*Shock* ...Your Wifey is allowed in your shop?! 
Slick job on the frame; nicely done, sir!
Slick job on the frame; nicely done, sir!
Around the Workshop in Eight Days
I want to see the world came the demand from the direction of the kitchen.
Ah at last, the parting of the ways, I knew it couldn’t last. 46 years is a good inning, I mused as my deranged mind started to conjure life as a late bachelor. Get up when I want, go to bed after 9pm. Spend some of my money on important things like tools. As my mind sailed in regions I could not up to this point even consider, it started to get dark, and as I raised my head to find my good wife standing in front of me. You still here I asked, don’t forget your passport, I offered. Need a lift to the airport, I hopefully enquired.
What on earth are you talking about she asked with a little annoyance hinting around the edge of the question. I’m not sure I answered but hoped. You remember the large map I purchased in Houston last year. Yes, I said, the look in my eyes indicating I hadn’t a clue. I want you to frame it. Now I countered, thinking I had a choice.
So here I am again. Standing in the only domain I have any control over, with thoughts of a single life dispersing like sawdust disappearing into my dust collector.
Now as you guys know I’m a plumber by trade and the thought of a flawless mitre joint sent shivers down my spine especially times four. Now as the map was olde worldly, I thought an equally worldly frame might do, so I thought a half lap joint in each corner might be the way to go. My radial saw is quite good at trenching, so set up a number of practices and got there in the end. Did the usual glass recess with three passes, then finished off all outside edges with a 45 degree turn over.
The dowels are walnut and play no part in the integrity of the joints, they are there for aesthetics only. They were a real problem sourcing them. Eventually found a shop on E Bay who sell any length or diameter. These were 6mm and 10mm at £2.50 each next day delivery, and they come cling filmed to a length of wood. Very impressed. It’s £5 delivery, but you can order as much as you want. The only thing I had to do was very carefully grind down a fostner bit to match the diameter of the dowel.
I also decided to splash out on a frame tacker and £30 well spent I thought. Absolutely brilliant piece of kit.
The finish was chosen by my I’m not leaving wife, who decided on Antique pine. Ended up at three coats. First 60 grit, second 150 and last coat 000 steel wool, then wax polish.
The one thing I did find out was how the accuracy of my machines had drifted over the last year. Came as a shock, as I had to spend a whole day realigning every power machine I had. Nearest half inch wasn’t going to do for this project.
As we travel to Houston every year to visit our son and family, I have yet to find a Greggs and trying to explain to our American cousins the value of a Pasty Bake has been problematic, worse still trying to explain the virtues of a Forfar Bridie leaves me exasperated. So just for the Across the pond Fraternity, that’s my good wife just finishing off her latest batch of sausage rolls.
Colin
Scotland
Ah at last, the parting of the ways, I knew it couldn’t last. 46 years is a good inning, I mused as my deranged mind started to conjure life as a late bachelor. Get up when I want, go to bed after 9pm. Spend some of my money on important things like tools. As my mind sailed in regions I could not up to this point even consider, it started to get dark, and as I raised my head to find my good wife standing in front of me. You still here I asked, don’t forget your passport, I offered. Need a lift to the airport, I hopefully enquired.
What on earth are you talking about she asked with a little annoyance hinting around the edge of the question. I’m not sure I answered but hoped. You remember the large map I purchased in Houston last year. Yes, I said, the look in my eyes indicating I hadn’t a clue. I want you to frame it. Now I countered, thinking I had a choice.
So here I am again. Standing in the only domain I have any control over, with thoughts of a single life dispersing like sawdust disappearing into my dust collector.
Now as you guys know I’m a plumber by trade and the thought of a flawless mitre joint sent shivers down my spine especially times four. Now as the map was olde worldly, I thought an equally worldly frame might do, so I thought a half lap joint in each corner might be the way to go. My radial saw is quite good at trenching, so set up a number of practices and got there in the end. Did the usual glass recess with three passes, then finished off all outside edges with a 45 degree turn over.
The dowels are walnut and play no part in the integrity of the joints, they are there for aesthetics only. They were a real problem sourcing them. Eventually found a shop on E Bay who sell any length or diameter. These were 6mm and 10mm at £2.50 each next day delivery, and they come cling filmed to a length of wood. Very impressed. It’s £5 delivery, but you can order as much as you want. The only thing I had to do was very carefully grind down a fostner bit to match the diameter of the dowel.
I also decided to splash out on a frame tacker and £30 well spent I thought. Absolutely brilliant piece of kit.
The finish was chosen by my I’m not leaving wife, who decided on Antique pine. Ended up at three coats. First 60 grit, second 150 and last coat 000 steel wool, then wax polish.
The one thing I did find out was how the accuracy of my machines had drifted over the last year. Came as a shock, as I had to spend a whole day realigning every power machine I had. Nearest half inch wasn’t going to do for this project.
As we travel to Houston every year to visit our son and family, I have yet to find a Greggs and trying to explain to our American cousins the value of a Pasty Bake has been problematic, worse still trying to explain the virtues of a Forfar Bridie leaves me exasperated. So just for the Across the pond Fraternity, that’s my good wife just finishing off her latest batch of sausage rolls.
Colin
Scotland
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1 - 19 of 19 Posts
Many Thanks
Hi
There has been very pleasant reaction to my post and some very appreciative comments for which I am grateful
A number of questions have been asked, namely does your Ninja wife read my posts. I brought in NASA to triple encrypt my password, only to be revealed after my demise, which if I keep writing about her may be sooner than later.
She is very aware of my writing and allows me a fair amount of artistic licence in my posts. The fact she still tolerates me after 46 years at the proverbial coal face must demonstrate all is well, I think.
Thanks Again
Colin
Hi
There has been very pleasant reaction to my post and some very appreciative comments for which I am grateful
A number of questions have been asked, namely does your Ninja wife read my posts. I brought in NASA to triple encrypt my password, only to be revealed after my demise, which if I keep writing about her may be sooner than later.
She is very aware of my writing and allows me a fair amount of artistic licence in my posts. The fact she still tolerates me after 46 years at the proverbial coal face must demonstrate all is well, I think.
Thanks Again
Colin
Attachments
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
