Thought I'd share some pics of what I've done towards my kitchen remodel. I hope I link the pictures correctly. I don't do this very often.
Here's a linky to the google drive folder with all of the pictures.

Here is the shag bark hickory tree that was on my property - well, it still is on my property, just not as a standing tree now 



My son and I cut the tree down in April



Unbeknownst to me it was the home of a critter who popped his head out like "what the frick, man!" and then came running out across the yard



I trimmed up the log and cut it into two lengths of about 8-9 feet. Then I had a sawyer with a portable mill slice it up into 5/4 boards for me. In retrospect I kinda wish I had him slice it up into 4/4, but at the time I wasn't sure that it would be dry in time for me to use in the kitchen project or what else I might use it for. Plus I was thinking that 5/4 would be a safer thickness to ensure a usable board, not knowing what we would find inside the tree.



I loaded it up on my truck as the boards came off the mill and then hauled it to Wilhelm Lumber where they dried it for me. The process takes 3-6 months depending on various factors. They had it ready in about 3.5 months.



I'm saving this slab for a special project. Right now I'm thinking a giant wall clock for the shop, but we'll see what I come up with down the road.



Here is about 2/3 of the dried hickory laid out on my barn floor.



Here I have a lot of that hickory cut up into rough lengths/widths to become styles and rails for the cabinets and doors.



I had the cabinet plywood delivered. It was only $35 for delivery plus a little to the driver. That cost a lot less than what my truck would have used in gas to pick this up from the other side of Cincinnati from me.



Here is the plywood all stacked and ready to go. Most of the 5x5 leaning against the wall I already had acquired at a deep discount through the Cincinnati Woodworking Club.



Here is a lot of that plywood cut up into parts for the cabinet boxes.



In my previous kitchen remodel I used white oak veneered cabinet grade plywood. Back then it was about $80-90 per sheet at Hyde Park Lumber. Now it's like $200 or more!
I reviewed the options at Paxton Lumber and found that their shop grade maple plywood is just as good as their "cabinet grade". It just doesn't have as pretty of a veneer on it.
Given the base price difference and a quantity discount I spared nearly $1k in using the shop grade for the boxes instead of their cabinet maple - and $4500 spared from not using white oak veneered plywood.
After having worked with it to get it cut up into box parts I'd say it was money well spent and saved. It will do just fine for structure and looks for something no one will ever really see.

That's it for now. ... looks like I need a lesson on how to embed images. I thought I was doing it right, but instead all I see are links. Oh well, the first link takes you to all of the pictures in the google folder.

One of the many items in a $5 tub..
   
Was the head of a Brick layers hammer...was in need of a handle.

Trip to Menard's to buy a new handle...then a spokeshave to shape the end of the handle to match the "eye" a bit better..and trim a bit with a chisel...Both to open up the sawn slot for the wooden wedge, and to trim that wedge to size..
   
I also trimmed the handle and wedge to size, then drove the 2 steel wedges in...
So...
   
I tend to wrap the area on a handle where my hand would be...seems to improve my grip on things..
   
Weight seems to be around 20oz or so...

My old elbows and repaired shoulders seem to like wood handled hammers...I can now store this in that 5gal. Bucket with the rest of my Masonry tools...

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/zip/d/p...61552.html





Free to a good home, Safety Speed Cut panel router frame, meaning that the PC router motor and shop vac are not included.

The custom wheeled cart is included. I'm retiring and moving out of state, and cannot bring the machine with me.

The machine is in good working order and would be an excellent addition to your shop.

I'm in town today and tomorrow , can load with forklift.

Call Matt at 7oh7-5two9-3two40

Nothing fancy...
   
What you see, is what I got...

On the Kitchen Counter top...right next to the Kitchen Sink...
I start with 2 clean rags..one to keep the counter clean...the other to keep the irons clean...
Seems a few planes were in need of a decent sharpening...so..
First up...
   
A 280 grit water stone..working on both the bevel and the back...twice..clean off after each...helps to keep a water bottle handy, too..
   
Rub the stone with the flattening stone..couple of spritz and away you go...
   
Next up?
   
1000 grit...was showing a lot of striations from the edge of the bevel...left behind by the 280?   work both bevel & back,,,clean things off..
Next..
   
1500 grit stone...again working both faces, twice...Last pass was on the back..
   

And then, finally...
   
Finish up with the 6000 grit....

I also made sure that the chipbreaker sit gap free...and is set back about 1mm once the two items are bolted back together...
Install back into the Stanley No. 6c, Type 17..and take it for a test drive on some Soft Maple..
Bring the plane and the shaving back upstairs ( where the tripod mounted camera was)
   
Calipers said the shaving was around 0.002" thick?
   
Should be good enough for a Small Jointer Plane...

YMMV, of course...but this is what I use...
Have had to use a grinder on a few irons...mainly a 3 minute trip to flatten the back...I use a free-hand approach, no guides needed..just a pair of old hands.

Just another Sharpening Thread?  We'll see...

So,

When we built the house, I bought one of these and had it installed as part of a water distro system to the sink and refrigerator,:

   

LOML and I were headed out on Friday to our daughter's house in Raleigh, when my wife commented on the wet floor in the garage.

As it turns out, it was the filter, so I just shut off the inlet valve and we departed.

Looking at it last night after we got back, it looked like the push in tube fitting was leaking, so I went and bought new brass compression fittings to replace the plastic push ins.

Trouble is, it wasn't the fitting.

Taking the thing off the wall, the tops of all three housings are split where the fittings are threaded. 


So, I go looking over at the 'zon, and virtually everyone one of these 3 filter systems has a goodly number of people complaining about leakage due to split housings.

So, I'm throwing this out there for ideas on alternatives that I won't be replacing every 2 years.

Thanks in advance

Making a custom Boeing B-17 serving tray for a good pilot friend. The Red Oak tray features a B-17 with the inscription "hell from heaven" and "398th Bomb Group- Heavy, 601st Squadron" which is where my friends grandfather served as a lead navigator. After everything was cut out on the FoxAlien 4040 XE-PRO, it was filled with Alumilite clear cast resin. The tray was sanded to 1000 grit and 3 coats of Waterlox Gloss was applied before wet sanding and a final coat.

    [attachment=55357]Just trying to figure out what this tool is, and what it does. Anybody know?

Stanley planes of any type including totes and knobs and will see what you have and what I can afford.  

Thanks Guys

Cherry Blossom

Hello once again everyone here is a fun little piece I made from Cherry. first turned hollow then pierced and 3-D carved & pyrography. The coloring is Alchemy Metallique Wax and Acrylic paint the final finish is Polycrylic spray. The piece final size is 6" x 7".

Attached Files

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Hello Friends,
I hope you are all fairing well.
I have an Oaks Lock on the door for our Air BnB and have ordered 2 different gateways for it and neither work. I’ve ordered yet another gateway, because 2 people said that it hooks up easily with their Oaks…so we’ll see.
I’m wondering if someone might share with me what smart door lock for home they use remotely? We travel quite a bit and it would be helpful to set a new code for the door while I am out of town. Currently I need to be within 6 feet of the lock to set a new code.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,