Airguns, airguns and more airguns!

I have been working the wood for a couple airguns!

I haven't been keeping up with the blog here but I hope to stay more active....  More on this particular build can be found HERE

I did this QB earlier in the summer....

HotRod QB

Thanks for looking!!!

Tools for Summer Time Fun!

So far this summer has been very busy playing outside with the kids every chance we get.  Not much is getting complete as far as projects are concerned but we are building many memories!


Michele and I just got some new beach cruiser bicycles.  They are $88 dollar specials from Walmart.


These bikes look so cool and they didn't break the bank.  I expect them to see many leisurely miles riding along side the kids on their mechanical horses. 

I also fiber glassed the top of my longboard and purchased new bearing and wheels for it.  Wow, do they make a difference in how it handles!  I wish that I lived closer to work so I could commute on my skateboard!  ha ha!

Thanks for visiting and have a great summer!

Longboards!

It's been a skateboard manufacturing shop for the past couple of weeks around here!

It all started while watching skateboard videos on Youtube.  It looked like so much fun riding a longboard skateboard along the sidewalk by the beach or racing down a hill and sliding around corners.  I thought that I might like to have one for myself and cruise the paved trails or take it to a park and ride the sidewalks.

After a bit of internet research and another video found on the 'tube, I decided to venture out and make one, not just for me but, for everyone.  Well, as anyone with a "large" family knows, just one board isn't going to cut it when the kids start to ride.  It's not as fun to skate by yourself as it is with someone else so, having a 2nd board is a good idea.  So soon after the first boards success, a 2nd board was started.  When a particular board gets "assigned" to a specific child, them all of a sudden everyone's creative juices get flowing and all of the "orders" for more assigned boards, start to come flooding in!

What is a dad to do?

That's right, go get some more wood and hardware and start a board making business run out of the shop right at the house!

The 2nd board to be made was April's pink bubble board.  Third and fourth were Christopher and Amy's boards.  We don't have a name for Christopher's but I like to call Amy's the Ironing Board!  Can you see why?

 The Bubble Board

 Christopher's board

Amy's Ironing Board!

Next on the list was a board just for me!  Of course mine had to be made from hardwoods to be displayed on the itself and not painted.  We don't want to cover the beauty of the wood!

The kid's boards started out as 2x4's.  I cut them in half (2 4' pieces), planed the faces and ripped them down into strips.  Next, the strips were glued into a plank.  A pattern was draw full scale on a piece of paper then cutout and applied to the plank that had been planed again, after the glue was dry, to 5/8" thick.

Off to the bandsaw to cut out the shape and then some sanding with the disk sander to refine the final shape.  Soon was some more hand sanding then paint and a spray lacquer over the top of that.  Install the trucks, wheels and some grip tape to the top and away we go!

Computer Monitor Stand with Hard Drive Garages

In this digital age, many of us have multiple hard drives for storing information like pictures and videos.  Also having at least one backup drive is a good idea. 

 

Having these extra hard drives around the desk takes up space.  They say it's cheaper to build up than it is to build out so, that is what I did for our extra computer drives!

 

I made a small platform from some 3/4" thick plywood with 3 "garages" below where the monitor sits to make some more surface area.  The monitor sits on top and the 3 hard drives are housed below with easy access. 

 

I used a dowel cut in half lengthwise to cover the front of the uprights to look like small pillars and I made some simple cove moulding to cover the top horizontal edges.  I used glue and pin nails to assemble the pieces and filled the nail holes with a light spackle. 

 

A few coats of black spray paint and some clear coat and the project is complete and ready for use (as soon as the finish dries). 

 

 

Yum!

Yum is the word when dessert is being made!

 

I made a couple of simple projects for Michele and April this week.  I made two cake decorating turntables (lazy susan) and some letters for decorating in the kitchen. 

 

 

 

 

Michele found the "yum" font on a mug at an antique store.  I took a picture so I could duplicate it at home. 

 

I put the color on first and let it dry.  Then I used painters tape and laid it out over the color where I wanted the letters to be.  I drew the letters on the tape and cut around the edges of them.  Next I peeled the extra tape off, leaving the tape over the color in the shape of the letters. 

 

I used black spray paint over the color and the tape.  After the black dried, the tape was peeled off revealing the color beneath.  Next was sanding the edges of the top and some around the lettering to let some of the color beneath come through.  I top coated them with satin spray lacquer.

 

 

 

These letters were actually completed before I had the idea of the turntables.  I drew the letters out on some paper and used spray adhesive to adhere the paper letters to the wood.  They were cut out on the scroll saw. 

 

The finish is black spray paint, sanded edges and satin lacquer over the top.  Simple and fun!

 

I have also changed my shaving routine a bit.  I am now "wet shaving".  Shave like my grandpa use to shave.  I use a brush, shave soap and a double edge safety razor.  I bought a set of three safety razor heads and I turned the handles for them out of wood. 

 

 

This first one was turned for Elliott, my oldest son.  It is maple and black walnut laminated together.

 

 

 

This is the second handle that was turned.  It's black walnut from our tree in the yard.  The button on the end is a stainless steel bolt that was ground round and polished.  It adds weight to the handle and adds a touch of detail.  This is the one that I am using.

 

 

 

This last razor is for Micah, my next oldest son.  The wood was some burl that was at my mom and dads place.  I used black spray paint and cherry Danish oil to bring some of the grain out.  All of the razor handles are finished with CA glue and wax.

 

 

 

 

I also made some rings for Michele for Valentines Day.  These are made from shavings taken from a handplane and some CA glue.  One is maple, one black walnut and one in laminated black walnut and maple.  Below is a video on how I make these.

 

 

I have been busy in the shop...  which is a good thing!

 

Thanks for checking it out!

Three B's Complete!

Super proud of myself for starting, and completing a project in such a short amount of time! 

 

Okay, now that the roar of accolades has died down and I can hear myself think, I will share a bit of the finishing of this bookcase. 

 

 

We wanted color.  Color we got!  I used latex paint as a color/stain.  Wipe on full strength and wipe off, revealing the wood grain with the color applied. 

 

 

After allowing the paint to dry about 2-4 hours, I lightly sanded with 320 grit sandpaper to wear the paint some, showing off more grain and some bare wood.  I used a clean rag to clean the dust off and I also rubbed the surfaces very vigorously with the cloth, burnishing the wood some.  It really smoothed out the surface and had a light satin sheen to it.  

 

 

Here is everything laid out to spray the finish.  It is a bookshelf going in a bedroom with three little boys so a top coat of protection is a DEFINITE MUST!

 

 

This is the spray finish that I used.  It came out perfectly.  I used 2 cans to cover the whole project at least 3 times.

 

 

Three coats later and some time to cure, here it is!  It is not a free standing bookshelf.  It is attached to the wall with screws.

 

 

Here is what I did to cover the end grain of the top.  I cut a piece and screwed it in place.  I plugged the screw holes.  I actually like that you can see the plugged holes when I sanded the ends.

 

 

You can see here that there are only two legs.  It leans against the wall and the bottom clears the top of the baseboard trim.  It is secured to the wall studs with screws at the top of the case.

 

 

Showing the arched corner detail here.  The piece is wedged into place and pinned into the top of the face frame along the middle.  If you look closely, you can see a screw securing the bookshelf to the wall.  Look at the top right corner of the "Little Blue Truck" book to see the screw.

 

 

This shows the sheen of the finish.  Very pleasing!  The top is screwed to the case with 5 screws up through the top of the case into the bottom of the top. 

 

 

Now it is all loaded up and ready to get disorganized!  I made three adjustable shelves for it but only needed two.  Better to have too many than not enough.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

First part of this project here!

Airgun Stock is Complete!

This stock is for a Beeman R9 air rifle.  It is a re-branded Weihrauch HW 95 Luxus.  Same rifle, different stamp.  This stock will be going to a friend.

 

This was a fun and challenging project all in one.  I am glad to say that it is finished except for some deglossing of the sheen on the finish.  I want to let it cure some before I start to rub it with steel wool.  I am trying for a satin finish.

 

This is one of my woodworking goals completed for this year! 

 

Thanks for looking!