Kelly Smith's Blog
Posted by Kelly Smith
OK, I know, I know; I’m a day early. But what the heck, I guess I’ll be sleeping in tomorrow like the rest of you!
If you look at the new poll I just posted, I’m trying to get a grip on what kind of articles you want me to focus on. Thanks for your many emails suggesting topics, but I know there are many “lurkers” out there. I’d like to know what’s on your DIY agenda as well. Feedback, please!
Just yesterday I posted an article on wood finishes. Many of you are doing indoor projects just now because of the weather. My kitchen cabinets are crying for attention and so wood finishes are a good thing for me to research.
I hope you also took time to read this piece on drywall texturing and how easy it is.
On project I worked on yesterday afternoon was putting in a new 4’ X 4’ to brace up my backyard fence. The hardest part was cutting away a maze of jasmine vines that have taken up residence there. That’s a messy job. Jasmine bleeds a white say that’s as sticky as Gorilla Grip glue!
Digging the hole was the easy part. The ground has been too hard lately so I’ve been waiting for rain. Night before last we got a real gully-washer!
And yes, I am very appreciative of pre-mixed concrete that you don’t have to mix in a wheelbarrow.
While I was setting the post, I remembered a home makeover show on the tube the other day. The guy was building a deck and said, “We’re using cedar here instead of pressure-treated pine because it’s a renewable resource!”
Pine isn’t renewable???
Posted by Kelly Smith
Have you finished your Christmas shopping? I know I haven’t! It’s a guy thing, I guess. But then I’ve got an advantage; as a writer working out of my home office, I’m my own boss. I can give myself time off during the week so I don’t have to mingle with thousands of “cheerful” consumers at the stores.
Christmas Toys!
The one thing that irritates me is all the lead-coated toys those conscientious Chinese have sent us. Even Toys for Tots is feeling the pinch as they throw away bad toys. Don’t misunderstand me – I’m all for free trade. But the Chinese simply don’t trade fair.
The upside is that some domestic toy makers have gotten a boost. They’ve been blacklisted by money-grubbing toy distributors far too long.
For instance, Don and Mary Hurley at D and ME Toys in Montana make their toys from wood and finish them with natural oils. And they don’t have any Chinese kids chained to the work bench!
Home Grown Christmas Trees!
The only other disappointment is that the local Christmas tree farm didn’t open its doors this year. Something to do with crop rotation, I think. We have a family tradition of cutting our own. It’s very cool for kids.
Progress on the PR (Perpetual Remodel)
Have any of you got any DIY projects in the pipeline? Since the weather has turned mild I’ve been spending some time working on the house. Yes, the wife is smiling! I’ve replaced a ceiling fan, finished most of the baseboard installation, and I’m about ready to start remodeling the bathroom.
I felt that morally I needed to crank things up a notch since my recent article on DIY New Year’s resolutions. Give it a read and start making your list!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Just recently I penned (rather keyboarded) an article for you on popular power tools for Christmas gifts. One of the tools I mentioned was that old all-around favorite – the bench grinder.
Well, as often happens, just as soon as I sing the praises of one, I find another tool that does some of its tasks even better. The bench grinder will always be more adept at some jobs, but not at some tool sharpening, as I found out.
So what tool could I possibly be speaking of? The Work Sharp Tool Sharpener, model WS2000. Where a grinder spins vertically and presents a narrow grinding surface, the Work Sharp spins horizontally at a respectable 1750 RPM.
The WS2000 comes with a nice wide tool rest to give you complete control over the tool you're sharpening, whether it's an ax or cold chisel. Although it comes with a nice assortment of abrasive disks, Work Sharp isn't one of those companies that lock DIYers into proprietary replacement parts. Any adhesive backed 6” disk will work.
One nice feature is the Edge Vision Underside Port, which, when used with the slotted wheel, allows you to keep an eye on your progress when sharpening small tools such as screwdrivers and lathe knives.
The Work Sharp eliminates another of the bench grinders drawbacks: tool overheating. How does it do this? By using a dry cooling system of routed airflow and a heat sink. No more over-tempered chisels.
Speaking of chisel sharpening, in my eyes that is the one thing that sets the WS2000 apart from any competitors. It sports the Chisel Sharpening Port which puts a precise 25 degree angle on your steel!
And yes, the WS2000, or its cousin the WS3000, makes a dandy Christmas present for your DIYer... or yourself!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Christmas, My Favorite Time of the Year
Ahh, Christmas draws near. It's my favorite holiday of the year. As a kid, this whole time of year held a certain allure for me. Imagine, first came Halloween; the carnival of candy and all things spooky. The next thing I knew, here comes Thanksgiving. Lots of chow and no school!
Then came Christmas. All those gifts, and again, no school! Some of my elementary school buddies were Jewish. Not only did they get presents and great chow over the Chanukah holiday; they celebrated Christmas as well, and got more gifts and chow. I remember thinking, “Oh now I get it, that's why the preacher said the Jews were God's chosen people.”
Unwrap Your Christmas DIY Articles
In the spirit of the season, I've posted three articles for you recently; Christmas, the Holidays, and DIY; DIY Hand Tool Ideas; and DIY Power Tool Ideas. (The second and third are hint articles for your significant other.) I'll try to crank out one or two more – email me with any ideas.
And... Your Non-DIY Christmas Articles
But I'm not the only one slaving over the keyboard for you. Boatloads of writers here at S101 have contributed Christmas and holiday articles in their areas of expertise. Mary, the Feature Writer over in Crafts, has been working like a slave to put them all in on place for your convenience. Surf on over to http://crafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/holiday_event to check out our holiday offering. You will be amazed at the variety!
The Christmas gift I feel like I'm getting out of this is all the great comments, questions, and article suggestions I've gotten from y'all these past few months. And I do appreciate it!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Wood Shop Organizing - It's Time
I have a confession to make. I'm guilty of not always putting my tools back where they belong. Are you? Come on, don't be shy; you know who you are!
It's not so much that I'm a slob. I just get involved and set things down. And, when it's time to quit for the day, I tell myself that since I'll be right back at it the next day; I'll just leave them. But I don't always get back to it when planned.
DIY Project Inefficiency
Consequently, when I've got a five minute chore, I spend thirty minutes assembling my hand tools. It's a blessing that my larger power tools are easy to spot. The lathe tends not to go anywhere. Neither does my band saw. The benchtop table saw and benchtop drill press are easy enough to spot.
So a few times a year I wander around my wood shop and pick up tools, containers of screws and nails, and put them back where they're supposed to live. This time I've got a pile of lumber right in the middle of the floor. That's going to need a solution.
High Quality Hand Tools
Do you have any old, dependable tools? I ran across one as I cleaned up. A Craftsman 16 once, fiberglass handled, straight claw hammer. The amazing thing is that I bought it in 1979 when I began my four year journey in my carpenter's apprenticeship with the Carpenter's Union.
Twenty eight years. And since I spent the next fourteen years as a journeyman carpenter (acoustical ceiling mechanic and framer), that hammer saw a lot of use. And it still does. Too bad they don't make tools like that anymore.
