What We're Making

[Ronstar]

A smattering of woodworking projects:

 

[Meadbh]

I love that quilt, Philliefan!

 

[davemartin88]

Ronstar, hoped you would post some of your projects, very nice. Photography is impressive as well!

The quilts are really nice as well. DW is slowly hand quilting a quilt, not making a lot of progress though.

 

[Moemg]

Wow! Very impressive work everybody !

 

[marko]

One of my first RE projects was to make a series of radiator covers. For the uninitiated, homes in the North East have old steam radiators that are quite ugly and folks usually buy covers...mine came out pretty nicely.

My other project was when we had our decking pulled up and replaced the old cedar with Trex. I had the guys save me a bunch of boards, cleaned them up, varnished and made a 12 foot long table out of them. (we get a lot of people down during the summer)

 

[sengsational]

What I made as a part of one of my hobbies a few days ago doesn't photograph very well. You'd have to see it in action, and even then, not real exciting.

 

[Tandemlovers]

I make wool socks on a circular sock machine. I have one antique machine and one newly manufactured machine.
I mostly make them as gifts and sell a few pairs a month at a local craft shop.

 

[Tandemlovers]

One of my first RE projects was to make a series of radiator covers. For the uninitiated, homes in the North East have old steam radiators that are quite ugly and folks usually buy covers...mine came out pretty nicely.

My other project was when we had our decking pulled up and replaced the old cedar with Trex. I had the guys save me a bunch of boards, cleaned them up, varnished and made a 12 foot long table out of them. (we get a lot of people down during the summer)

Marko, that's a very nice radiator cover. We have old radiators in our house and all are exposed. I have always wondered if covers would cut down on the warmth that old radiators provide?

 

[Ronstar]

Ronstar, hoped you would post some of your projects, very nice. Photography is impressive as well!

The quilts are really nice as well. DW is slowly hand quilting a quilt, not making a lot of progress though.

Thanks davemartin88. Did you do the cat ornament on your CNC machine? The ornament and box are very nice - makes me want to get a CNC.

 

[davemartin88]

Thanks davemartin88. Did you do the cat ornament on your CNC machine? The ornament and box are very nice - makes me want to get a CNC.

Thanks. I did the ornament on the CNC router, did a wood version this morning as well. I've really enjoyed learning CNC process and actually have a larger and beefier router on order that will be here after the first of the year. The Shark I have now does very well but have been wanting to do some larger projects. Current machine can do 2'x2', new will handle 4'x4'. Have my current machine up for sale so trying to finish up the Christmas presents!

 

[davemartin88]

Marko, table is really nice, lots of room.

Tandemlover, I like the sock colors. I saw a sock making machine at the Berryville, Va. fiber show this summer, it was an antique as well. It was loaded with yarn and I did a few rows. Love your sock label too, "Hand cranked".

 

[FIREd]

Great thread! I made some Christmas cards last week but I already mailed them and I don't have photos to show the group. But wow, there are some talented people around here.

 

[Walt34]

A while back I found I had a lot of nice photos, I had a nice photo printer, but the cost of mounting and framing them was more than I was willing to part with. So I bought some books on picture framing and later bought a mat cutter and learned to mount and frame my own photos. The first one I shot in the kitchen sink. The middle two are ones I did for DW, the beach scene is one that hung in her mother's kitchen for 20+ years but the frame was awful. The train is a poster found among her grandfather's stuff that was in his office for years and the cheap frame was falling apart. The two children are DW's grandnieces a couple of years ago. Those hang in her nephew's living room.

I found out why mounting and framing is expensive. It is very labor intensive and takes some time. I can do one in about four hours, with lots of practice I might be able to get it down to two. Some of that time is allowing glues to dry.

 

[spncity]

I'd love to restore these so I can hang them on the tree but can't figure out how to do so.

Check out Sugru. Moldable glue. www.sugru.com

I've repaired or improved several things with it.

It would be easy to embed the hook in some sugru applied to the back of your ornaments - it's strong, moldable. Look at the gallery on the website for ideas.

 

[Marita40]

I love seeing all the talent here!
Thanks for the advice on my dough figures!

 

[Moemg]

I make wool socks on a circular sock machine. I have one antique machine and one newly manufactured machine.
I mostly make them as gifts and sell a few pairs a month at a local craft shop.

View attachment 22771

I love your socks ! Wish you were selling on etsy .

 

[LauAnn]

I make wool socks on a circular sock machine. I have one antique machine and one newly manufactured machine.
I mostly make them as gifts and sell a few pairs a month at a local craft shop.

View attachment 22771

Great looking socks. They look comfy!

 

[LauAnn]

Here's a couple of quick photos of a quilt I recently completed. I did not do the quilting (sent it to a long-armer) since I have trouble handling the large quilts on my regular home machine.

The quilt top was pieced entirely from scraps in my stash. I started it last winter, when I was stuck in the house during a snowstorm so couldn't get out to the fabric store. Turned out to be a win-win: freed up some shelf space and gained a fun scrappy quilt in the process. View attachment 22765View attachment 22766

Love the colorful quilt. Especially the red block in the middle.

 

[LauAnn]

A while back I found I had a lot of nice photos, I had a nice photo printer, but the cost of mounting and framing them was more than I was willing to part with. So I bought some books on picture framing and later bought a mat cutter and learned to mount and frame my own photos. The first one I shot in the kitchen sink. The middle two are ones I did for DW, the beach scene is one that hung in her mother's kitchen for 20+ years but the frame was awful. The train is a poster found among her grandfather's stuff that was in his office for years and the cheap frame was falling apart. The two children are DW's grandnieces a couple of years ago. Those hang in her nephew's living room.

I found out why mounting and framing is expensive. It is very labor intensive and takes some time. I can do one in about four hours, with lots of practice I might be able to get it down to two. Some of that time is allowing glues to dry.

Cool sink pic.

 

[spncity]

My father's urn, made by DH out of four types of wood (ipe, cherry, walnut, oak). Small metal Cessna 172 was purchased online, and later painted to match dad's plane.

He gave so-o-o many people their first airplane ride!

 

[Ronstar]

My father's urn, made by DH out of four types of wood (ipe, cherry, walnut, oak). Small metal Cessna 172 was purchased online, and later painted to match dad's plane.

He gave so-o-o many people their first airplane ride!

My condolences on the loss of your father, but your DH created a very nice urn for him.

 

[spncity]

Nice thread idea. Love seeing all your handiwork!

Here's some no-knead artisan bread. Four ingredients. I've made variations by adding Italian herbs - or chopped green and kalamata olives - or chopped craisins & walnuts (the last one is awesome with mascarpone!)

After experimentation, the two things that helped the most:
1. Using a pre-heated clay baker with a lid (which manages the moisture), and
2. Parchment paper for ease of second rise, easier to transfer to clay baker, and clean-up is a snap.

Picked up some tips on YouTube. Search for "Bread with Steve".

 

[Souschef]

All of those are brilliant. I admire all who have the patience and talent. GOOD JOB!!

 

[davemartin88]

Spncity, thanks for sharing the picture of the urn, very well done, nice mix of materials. Walt34, thanks as well for the frames and matting, I never realized how much effort and time was involved with that process. I guess getting into doing the mats and frames was a logical step once you decided to display more of your own photos.

Thanks to all for sharing your efforts, suddenly I'm hungry for some bread and butter?

 

[Walt34]

Spncity, thanks for sharing the picture of the urn, very well done, nice mix of materials. Walt34, thanks as well for the frames and matting, I never realized how much effort and time was involved with that process. I guess getting into doing the mats and frames was a logical step once you decided to display more of your own photos.

When I read the books on picture framing I learned a lot. Most of the drugstore type frames are doing it entirely wrong. Beside the display value, the purpose of the matting is to hold the photo away from the glass. In high humidity environments it can stick to the glass and then when the humidity goes down the paper shrinks and pulls away from the glass, leaving some sticking to the glass and ruining the photo (or whatever the artwork is).

The photo also has to be hung on the backing board with strips of acid-free paper that allow the photo, matting and backing board room to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. The glues used are reversible, meaning that a drop or two of water will free the photo from the hanging strips with no damage to the print. And of course the backing board and matting boards are acid free too.

The print of the train had been mounted with a regular cardboard backing board and I could see where the acid in the cardboard had damaged the print. There's a spray to neutralize the acid and stop further damage but it cannot be reversed.

And the glass or clear plastic used to cover the print should be UV resistant to help avoid fading. That's why valuable artwork in museums is kept in dark rooms and flash photography is prohibited since that emits UV light.

Maybe more than most wanted to know about picture framing....