No Time For This

Now that spring is here the projects are piling up. My computer time is going to be cut back to an extreme except for finding instructions on how to do my projects. Things just don't get done otherwise. I'll probably still post some of my completed projects but I'm going to treat blogging pretty much as a bad-weather or winter sport. I also need to fish. Priorities.

I'm going to replace our front stairs. They are 6 foot wide but the length is not one that I can buy at the home stores. So I'll try and be careful to not ruin the old stairs when I take them apart and just use it as a template for the new ones. I have to find some wood that I want to use. I don't like the pressure treated because it splits and splinters a bit when it dries and I want a smooth, painted surface. I may use the pressure treated for the stringers with yellow pine (if I can find it in the 2 in thickness) on the treads as they will be kept painted. I don't think I can find heart redwood around here. Ipe costs too much. I thought of using Trex for the treads but they don't come in 12 inch widths and I don't like the look of running two boards for each tread.

I would like to get flagstone into the backyard this year. I didn't get to it last year.

I just finished a shelf (art-deco black that I silver leafed and sealed on top) for over our toilet the other day. I made it with cleats underneath that would surround the tank lid (to hold it in place) to fit right on top of the toilet tank. I made it to extend out on each side to give us more shelf space. We have ceramic tile behind it and didn't want to drill holes in it to mount a shelf.

I hadn't planned on it sticking out so far as to not let the toilet seat go back far enough to stay up on it's own.

I had to use the table saw to cut it down to size so the toilet seat would go back and stay up. I had a lot of trouble making it feed through the table saw (I was having to push it so hard the table was moving) and when I was done I realized I had the waste cut between the fence and the blade. It was pinching, a no no in woodworking. When I realized it, it scared me because I know the injury that kick back can do. I also saw sparks flying and realized when I was done that I cut through a finishing nail I used to mount the molding to the surround. Not good for the blade and shows my brain wasn't all there.

It has been a while since I used many of my tools so I better refresh my memory on how to use all my power tools before I get going again. I scare myself.