on!!
I was and am all smiles about that!! 
Sheila: I'm embarrassed but not ashamed, to admit I had the same giddy delight diving into the chilly water, as I had as a little boy!! Some pure blessed fun… 
Martyn: I like this series too!! As a blogger yourself, you must have noticed how the blogs just suddenly become "part of the process", and that there is some measure of enjoyment in telling the story too… Thanks, my Friend…
Lew: And Thank You too, Lew… To a man, every Vietnam Veteran I've ever spoken to, has said that it was the most beautiful place that they ever saw… achingly beautiful…


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


I told you Mike …. lol
glad to hear nothing is wrong with it 
and if you give it a kind of under-body oil/wax treatment every second year you have a car 
without rust for the rest of your life … but be sure its a good place to have it one 
they need to do it in all the hitten rooms and places …insite doors etc.

Dennis


----------



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


I agree, Mike the story is part of it all. Sometimes I do get wrapped up in a project though and blogging it would spoil the journey by interrupting the flow. It does make me pace myself though.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *A Quick Fix, Et Cetera...*
> 
> So the other day I was closing a drawer in an old bureau…
> I had done a quick fix on all the drawers a while ago, so quick in fact, that I had never mentioned it…
> ...


Sweet story, beautiful sky and a wonderful picture of you in the water.
Thank you for sharing these moments.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Of Circular Saws...*

I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
I was a little surprised at the time that the generally agreed upon answer was to lay down some Hard Pink Insulation, and cut right through and into it…
I've used a different way for many years, and wanted to tell them then, but thought it would be easier to show rather than tell… This is the first opportunity I've had…
Those of you who do this for a living… Please, bear with me!
But, also bear in mind that there are every type of skill sets on LJ's… Things that are utterly routine for you, might be beyond someone else's experience… 
Anyway, I took some Measurements and drew a quick sketch…

Then I secured a good size piece of 3/8" Plywood… (Lucky Me!! Someone painted it pink!!)

When I was cleaning down in the basement, I came across a couple of 2"X6"s that were water damaged on the ends… 

These will be perfect for a pair of Poor Man's Sawhorses!!
First, I set the Circular Saw fence deep enough to cut just-through the 2"X material…

Then, after marking the plank, I place it atop the other and make the cut…

If you look closely, the sawhorses are already in use as I cut the other end and then the other plank…

Now I'll mark my Plywood Sheet at the measured 35"... (Ah, the Wonder of Chalk Lines!)...

The next step I can't stress strongly enough! 
It is absolutely essential, to re-set the the Circular Saw's fence to the "New" cutting thickness, i.e., the thickness of the Plywood!...
If I didn't, working here on the concrete floor, I would likely be bombarded with carbide teeth…

It's then a simple matter, using the new "sawhorses", to make the cuts…

Of course for this project, accuracy is not critical so I've been free-handing. But I could just as easily have used an either store bought, or home made, straightedge to get the cuts right on…

So long as the cut-offs fall off, and you keep them out of your way, and use a sharp blade, and work carefully, this works just fine…
I found a great place to stash the Poor Man's Sawhorses too… Up, and out of the way between the floor joists…

I'll get to attaching these to the windows sometime this week…

Not having a Table Saw the size of a Billiards Table might slow you down, but it should never stop you my Friends!! 
1 July 2012


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


there is only one thing wrong with the poor mans sawhorses ….. I can´t get up again :-(
though they are great in a pinch and using four take the stress away from the last 
inches of the wood you cut

Dennis


----------



## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


good show mike, i was hoping for some pop corn here, but i could see this was a poor mans budget…lol..good show…makes me wanna go out and cut something….....tomorrow…today i rest…tomorrow i cut…good demo


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Dennis: I'm a little closer to the ground then most, so it's not a far trip down… or back up either… 
Grizz: Thanks Bob! I was hesitant to even blog this because it's A-B-C type information for most of us, but if it will help somebody starting out, and possibly keep them from getting hurt, then it was worthwhile…


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


catch as catch can michael
there is always a way
sometimes we just have to wait 
to find the need

good thinking
and demo

look forward to your take
on working in pink light


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Some good tips, here, Mike!

Love the ceiling storage idea. Been using it for awhile myself.


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Like David, said there is always away to get the job done. The basics are always an important lesson. Looks like
you might have a nice high ceiling in the basement.


----------



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


I do something similar with 2×4s… I need to redo my cutting guide…


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Hi Mike. This is really a poor (and young man's) sawhorse. I could only do production work this way, as I could get down there but not back up with my bad knees and back. A good method nevertheless for those without bone problems.


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Hi Mike!
A great use for scrap 2X material.


----------



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Thanks for the tips, Mike.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Smiles here Mike.
When the going gets tough the tough get going!
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## studie (Oct 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


How about a poor mans track saw made with 1/4" hardboard for the base 3" wider than your saw base then a super straight fence to slide the saw base against to make a cut. They are on u tube (I can't find a pencil) They say that you screw the fence to the underside so as to relocate it as the base gets worn. The first cut with the track should cut a little off the base and now you have an exact line reference to lay the track, also as the blade cut is supported by the hardboard base chipout is minimal. The track can then be used mostly for breaking down plywood and at any angle too. I have a tracksaw now which is great but I used to amaze folks at the jobsite with this tablesaw jig in 5 minutes. I can still get up from the floor but hate to wear out the knees in my new (1 year old) Carrhearts.


----------



## tom_c (Mar 22, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


I cannot begin to tell you all how much research I've done to find 'the best' sheetstock cutting solution for myself. At 65, I have the bad lower back and old legs, as well as having had a full bi-polar hip replacement. So lifting and wrangling sheet goods in of itself, as well as the 'up and downing' of working on the floor…well…sucks. This alternative made it to the top of my 'best' list:

http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm

I'm sure that many of you already know about this. I haven't built it yet-but it's next up on my project list.


----------



## peterlonz (Apr 14, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


Looks like I am a bit thick because I could not quite follow.
My interpretation was that the 6×2's are used as "off floor spacers", but that's a bit obvious.
To prevent them moving around under a large sheet would you not want to connect them?
As for ceiling storage or under floor storage - again is it not helpful to "enable" this space to store all sorts of length & size material; the best part is it's really dry.
For me I'd just use an old long pair of traditional saw-horses with some scrap timber fixed atop then set the blade to just cut thro' the plywood & any excess cuts only into renewable scrap.
Then you do save the old knees but the back is subject still to some strain.
Yes you do end up with the need to store the sawhorses, although these days there are available some handy collapsible designs that "sort of do the job".


----------



## KOVA (Nov 21, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Of Circular Saws...*
> 
> I have the simplest of projects to do, a boarding-up of the basement windows. Since I'll be using plywood, I thought it would be a great time to demonstrate an answer for an old Forum topic here…
> I can't remember who it was, but 3 or so years ago somebody asked how they would go about cutting Plywood to size on their garage floor.
> ...


http://ibuildit.ca/Workshop%20Projects/utility-table-saw-1.html


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Details...*

I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
In the back, is the parking area and the rear entrances for the various units. Everybody in the building has their unit numbers written there too, except us… I could have left it that way, and let people who visit park and guess which one is ours, but that would be… discourteous…
I also could have run to the hardware store, purchased some numbers, and tacked them up… but where's the fun in that?
I decided to make some numbers… Happily, I didn't have to re-invent the numerals, a few days ago I simply made a tracing of the numbers in the front…

There was a time when I cut letters and numbers out of plied wood, but I soon discovered that they do not fare well when exposed to the elements… I don't think there is a glue made that can stand up to the weather, as signs that were put outside had the wood plies peel like an onion…
So I secured a small scrap of Oak… It was too thick for number or letter work so I had to re-saw it…

As an aside, I just put new jaws on that old vise last week, so it was my first time using it… The old ones were in a pitiable state, with loose, stripped screws that left dandy dents from the screw heads in any clamped work…

But anyway, once sawn, the now-thinner stock was ready to have the tracings transferred to them. The plan, is to tack these up with some Brass Brads, so at this point I pre-drilled for the brads and added the usual access holes for the Scroll Saw work…
Scroll Saws make very short work of this sort of thing…

I still had a half can of Spray Lacquer left over and it was used on these, starting with the underside first…

While I waited for that to dry, I turned my attention to a Spice Rack that I made, circa 1999-2000… It hung on the wall in Manchester until last October, and looked it!

It's not a fancy thing, I made it to be useful, not pretty…
And so it has been, and after taking it apart, and giving it a good cleaning and sanding, it will be useful still…

Anyway, all of that didn't take very long, a little over two hours…
We had made plans to go to the beach yesterday, and with the scattered rain that was falling we almost changed our minds…
Debbie and I finally just up and went, and I'm glad we did! Even in the rain, there is still a restorative and calming effect when visiting the Ocean… Nice to know the lighthouse is still there too…

When we got home, just before dinner, I tacked up the new house numbers…
It's funny sometimes, how satisfying these little "detail" projects can be… They'll be there to greet us every time we come home… 
And I'm not likely to forget the day that I put them on… 
Yesterday, was my Birthday… 
5 September 2012


----------



## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Belated Birthday wishes Mike

Nice view, all the wee bits make it a home

The spice rack was done right first time makes

it easier to clean up.

jamie


----------



## followyourheart (Feb 3, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Happy Birthday, Mike!
Let us know how the numbers hold up. I made some this summer out of plywood with a good primer and three coats of exterior house paint. It's hard to get wood to last outside, so I'm hoping mine last because they were purchased by a customer of mine.


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Happy birthday, Mike!!!!!
Nice job on the numbers!!


----------



## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Nicely done Mike . It's the smallest things adding up that make a house a home ! Oh and Happy Birthday my friend !


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Happy Birthday. I'd like to be 27 again….


----------



## NateMeadows (May 11, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Nice Work! How rewarding is that, to make something you see everyday! Happy B day too, 30 is not that far away, enjoy in my friend .

Nate


----------



## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Wonderful blog, Mike! You are right that the small things can make a big difference in making a house your "home." The numbers came out great!

Happy birthday to you too! Glad to see you spend some time doing what you like. The ocean is a wonderful place to reflect and relax. I am happy to read you had such a good day!

I wish you a happy and healthy year ahead!

Sheila


----------



## Jason34 (Oct 17, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Yesterday was my birthday too! I hope you had a great day!


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


good to know the lighthouse
was still there indeed

like a thoughtful friend
in need

great works michael

and new jaws
on old vices

make for a happy home

enjoy b'boy


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Numbers looked good, Happy Birthday!!!!


----------



## Kookaburra (Apr 23, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


What a wonderful birthday - and now you have a reminder you will see everyo=time you walk into the house.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Love that kitchen storage unit- neat idea with the dowel!!

What a beautiful pix of the ocean. You are right about the calming effect regardless of the weather.


----------



## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Looks like you are still having fun… and hope you had a fun birthday…cheers


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...



right on Mike evrery thing on its own place calm us down …. LOL
even when the wether is a little knarworn and the waters show its teeth 
it is great to clear the mind of frustrations 

its the small things that makes a home welcoming you 
nomatter how long the honey to do list is …. 

ceep fidling with them 
Dennis


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Thanks Everybody, I had a Fine Birthday…
Jamie: I used to do a lot of through-mortise and tenon… 
The Spice Rack was a pretty early effort… I remembered making it, as I took it apart… I had tried to mark both sides at one time, thinking that that would be fool-proof… But, I think I had one of the sides flipped the wrong way, with the result that it looks slightly like one of those marble-run tracks when it's examined head-on…
Julie: When I used to cut them out of plywood, most of the time I was using found-wood (particularly drawer bottoms). The wood was very dry and I don't think that helped… 
Using a good plywood and applying several coats of anything should buy you some time… and if the owner gave it some TLC once in a while (like a new coat of paint!) that would help… but, given time, I'm afraid the elements are going to win…
Using a thin hardwood like this, it's certainly not going to peel, but I could get splitting later on… I'll be keeping an eye on it… 
Jim: Did you know, that 7's are hard to hang? If you stand them up too much, they look like 1's…
Not enough, and they look really wrong… And it's tricky to hold onto the seven, and stand back twenty feet and take a good look… 
Don: Just making a little mark in the World my Friend… 
Roger: So would I Brother, so would I… but only if I can keep what I know now!
Nate: I'm sorry if I mislead, the Street number isn't my age, I doubled that yesterday! I was born in 1958…
Sheila: The Ocean never fails to restore my "inner balance"... I need to go there, at least a few times a year.
The Sea, speaking with it's voice of eternity, puts my problems or concerns in their proper perspective… And the salt air isn't bad either!  
Jason: Well fancy that! Happy Birthday, and I hope it was a Good One for You! I don't know about you, but more often than not, mine would always fall on the first day of school… I used to hate that! A lousy way to celebrate it, summer's end, and back to school… 
David: The Light at Cape Neddick in York, Maine is one of the most photographed places in the world. Until recently, it had always been manned… I always wondered what life was like for the keeper and his family, completely isolated on their own island, but separated from land by only about 100"!! Like living in a fish bowl, I guess…
People used to ooh and aah, and get their cameras ready, when the keeper let his dogs out to do their business! LOL 
Bob K.: Thanks Mr. Kollman! Total cutting time was about three minutes… unless you count the re-sawing… that would bring it up to a little over ten minutes… A real easy one, but it's nice (occasionally) to do a project that doesn't take a year and a day!
Kay: Thank You! I see you're relatively new to the site… Welcome to Lumberjocks!! I hope you're enjoying it my Friend!!
Lew: Originally, it had a loop of rope (clothesline actually) that went through all the holes and around the whole thing… Since it isn't a wall-hung anymore, but rather a counter-top, I needed a simple way to hold it together. A couple dowels fit the bill… simply… 
Larry: Thank You Mr. Degoose! How's the Lase-learning coming? Soon you'll have to change your title to "Laser Larry"!! LOL
Dennis: The Honey-do list really isn't very long, my Friend… and it's mostly stuff that we both want accomplished…
Next on my list is getting the car registered and inspected… The last time I brought it in for an oil change, my mechanic hinted that there wasn't going to be anything needed to be done for inspection. So he asked me to think about whether I'd like the headlights re-ground… Did you ever hear of that? He described it as a kit, comprised of finer and finer sandpapers, and some kind of rubbing compound that makes the lenses look like new… It's not a safety issue, yet, but more light is always better, right? 
Again, sincerely, Thank You my Friends…


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Happy belated birthday wishes. The numbers came out very well and much classier than those stick on thingys. I especially like the knock down spice rack. You are a clever and talented fellow!


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Mike only if the lens is made of plastic and have lot of scratches 
othervice I think its just to make pay for nothing you don´t need 
what is inporting is the brakes , stering and other things that 
goes into the active safty to prevent an accident to happen 
ofcourse the light is importen too to see and be seen 
one thing I always do on my cars is to give them a rust treadment becourse 
of our harch wether condition here and the major use of salt in the winther 
the sanding of the glas you can do one day if you get tired of woodworking …. LOL

Dennis


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Thanks Andy!
And Thank You too Dennis…
The lenses are made of plastic, but are more cloudy than scratched…
I thought of that too, doing it myself… After all, I have two palm sanders, right and left hand models, portable, cordless, variable speed…


----------



## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Mike - Keith wants to do that on my Mustang. One of the front headlights is cloudy and it really bugs him (to tell you the truth, I don't even notice it much!) Let me know if you get it done how it works out, or if you do it yourself, let me know how you did it. It is just cloudy as you said yours is, not scratched. I suppose since I am putting the car away for the winter I won't get it done until next spring, but I would like to know how it works for you.

Take care, Sheila


----------



## EMVarona (Aug 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Happy Birthday, Mike!

The spice rack looks good. The numbers ended up beautifully. I made a rack similar to what you have where I put my bottles of screws, nails, washers, etc. It is neat and space saving. I also made our house number with the scroll saw, intarsia style, with rounded edges.

I could not help but admire people like you who appreciate the simple things in life. I learned from early school that lighthouses can be regarded with very special significance in our lives. Whenever I see one it seems to talk to me and my mind travels. It's akin to guidance … a guide post and a guiding light that shows the way. It's more than just technical. It's both aesthetic and spiritual. I feel like it lights the depths of my mind where great ideas come from.

I noticed that you use the handsaw to resaw your board. I do the same thing too. I don't have a bandsaw.

Happy Birthday again. May you have the best.


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Nice job on the numbers Mike!

Plus everything else!

And we hope you had a *NICE HAPPY BIRTHDAY!*

A great picture of the lighthouse!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Glad you had a nice birthday Mike. The nos. came out great and the spice rack looks good too. I think the birdhouse has a very charming shape and looks really really solid built.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Sheila: I haven't yet heard what the Mechanic wants to charge to do it…
I'm going to see what the inspection is going to set me back first, and if there's still $$$ in the budget, (and if it's fairly reasonable) I think we'll go ahead and have it done…
If it gets done, I'll be sure to take some before and after's for Ya! 
Ed: Thank you very much Ed… It is a comfort to know, that there are a few others who get what this "life thing" is all about…
Mr. & Mrs. C: Speaking of which!!  How's my favorite Young Couple doing?! Thanks so much for your kind words my Friends!!
Mike: I made a few of those before I worked out the "bugs" in that idea, and that one was "the one" that I had in mind… I gave it to my Mom in 2000 as a working birdhouse, but she didn't want for me to hang it outside. It sat in my Parent's living room until recently… Debbie and I have it now…


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Details...*
> 
> I got an early start yesterday on a couple of things that needed doing…
> Where we live is a largish Apartment building. The mail gets delivered to the front (of course), and that's where the street numbers are…
> ...


Happy birthday!
What wonderful projects I especially love the numbers that look so 'born there' on the house, no wonder they bring smiles.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Quick Kitchen Shelf...*

The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"... 

I couldn't agree more!!
Having a small shelf over the kitchen sink is a great idea, but a store-bought one?! This one was left to us by the previous tenants and it's no wonder that it is sagging in the middle, it's not even one board across the whole span…[IMG alt=""Fine" joinery of the store-bought shelf..."]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/7978873415_8fd1089ea6_z.jpg[/IMG]

Okay, it has got to go…
I searched around and found some Oak that's barely long enough, but it's all I have, so it'll have to do… I also found some Douglas Fir that will make decent legs…

Ordinarily, I would use through-mortise and tenon for the joinery, but the Oak isn't long enough for that…
Box joints would work, but I'd like the thing to be able to be taken apart for cleaning…
Dovetails?? They would be perfect, but I'm no good at cutting them…
Well, that settles it, Dovetails it is! I'll never get any better at them if I never make any…
The only time I ever tried them was on a very small box (they were terrible!); this time I'll be using more substantial lumber… I hoped it would be easier…
And it was…
First I cut the pins…

Then came the tails… these were cut with the Scroll Saw…

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, I present my first dovetail-connected lumber!! 

Lots of room for improvement, but a lot better than my first efforts!
Next, was to trim the top to width and to cut the sides down to size…

I'm going to use that off-cut for a cross brace… First I cut slip-fit slots for it in both sides…

Then I chiseled out a small saddle and cut a saddle notch in the cross member… It'll slip up and over, and be held down by a couple of wedges…[IMG alt="For lack of a better term, a "saddle" joint..."]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7978873222_852366dd00_z.jpg[/IMG]

A few final details, and this thing is ready for some finishing… 
12 September 2012


----------



## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


What a grate improvement! It really makes a difference doing things right. This is a great way to get your feet wet on a couple of newer techniques without getting overwhelmed. It looks really nice, Mike!

Sheila


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


You did yourself proud Mike! It's nice to have a touch of class in the kitchen. Good work on your first dovetails by the way.


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


I think I will dub you, Mike the Maverick. I give you lots of credit for trying the dovetails. I would have to be dubbed, Chicken Little as I have yet to try them. Great job on the shelf I like how you create as you go.


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Nothing like improving on the original! Love the style of the legs and I bet you use that cross brace for hanging something!
Ellen


----------



## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Way to go Mike. Not just functional but gorgeous ! Nice work and it will be around a long time to come with the care you used and the joinery ! Nice !


----------



## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Looks nice Mike, and I think your dove tails look good and tight. Pretty great accomplishment when you don't have the 200 dollar chisel set, or the $150 japanese pull saw, or the $100 scribe tools. The curves on the legs are a nice touch. I also like the slip notch and wedge design, I have never seen that before. It looks like you were really thinking out of the box on this one. 

Bob


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


you can mark one of the honey to do list now …. 

thanks for sharing the sadle joint never heard of it before

but one thing wonders me though I know we can have tunnelvision 
when using tools and have learn one way of doing things 
why the super exstra work (time) of boring the holes for the scrollsaw blade 
when having a free edge to start the cut from …. 

I cuoldn´t resist to punch you sorry … :-D

take care
Dennis


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Nice work Mike. Looks like I should last a long time!


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Much better, well done, Mike


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


a really great improvement there mike, i like seeing the dovetails, that way everywhere you look , you see quality, maybe a new business…mikes quality kitchens…i can see it…...grizz


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## moonls (Mar 23, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


What a nice job in turning some scraps of wood into a sturdy and useful shelf mike. You sure are a handyman!


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Nice improvement. Like to make one out of wood that is waterproof. Cutting dovetail with a chisel on pine is impossible but you made it using handtools coping and hand saw. I made it before by rough cut using backsaw then rasp file to finalize it. Thanks for the idea.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Now that's a shelf Debbie and you can be proud to use!!
Nice job, Mike!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Thanks to you all very much…
I'll never give the two-minute dovetail guy any competition, that's for sure!
I tried using a chisel to bust out the waste, but it was too noisy…
There is really nothing mystical or magical about them, nothing that a clear mind and determination can't overcome…
The "Saddle" joint with wedge… I'm sure something like that has been used or done before, but I just made it up for my purpose here… I made up the name too, simply to describe its function…
I'm going to make some better wedges for it, but even with the ones in there now, the shelf is impressively strong and rigid. And yes, I did sit on it! It's a little low for my comfort, but would make a great bench for a couple of kids!
Dennis: I use "Flat" pinned blades exclusively and have to hit sharp corners from two different directions… The holes are to give me a place to pull U-ies…


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


OK Mike make sence …. Not like using a jigsaw in sharp corners 

Dennis


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Quick Kitchen Shelf...*
> 
> The order came down last week, "Honey, could you make something for over the sink? This thing is no good!"...
> 
> ...


Absolutely mo better than the original.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Hanging it up...*

It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand… 
But no one wears the same coat every day, and we end up with half the wardrobe cluttering up the Kitchen!
There was a need here for a simple place to hang our Winter "Stuff"... Yesterday, I got a chance to fill that need…
The project idea was as straightforward as can be, Pegs in a Board… But rather than buy pegs, I just wanted to use doweling and cut my own…
In order for straight pegs to work they'll need to be tilted upwards a little… Though this could be done by hand, a quick "Tilted" fixture for the Drill Press was made, in the interest of uniformity…

The two track pieces would probably be enough, but I made a wedge shaped support piece for under where the hole will be drilled… just in case that 1/2" drill wants to split the workpiece…
I took a scrap piece from the workpiece itself to do some boring tests, and to set the depth stop so it doesn't go all the way through…
Because of the length of the board I'm using, I next had to move the Drill Press to the floor. That will allow me the space on either side to feed the board through…

After the holes were drilled, I cut ten lengths of 1/2" dowel and chucked them up one by one in the drill press…
It's an easy matter to take a rasp or file and round-over and smooth one end of the peg this way…

And a new place to hang coats begins to take shape…

I had to de-ice the car after a night of snow and freezing rain first, but I then took it to our local hardware to get some small screws to hold the pegs on from the backside…

Off to the "Finishing Department" where it has already received two coats of Wipe-on Poly and awaits a third…

All that's left is to hang it on our hallway wall, but that could be a project in itself… These old buildings, with their plaster walls, always make it an adventure trying to find the studs!! 
30 January 2013


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Brrr… you need a lot of layers up there Mike!!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Congratulations Mike, now you have a hangup that doesn't require psychological help. Good work as always.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Very nice write-up, with great pictures. Love it, love the project!


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


innovation
transformation
a good indication
for celebration

8 for debbie
2 for you

and places to sit in the kitchen

who could ask for more


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Ellen: Layers are what it's all about! I didn't even mention the sweaters, sweatshirts, heavy shirts… The "Warm Wear" tends to really pile up!
Stefang: Thanks Mike, that is a good way to look at it!
Smitty: Glad You liked it Sir!!
Patron: I'm as guilty as Debbie is, if not worse, at the "draping over the chair" thing!
If I can't figure out a way to hang it up, I'm going to add some more pegs and a long handle…
I'll have the biggest Rake in Concord…


----------



## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Well as wide as it looks like the pegs are spaced, it appears you have room to double the pegs if necessary 

Nice functional coat-rack. I "ASSUME" you have an empty wall long enough to hang it on?


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Mike I like your ingenuity 
Biggest rake or a communal back scratch-er 
Great practical project and it gives you shop time
with brownie points

jamie


----------



## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Necessity mothers invention ! I see a perfect solution ! Good work Mike , I just wish I could share a bit of our unseasonal sunshine excess with you ! Bundle up and keep warm & Happy , don.s


----------



## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Thanks for sharing this with us and blogging it. It really came out great! 

Sheila


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Cool project Mike. My youngest likes to wear hats. I told him he needed a place to hang them. He looked at me very confused when I came home with a board and a long stick of dowel. I love these little projects. Useful, inventive, and work much better than a trip to the department store.


----------



## moonls (Mar 23, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Great project Mike. I'm sure it will help you get through the long and cold winter up there!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Handily Done, Mike!

I really like the solution to making the angled holes. I've added that to my library of tips- Thanks!!


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


that was very cool. nice work Mike.

I wonder if the screws on the back were even necessary if the pegs were glued in (or where they…)?

lived in one of those houses, and to this day I'm pretty sure some of those walls didn't have any studs at all


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Nice rack Mike (I don't nornmally say that to guys). I built 2 of these: one for all my hats and one in the kitchen entry for all our coats,vests,etc. I studied on the angled hole thing and came up with the exact same jig you did! Great minds think alike. I rounded my pegs on the router table though.


----------



## Boxguy (Mar 11, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Hanging it up...*
> 
> It's Winter here and the White Season brings with it the need for heavy jackets…
> We have closets for them, but they're upstairs… Most of the time, the coats end up hanging on the Chair-backs in our kitchen, where they are ready-to-hand…
> ...


Mike, I would rather have a row a pegs than a closet. I guess I am channeling my inner Shaker. Nice project.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Fixing a Hole...*

It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
Covered over by taped plastic, there is a big hole in the ceiling… It's an access hole, to the plumbing for our bathroom, in the room right above it… Today I tore down the plastic, to see what it looks like…

It is about what I figured… In these old houses, they put in dropped ceilings many years ago… Somebody must have gotten wise to the fact that it's cheaper to heat 8' rooms than it is to heat 11'! There is even an old dilapidated tin ceiling up there!
What I want to do, is put a trapdoor in… Since there's really nothing to nail or screw to, and the drywall that covers over the 2 X 4 "joists" that are up there off-sets everything, I started by building a box-frame to re-square the opening…
I began by sawing a 2 X 8 in half and screwing together a frame…

I then hammered that up and into place and screwed it to the "Joists"... Now, the opening is level with the ceiling…

Next, I got some old trim board from the landlord, cleaned it up some, and started cutting trim for the opening…

Of course I did all this between errands, and reaching this point was when I found out that there wasn't enough…
But I went ahead and put them up anyway…

The Landlord was gone (couldn't hit him up for any more scrap), so I rummaged around and found a piece that was long enough but a different thickness… With a couple shims under I made it work…

This much will all be painted (and I could just drop in a piece of plywood now and call it done), but I want to make a simple drop-in door for it out of some Poplar… But that's another day's work…


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


A "Mr. Fix It's" work is never done is it Mike? Nice job on this "renovation".


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Good start, Mike.Ii knew you would take that as an opportunity for wood working! You're a true Lumberjock!!!

Covering that up will keep the heat in this winter, too

Cheers, Jim


----------



## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


It's raining here right now, so naturally I now have The Beatles' "Fixing a Hole" running through my head.


----------



## Karson (May 9, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


You should have pulled down the old tin and made some money on the deal.


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


As long as your happy with the results, it's a fun project. (usually) Good work.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Lenny: it's a never-ending progression of small projects my Friend…
Jim J.: That was on my mind too, the heat savings… I hope it helps! 
JJohnston: When I went to title this, that song leapt into my mind! Sergeant Pepper was the first LP I ever owned…
Karson: I thought of that, but getting it down would be tough! These dropped ceilings were only made strong enough to hold up drywall, and a light or two… It's definitely not a crawl space…
I'd have to take this ceiling down to get to that one!
Dave: I'll be a lot happier with this, when it's done, than the way it was!


----------



## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Mike, 
That shows that you will have to make a wooden hinges where your expertise comes! Just joking but it will be nice. You said one day for the door, then it will bereally nice.
Have nice weekend.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Bert: No hinges this time…  
I'd like to throw together the door tomorrow morning, but we've got plans to go the shore and see if the Ocean is still there… I probably won't have enough time…
Sunday definitely!!
I hope that you have a Good Weekend as well!


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


and all this time 
you thought this was over your head

but i see you have risen to the task

looks much better

if it was me 
i would probably throw my laundry up there
in the winter to add insulation
then wash it in the spring and summer
when it gets warmer

enjoy the beach


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Great fix, Mike!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Patron: I'd love to throw some insulation up there David, but the funds aren't there right now… I'd like to put it in the attic and in the basement too…
I need more clothes… 
Thanks Lewis!


----------



## Karson (May 9, 2006)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


My son-in-law has a metal tile mounter in a picture frame.It looks great.


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Good job Mike. I have always wondered how people without tools survive!!?? ;-))


----------



## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Right now, your landlord is thinking, "Hmm, Mike is pretty handy and I have a lot around here to fix ….."


----------



## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


I too had the words to the old Beatle song pop up " fixing a hole in the Ocean…trying to make a dovetail joint " Nice repair job…life sometimes feels like fixing a hole in the Ocean… take care of yourself Mike !


----------



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Just for you, Mike


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


This could be called a lid for a big box…
Smiles my friend,
Mads


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


It reminded me of and old Eric Clapton song 'Stairway to Heaven' minus the stairway of course. Looks good Mike. Like all home DIY projects, one is always working either on the floor or the ceiling. It's the choice between a bad back or a bad neck.


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


There ya go. And, @ Martyn-thnx fer that link of thee best band, ever, The Beatles.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Thanks Everybody, we just got back from the Beach a little while ago, the Atlantic Ocean is exactly where it was the last time we were there… 
It took forever to get there though!
Usually (from Concord) it's about an hour and ten minutes to our favorite place…

Today, it took almost three hours, the traffic was so heavy… Everybody we talked to, said that they had never seen anything like it… Me either!!
We didn't actually leave until late morning, and since I got up early, I got the door for this little fix-up made before we left… If I get a chance, I'll blog that later on…

I thought we might have some Beatles' Fans here! 
How Good were they anyway, for those of us lucky enough to grow up in those times?
And although they had a good beat, you couldn't even dance to their Music… 
I suspect, that people will still be enjoying them for some time to come…


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


Glad you made it to the beach Mike. Why all the traffic? Everyone decide to go at the same time? ;-))


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole...*
> 
> It's been well over a year since Debbie and I moved into our "New" Apartment.
> There has been something unsightly in our kitchen bugging me all that time…
> ...


I don't know Bob, everybody was asking that very question!!
I figured we'd see some traffic, because Saturday is the change-over day for all of the weekly rentals, and of course there is always the day-trippers like us, on a Beautiful Summer Saturday…
But we didn't see a lot of cars loaded with stuff for the week, and it was actually busy in both directions… And it was busy all day!
Maybe because Gasoline dropped $0.20 to $0.25 late this week??


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*

I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
While I don't have any Beadboard on hand (nor the router cutters to replicate it) I still wanted to at least try to reproduce the look…
I began by cutting up a length of Poplar into strips…

After they were run through the planer, to get them all uniform, I cut them to length and used the jointer to chamfer the edges of what will be the exposed side…

Then, a straightedge was squared to the backstop on the bench and assembly began…

Using spacer blocks, holes were marked, pre-drilled, and counter sunk for screws to attach the cross braces… Since the Scroll Saw was used to cut these to length, I saw no reason not to round them a little while I was at it… The radius was marked by the nearest thing to hand…

I find it easiest to just mark the diagonal in place… It doesn't have to be that precise, because a little swing in it will get it perfect… 

The diagonal was screwed on in the same fashion as the cross braces, and I got to take a look… 

I'm liking it, but it was still about an 1/8" too wide to fit in the opening… Happily, this door is so small, that it could be passed over the jointer a couple of times to trim it down to size…

And there you have it, all ready for paint and Polyurethane…

*But Wait!! Not so Fast!!*

As happens so often, one thing leads to another… The ladder I've been using for this little project is going to be needed for the painting as well, but the fold-out shelf is in really bad shape! 

That won't do!
Fortunately, I had some left-over strips of Poplar from the door-making… and I just got some practice attaching them… 
28 July 2013


----------



## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


I just went back and read the first part of this. What a nice job you did here, Mike! I love your blogs because they really hit home with so many people. Another great job on this. You keep it simple and functional, but it still looks really nice when you are done. Awesome! 

Sheila


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Great solution for the bead board, Mike. It looks super!!

And you are so right, one job always leads to at least one more!


----------



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Well done, Mike. Very professional.

ps I didn't use the 'B' word either, this time


----------



## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Nice work on the never ending home repair circuit Mike a upgrade in appearance show in your skill level.


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Very nice work on that door. It has class with the slats like that!!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Thanks Folks!
I was down putting on the first coat of paint…

For the door itself, I considered a stain but decided against it… Instead, it's just going to get a few coats of poly… Nice and easy!

I'll never be confused with a finish carpenter, but it looks a good deal better than it did (a sheet of plastic held up by tape)
Thanks again my Friends…


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Great result Mike on the door and the ladder. Ya gotta love that DIY work!


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


you are becoming a real colonial woodworker
prety soon you will be felling your own trees
and making lumber with a timber saw by hand

just a safety thought for those chamfered corners

if you left the fence square
and had a drop on piece of fence
that was at the 45* angle
(wide at the top and thinner at the bottom
it needn't come to a sharp point there
just the angle is important)
you could do your chamfers to an inside corner
instead of having the boards want to slide down the fence
and across the table
or make a square corner out of two pieces of long enough scrap wood
and tilt the fence as you have been doing
and clamp the new fence to the tilted metal one
giving you an inside corner to hold the boards secure and safe

glad you found the ocean
maybe everyone was hitting the road
to get that last drive in
before motor home mating season comes to an end


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Looks like original equipment to me! Good job.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


That sounds like a much safer way to do it David
I was leery of trimming those thin strips like that
and very careful when I did them
(They were slip-sliding a little…)
Your way makes more sense!
Thanks for yet another tip!


----------



## Bogeyguy (Sep 26, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Mike, good job, but don't forget to finish spackling/taping the ceiling around your new door.


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Yes Mike, looks a lot better. Real classy. Of course if it was duct tape they used before, remember that's the universal fix.


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


wow.. busy busy there ! nice work (as usual)


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Fixing a Hole - Part #2...*
> 
> I had enough time yesterday morning, before we went out, to make a simple door for this fix…
> Growing up in my Parent's house, they had a similar situation to this for the Attic access. What the builders of their house had done, was used left-over Beadboard from the wainscot work on the first floor, to make a quick Z-braced door that just slipped into the opening…
> ...


Looks good to me. Nice fix


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Woodworking in December...*

It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
Luckily, those of us who work with wood can improvise…
This year, the Tree will go next to our Front Window, so others can enjoy it as much as we do…
I placed the Tree stand in the desired spot and measured to the ceiling… The Sky is not the limit!









After measuring, an elaborate plan was drawn and implemented… Very important, to allow for the Tree Topper!









A single, regulation Tree was required… One was procured, and brought down to the Basement Shop… It's too Cold to work outside today!









I had to buy one of their smallest, a full five footer, but it should work very well…
The Tree-top Star is added now, temporarily, so a proper height can be determined…









This must be why they call it "trimming" the Tree…









And after it is cut to length, there is nothing left to do but attach the stand and put it where it belongs… and clean up the mess…
















The Tree will be left alone for a day or so, before the lights and ornaments are added, to allow it to thaw and droop as it wishes… And watering has not been forgotten, they are very thirsty!!

One last thing to do…
Perhaps in the tradition of the old Yule Log, for generations my Family has taken a cutting from the Tree and saved it in an old decanter bottle…
Upon the raising of the New Tree, the Old clipping is burned, and then replaced with New… And the Tradition continues… 








14 December 2013


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Merry Christmas Mike and Debbie!

Mike, love the tradition with the cutting!


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Nice work Mike. We are into the small tree mode too now that the kids are all grown up ;-)) Merry Christmas!!


----------



## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Merry Christmas. Woodworking at its finest!


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


I wish I could get the wife to agree to a small tree. She still wants the full size one. She does like the idea of your tradition old tree new tree clippings, we will be deciding on that tomorrow. You did a great job on yours. Happy holidays.


----------



## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Great job Mike.
Loved the elaborate plan…lol
And your tradition on the clipping is really cool.

I hope you & yours have a very Merry Christmas.


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Merry Christmas, Mike. you made it!!


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Thanks my Friends, and a Very Merry Christmas to all of You!
The smaller Tree is just so much easier to deal with; everything about it, the moving in, the decorating… Even the disposal…
But we still get the wonderful ambiance and Oooh, that fresh piney smell!

The tradition of the burnt offering is an old one in our Family and was brought to America by my Great-Grandmother from France… I watched, wide-eyed, as a child as my Dad would burn the old trimmings… They burn like Mad, lustily and crackling loudly!!
And I also watched, as he would reverently save some from the latest Tree… As though by saving it, he had placed insurance against the future; i.e.,we all would have to be well and here next year, we had a duty to perform!


----------



## Handtooler (Jul 24, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Very Pretty, and well documented! A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and Debbie.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Well done Mike, I hope you used the trimmed off pieces to make a wreath or something. I wonder where the saving, burning idea came from. Kind of nice with some little rituals like this to mark the day.


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


what a great share michael

a prayer for all for this coming year
and beyond ….


----------



## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Mike Thanks for sharing your wonderful family tradition.
May You and yours hae a guid Christmas
Fae us an Oors
Jamie


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Merry Christmas to you and yours. Have a safe holiday season


----------



## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Happy Holidays Mike, I admire your tenacious planning and precisely engineered plan and drawing ! Looks a lot like my own ! Hope Santa finds your chimney big enough for his deposits….. Don S.


----------



## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


very good and efficient, had not heard of the burning of the piece from the previous year, hmmm might have to mention that to my son, he loves to burn things…Merry Christmas mike and debbie…


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Have a great holiday you all! When we plug in the lights on our "tree" the aroma of warm plastic is underwhelming. My wife just got tired of the shedding needle mess and I gave in to keep peace in the house. But I HATE PLASTIC TREES!


----------



## HillbillyShooter (Feb 15, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Nice solution to a large tree. Merry Christmas!


----------



## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


I really like the skill and craftsmanship of the drawing,  Merry Christmas Mike.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Thanks again everybody and I'm glad everyone enjoyed my "Sketch Up"... A detailed drawing is always a good start to a successful project… 

gfadvm: I'm sorry to hear, no real tree for you, but you can still adorn your car, can't you?


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Mike, I've got hundreds of cedars that I can go out in the pasture and smell any time I want!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Woodworking in December...*
> 
> It is that time of year, time to put up the Christmas Tree…
> I've grown fond of smaller trees (the so-called "Table Top" size), but apparently so have many other people, because they're getting increasingly hard to find!
> ...


Merry Christmas.
What a wonderful tradition.
Nothing like the smell of the Christmas tree.
Happy new year,
Mads


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*Have to Get in the Shop!*

It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…









The Temperature in the Basement Shop here hovered around 40° for most of that time, too cold for whatever determination I possess!
But the Calendar pages turn, and Good Old Sol continues to ride higher in the Sky, with inevitable results…









It is finally getting warm enough to begin to venture into the Wood Zone!
But there's always something…
The door that leads to the Cellar stairs had Knobs that kept on coming loose and wouldn't engage the door catch… 
My Honey found herself trapped in the basement, unable to open the door to come up!!
That was the second time that happened and I resolved to make it right… After all, as much as I want to get some Shop Time in, I also want to be able to get back out of the Shop!

Yesterday, I removed the offending Doorknobs and inspected the Door… It is a typical hollow core affair, with nothing of any substance to fasten anything to, so a couple of spacer blocks were cut, set, glued, and clamped into place, above and below the hole in the void inside of the door…









Now with something to attach to, I could have proceeded to the Hardware store and bought some handles… But where would be the Fun in that?!
While the Glue was drying, I went down to the newly warming Shop, and cut a couple of quick Maple "Plates",,,









And then a couple of quick Cherry handles …









To ease the outside edges, I used the old "Pencil on its Side" Trick to mark them and then gave them a quick trim with the Scroll Saw tilted to 45°…























~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Morning, with the Glue dry, it was a pretty simple matter to first "Toe Peg" the plates into place, and then peg on the handles in the same fashion…
















Lastly, I took a minute and cut a small "Cover" for the old lock set holes…









I'm going to do a little more shaping of the handles with a file (and of course some sanding and finish) but they are already in use and a Huge Improvement… 
And I've got a Warm Shop again (that I can get out of too)!! 
7 April 2014


----------



## Bogeyguy (Sep 26, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Why didn't you just purchase an inexpensive latch set? Now you do not have positive latching?????


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Nicely done little project Mike. Good to hear that you will be back in the shop again.


----------



## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


good ole woodworking ingenuity….handles look good…question though, cant you leave the door open so the basement warms up to a useable temp…i know it would raise your heating bill, but several times during the winter might be better then nothing, but i'm sure your on top of all of that…i know im happy i don't live in a cold weather area anymore, my back would not handle it…


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


yankee doodle's up the house again
and mighty dandy too !

looks like the snow is finally melting
way to go michael


----------



## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Mike, it got you shop time cant beat that
I just cut a pair of oak handles but I need to shape them
Your an inspiration 
We have had so much rain this winter, webbed feet all round. 

Jamie


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Welcome back to woodworking Mike. Basement door knobs such as yours fit the category.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Bogeyguy: Art, the door is one that fits the jamb really well, needing a slight push to shut… Once shut, it stays shut, so there was no real need for a positive latch…
I could have just tightened up the old knobs… again… but they would simply loosen up and I'd be back where I started… This way, it's fixed for good and didn't cost a nickel!
Stefang: Thanks Mike… This Winter I went to a meeting of my Woodworking Guild… A fella there asked me if I knew anybody interested in a very slightly used Scroll Saw…








It has spent most of the Winter in the basement too, and I'm looking forward to becoming a little more familiar with it!
Grizzman: Heat rises Bob, along with Heating Bills! I tried running a small Electric Heater down there a couple of times, but it was a losing effort…
Patron: The snow is all but gone, except for the plowed up piles, not a lot of green showing yet though… A few more in-the-fifties days like today will take care of that!
Jamie: It's been a harsh run of Weather in a lot of Places my Friend… Thinking back, our Vacation at the beach last year was Cold and Windy… in early September!
Lenny: It's good to be back in the Shop (even better to be able to get back out!). Our World Champion Sox are off to a Rocky Start, aren't they… :-(


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


As usual, Mike, you have found the perfect solution to the problem. Excellent Idea!!


