For me, I've just finished 64- big projects and now there's a lot of "office work" yet to be done. The temps have exceeded 90F for everyday for a couple of months, now. When younger, I could handle the hot weather; but now - not so well. Here where I am on the map, we have some high humidity and (to me) that makes those hot temps seem even worse. Never can I find much inspiration for woodworking in hot temps - cool or cold is much more to my liking when working with wood is concerned.
I am developing a new product for my Pocket Form Isolator product line and that is being done with an upgraded software program from what I was familiar with prior to this last endeavor. The enhancements to the software are amazing and to top that off, I'll be working with a new mold-maker (we use injection-molded parts for this product line) with some newer strategies - most of which I find appreciation for.
Finally, after a long time of very hot weather; and the obligatory construction economic slowdown that happens during election years - I was able to do a wood-working project on Saturday and it was a "doozey". It was a free-standing, three-sided and cantilevered shelving unit for my reptile room. It sits above the quite large cage that I built for my Asian Water Monitor. My wife calls that cage the "Taj-ma-Lizard", due to its complexity and costs. Whenever one builds reptile cages, there needs to be consideration for some things that ordinary furniture often doesn't need: things like access to controls, access to serviceability, water-tightness, ventilation and air circulation, visibility, etc. This new shelving looks simple, yet governs access to numerous controls and variables.
Interestingly, said Asian Water Monitor had worn-out her welcome at the age of three years. I traded her out to the same guy that got her for me and her value had doubled in those three years - but she never became the tame and calm lizard that I was hoping for. When you have a lizard that grows that fast and eats that much and can do so much damage to someone in a matter of seconds - it quits being fun! Not wanting the "Taj-ma-Lizard" to be a wasted expense, I traded her out for one highly desirable lizard and 5- new snakes. The new lizard is an Argentine (Giant) Tegu and appears to be a female. Currently, she is 42" long and has a weight of about 12 pounds. She is as tame as a puppy and is now very good friends with Jericho (our Belgian Malinois). This type of lizard is thought by many to be the most intelligent of any reptiles and has a potential lifespan of 15-20 years. It is omnivorous, whereas the monitor was strictly carnivorous.
My 14'-3" work desk and overhead two-story cabinets have proven to be exceptionally ideal for my design work and has even given me room to teach some of my employees how to produce 3d drawings in AutoCAD. I placed individual switches for circuits of lighting inside and below the entirety of the two-story cabinets, which has also proven to be perfect. I am yet to build the doors for the fronts of the cabinets, but with all of said cabinets open (and lighted when necessary) it is helping me to remember where all of the stored items are. Similar to the fronts of my built-in snake cages and the Taj-ma-Lizard, the doors will be removable individually. The top tier of cabinets is 34" from front-to-back and I must use a step-stool to access it. There will be 3- 4' wide doors across the front of the top tier. The top tier cantilevers over the lower tier - which is 23" front-to-back (that 11" "step-back" saves my forehead) and will require 6- 2' wide doors, also removable individually. Both levels of doors will be supported via "French Cleats" for ease of removal. Completely removable doors provides (IMO) the best possible access - with no door folded up, down or to the side to possibly get in the way. My snake cages have been this way for almost 10- years, now and I really like it A LOT!
Whenever I'm not actually building things, I am designing things - EVEN IN MY SLEEP!...and as someone who has been a SUCCESSFUL INVENTOR for many years now, let me tell you this: I HAVE PROBABLY FAILED 10-15 TIMES FOR EVERY SUCCESS, BUT I KNOW THAT THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO LEARN THINGS IS TO GIVE THEM A TRY. When I decide to take-on a project, I DO NOT HAVE AN EXPECTATION of initial success, because my projects are, for the most part; original, unique and high-tech. There's no book on "How to build something that's never been made yet"! But when I fail, I simply chalk-it-up to a lesson learned. This is why my KEY EMPLOYEES are so VALUABLE to me. Their lips are sealed and they are extremely smart and creative! By the way, I DO NOT DRINK.
Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia