Thursday, February 24, 2022

Long overdue clean up in progress

Something I long needed to do but I have been putting it off for many reasons.

But mostly due to the lack of available time, but when I do have some time, it is just not something I fell like doing...

So finally figured out that in order for me to accomplished everything I would like to do, something has to give and I need time for myself.

So I will scale back my numerous commitments I have everywhere and drop some altogether.  

Sorry, but I need time for myself.  I will therefore finish my current executives duty with clubs and board of directors and then "retire" for a while.

These current times in my country, going crazy over their perceived lack of freedom,  rumours of war heating up and a few friends dying of cancer are all taking its toll on me. Overflow bit has been set and need a reset.

When the going get tough the tough get going by occupying himself with meaningless repetitive tasks like ... cleaning.

NO boss, no pressures, no deadlines, I can get used to it :-)

A friend immediately pointed out to me; No Boss?  Been married how long?? :-)  Touche, well I meant to say that probably has something to do with my own projects being sidelined at times, but yeah, I wear the pants around here... when she let me :-)

All that to say this exercise in progress is therapeutic.  I also recognized that this is the time of the year when I start to have medical issues for some reasons as in the past years.  We are leading up to me reliving Heather's last months (she passed away May 6th 2016).  This year, I have a friend currently fighting the same cancer at about the same "stage" :-(  

But this year I think I should weather it better, I am aware and in better control of my trigger's.  Well, its a theory, will see how that turns out.  I have no control over the outcome.

So better keep occupied, it helps oneself greatly to keep your sanity.

And I know just the place to keep myself occupied for a while :-)

This is where I am with my continuing shop re organization.   Along the way, I am trying a few things and making numerous changes.  

Among the changes I am making are the removal of the built in bench along the inside wall.

With the floor space gained, I want to built and set up a shaving horse and a small Morovian bench.

More changes to my current boring till, more plane tills, better organized sharpening corner, Miter boxes saw station (as in MF or Stanley or Nobex) 

More holders for my French cleats wall, lumber storage, axes and other green woodworking tools storage/display and on and on.

So better start now, I turned 65 already, time is slipping by ...

Unpacking that wall took the longest and the most room around.
Do I need that much wood on hands in my small hand tool shop?

Problem being, it is nice to have your wood acclimatized inside your shop before working on it, but unless I can visualize what I have on hands, I will just keep fetching more then wonder: Why I am getting cluttered??

Installed French cleats on my wall below window.
Made various holders, No logic to the current layout of tool holders,
 just trying them on for size. 

Also installed a few cleats above my hobby/repair bench
located in the next room by my woodshop.
Again, holders need to be redistributed around the various shops.

How many shops? 
Lets see..
1- The hand tool shop downstairs
2- The power tool shop in garage
3- The hobby/repair bench downstairs
4- The sewing and craft room upstairs
Yes, That should keep me occupy long enough...

This is my hammers holder, tried a few different tools.
It will easily hold a brace or a hand drill 

Along the way made a few holders as I grouped tools.
These are my 1/2 inch shank bits for Post drill and Beam Boring Machine.
Found two more since taking that pic :-)

Getting ready to take it apart.
But first, sort the wood pieces, put more tools away
 and disconnect power to outlets and relocate

I was hoping for longer 2X4 lumber on the top, 
but it is made up of shorter pieces

Gone.
Took a while to sort out the lumber.

While I was looking over all the pieces of wood I was hoarding I discarded a "few" to make room.
That mean, while the weather keep changing from Winter to Spring on days notice, gotta burn while you can.

Still ice covered but who care?

Military training :-)

It was very relaxing to burn some pieces of wood I had been hoarding for whatever reasons that length of time.
Now with the remainders.  3 plastic containers and a cardboard box of wood later I figured out, that should be enough wood.
Oh, and came across another plastic chest full of carving blanks, mostly basswood.  Then I found a storage solution for my wood without loosing my new found floor space.
Using the wall cavities for storage. 

Ok, some overflow, but still a purging work in progress :-)
Why the yellow X bungies cord ?  I ran out of the shorter reds :-)

Came across my chest of carving blanks

My space now

In the far corner are my boxes of small wood pieces.
On the left are the longer pieces, mostly recessed in the wall

Miter station has been relocated to this wall.
Currently the Miter saw stand is a 1930s Singer sewing machine and cabinet.
Will eventually make a dedicated one.

The far corner of the shop is becoming a holding ground awaiting relocating. 

One of my upcoming project is to install a manual transfer switch for the generator.  
Only suitable location would be on nearby wall where the bucksaw is located.

Once I have the bench cleared, my first project on it 
would be to flatten the twisted post drill back board

I plan to make a better boring bit storage display board.
Also thinking I should mounted it inside a door to the boring till.
That would give me lots more storage to keep at hands 
a few more boring implements. 

My current planes and saw tills are working good 
but I need more storage room.
Time to cull the herd.

Then there is that oak log that I kept to experiment
 with ahem "Green woodworking".
Safe to say, it has become an experiment in spalted woodworking :-)
Hang in there, Il get to you soon...

Our snow is pretty well all gone by now, making room for our next snow storm lining up on cue for Friday...  Seems lately every Friday brings another storm 




Bob, Not down and out just rebounding.  Sometimes I forget to roll with the punches