----------



## Boxguy (Mar 11, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Mike, what fun following your adventures. A router table and a bearing bit is an easy way to round those over too. I have been frozen out of my shop for most of two months. Good to be able to work there with no gloves again.


----------



## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Thanks Lew!
And Thank You too Al! It's funny you should say that about the router and bit, because I just purchased a whole big boxed set this Winter… When the time came to do it, it just seemed easier to go ahead with what I've done before, without the fuss of installing a bit in the table set-up and adjusting it…
A Router would surely be more precise (and would have been able to reach the inside of the handle too!), but this way it's a quick line and off to cutting, both handles marked and cut in two or three minutes… And since I do the final shaping with Files it doesn't have to be perfect (my stuff never is!) 
I'm glad to hear you're going to be able to get back in Your Shop again too!!


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *Have to Get in the Shop!*
> 
> It has been a L-O-N-G and C-O-L-D Winter here in New Hampshire!!
> Perhaps we didn't break single day records, but it has been consistently cold since last October, which dealt a crippling blow to my enthusiasm for Woodworking…
> ...


Nice door handles Mike. The snow definitely looks better when it's melted…


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

*The "Greatest" Picture Frame*

Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…









There are few alive who don't recognize those four young men!

Another that came home with us a little later was a Young Man who I am convinced was a Saint… A Man of Peace and Love…









Unfortunately that message frightened someone for he met a very violent end… Silenced forever, except through his Music…

And then came Marilyn…









Marilyn Monroe was Glamorous, and looked it, but this photograph caught my eye because it is the least Glamorous shot I had ever seen of her… There is also this, her smile in this one does not look like it was for the camera… It looks like, for one brief moment, Marilyn was Happy…

Anyway, I only bring these up because another of those pictures followed us Home last year, but it was frame-less; essentially, a poster glued to cardboard… I resolved to frame it as soon as possible, but you know how it goes… Time passes, with other concerns and cares, and resolutions thin and dilute…

A couple weeks ago the Landlord was fixing a section of fence that had blown down last Winter, and I finally saw my chance… I asked for (and took) a few of the slats from the old fencing…









This morning a quick and simple Rustic Frame was made by first sawing the slats in half…









Then a shallow Rebate was cut with the Router to accept the cardboard-thick poster…









When I'm not dreaming about them, I sometimes use my Miter Saw… 









Nothing fancy here, next I cut some quick triangles to hold the corners together…









Held them all together, drilled the four holes, countersunk them, and put them in place…

















And there you have it, a very quick and simple frame for our latest acquisition…

What's that? Oh, Who's the picture of?
I thought I told you in the Title! It's a picture of the one, the only, Mr. "I AM THE GREATEST" himself, Muhammad Ali… Who else would it be?! 








19 July 2014


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


you know what he is saying don't you…come on get up…i'm like a bumble bee…oh but my sting…...very cool mike, your always make me smile by the way to find solutions to things, very cool work…love that miter saw, ive got a saw that size but i dont have the rest…


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Great pix, Mike!

Nice upgrade on the frames, too!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Great collection of vintage pics! That frame does not look at all like the 'before' pics of the fence!


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## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


A picture frame from some weathered fence pickets! Mike, you have to be the most resourceful woodworker imaginable.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


You've done the old fence proud. Excellent re-use and wonderful, iconic imagery. Well done.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Grizz: If I remember correctly, Ali was telling Liston to "Stay Down! Or I'm gonna Whop you Again!!" 
Lew: I only made this one, the rest came framed already, but Thanks!
gfadvm: It's not quite finished yet Andy (I didn't even pull off the protective plastic around the picture yet)
It needs a little more sanding, plus the cut "New" edges on the outside don't match the weathered surfaces on the facing… My thought is to paint the edges flat black, so they don't stand out as much…
Lenny: It was just what I was looking for, already had the right profile for a Frame! 
Buckethead: After it was made, I was surprised at how rigid and strong the thing is… and lightweight too, which I like!

Thank You all, for your kind words, and for taking the time!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Nice collection Mike. Those boards have better duty fencing in the picture rather than the yard ;-))


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


You did a a great job on the farm Mike and I like your iconic photos too. Those people are more real to me at my age than today's famous people who I don't even recognize.


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


I loved this post, Mike. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Sheila


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Nice photos and nice frames. I particularly like Marilyn's.
..........Jim


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


A super collection Mike.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Great memories Mike, as I listen to Bob while reading
My smile is wide
That a great solution for corners

Jamie


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


I like the way the frames turned out. And the miter saw is great. I have a similar one. Very accurate.


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Thanks again my Friends…


> Those people are more real to me at my age than today s famous people who I don t even recognize.
> 
> - stefang


Mike, it's no wonder… Those people* were* more real than today's self-absorbed Bunch!!


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## Porchfish (Jun 20, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Beatles and Marley…..NICE !


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Mike, I rub a little MinWax 'Gunstock' stain on the recycled barnwood I use and it blends those cut edges with the rest pretty well.


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## robdem (Apr 7, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Mike great collection of pictures and the frame is great also .


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Mike, 
A nice way of remembering things during my grade school.. The movies are in black n white… a bit later - Eastman color then Technicolor… Well.. to compare from present… it is a big news here in the Philippines that 2-day concert of ONE DIRECTION (The new version of WESTLIFE and BEATLES) scheduled next year already sold out. The teenagers of today..
Have a nice day.


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


Micheal those are some cool pics and the frames came out great ,love the Ali one ,those frame gave them a perfect setting


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

littlecope said:


> *The "Greatest" Picture Frame*
> 
> Debbie and I love to rummage around at the backs of Department Stores (where they keep all the kitschy stuff) and search for Prints and Pictures to decorate our walls…
> We're particularly fond of Photos, or artful representations, of the Icons of our generation… For example, we found this one waiting for us at a Target Store in Manchester…
> ...


'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee', I think he belong there with the rest of them.
Nice collection I love the picture of Marilyn, she is natural sexy on that one.
Great life to that old fence, nice to see your way of making frames.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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