Preparing your camper for winter!

The video does a great job covering the steps and it isn't very complicated.  People seem confused about the antifreeze, remember this isn't so you can use regular antifreeze, that is poisonous.  I simply want to use as little of the RV antifreeze as I can because I don't like the taste and I don't want to buy more than I need.

It is also important to drain your holding tanks either before or after you do this.  The little bit of water and antifreeze that might find it's way into those tanks as you winterize should not be an issue.  If you get a lot of water in the tanks and don't want to go and redrain them you will have to put antifreeze in there as well.

Lowes Fire Truck Build

This was a great project for my little guy as he got to participate so very directly.  I build things for him all the time but often that process is spaced out over several days.  This was kind of nice because we started with all of the pieces and he simply got to put it together.

The kit was what you would expect from something like this.  The pieces were all pre-sized, drilled and finished but didn't always match the pictures or directions.  Nothing split or chipped during assembly so that was nice.  I did have to pre-start some of the nails to prevent him from bending them over.  I didn't like how the nail head sit proud of the wood unless you really sink them.  I would advise doing that for your little carpenter as a few hard misses can really mar the finish.

You can find this kit here:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_75215-94546-107019239213_0__

Making a Pirate Sword

This is a very simple project and not much can be added.  I would encourage you to use a good neutral hardwood for the blade.  I am not sure what this wood was as it came from some pallet lumber but it looks and works like a good hard maple.  Be sure to save a few cut-off or scrap pieces of the blade to fill in the part where the handle overhangs to make it a solid piece.  You can see that I did that in the video but I didn't mention it.

Country Chic Furniture

The Country or 'Shabby' Chic look in furniture is all the rage right now and when this pile of parts came to me I saw an opportunity to show how I do it.  For the most part the video covers all the bases but let me cover (or re-cover) a few items:

Lead Paint
     -Just assume until you can prove otherwise it isn't.  If you do buy a test kit remember that some of this painted furniture could have several layers of paint, you need to check them all not just the top one.

Simulated Use
     -Have something that just doesn't look old enough for you?  The best and most simplistic way to simulate use is with sanding.  Don't go over the whole piece, that isn't how things get used.  In the same vein don't sand randomly either.  Stand or sit at the piece and open doors.  There might be several spots your hands will naturally grasp when opening, sand those spots.  Pretend or imagine yourself had at work, where do your sleeves brush, where do your shoes touch, if you were to drop a knife, a hammer or some other object where would it land?  It is easy to take too much and a paint to repaint and condition new paint to match or look old.  If you make scratch marks try carefully staining them with a darkish wood stain to hide the fact that they are fresh.

Simulated Tool Marks
     -For the most part items from this era were mass produced in early factories.  If you go all out giving your hutch simulated scrub plane marks it will look odd.  You will have a late 19th century item with tool marks from a 17th century item.  It might look old but it will always have that 'just not quite right' feel to it.

Staining
     -Once you have the ware and abuse you crave try wiping on a wood stain over the paint.  Try a stain that both covers and cures like a Danish Oil.  Apply more with a cloth to the corners and nooks and buff the center work spaces out.  This will help give it that dirty aged look.  As always do some testing because it might be hard to fix what you have done.

Throne of the Forest King

This was a creation of pure whimsy centered around a slab of apple wood that was too punky to be cut up for other projects, too cool to tossed out and too small to become a slab table.  I wanted to do something different, this fit the bill.

Construction advice:

The video covers most all of it but If I had it to do it over I would add more weight to the base.

Child's Bike Trailer

I wanted to start riding my bike with my then 2 year old son.  I looked at buying trailers but not seriously.  I like building things and since I can find most of the materials free I went that route. Except for the wheels, ball-joint ends, springs and threaded rod, all of the parts for this were free and scrounged from various locations.  The hood is from an old wheel tractor form the 40's or 50's.  I found it at the dump and it had been backed over by something.  I had it around for years looking for a project to make with it before I hit upon a trailer.

The build was simple, a rectangular frame with a rounded nose.  I used the rounded front from a floor buffer which set the overall width.  It ended up being a fine size.  My original build for the suspension was both too complicated and too heavy.  If you are making one use the axle set up I show in this video, not the one in my first attempt.  Either way the setup works and is durable.  Just make sure when the trailer is sitting level with no load on it you have the trailing arms and lateral bar parallel with the frame.  This is important to keep the axle in line when the going gets rough.

 We pounded out over 500 miles on the original layout, much of that on dirt roads.  It has been one of the most enjoyable builds and the time spent with my son has been priceless.


Parts! 
Springs!  I used part number 1692K45 but I think the 3 inch would have been better.
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Ball Joints!  I used the 1/2x20 for the trailing arms and 3/8x24 for the lateral bar.
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Threaded Rod!  They have stronger stuff but I don't see why you would need it.  You can also use their stainless but I just painted mine.  I bought two 3 foot sticks of 1/2 20 thread (you have to match the thread to the ball joints you find, whatever they are) I used one stick for the axle and another cut for the trailing arms.  Starting over I would use 3/8 for the trailing arms, 1/2 is overkill.  I would buy one 3 foot 1/2x20, one 3 foot 3/8x24 and one 2 foot 3/8x24.
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WHEELS!  I got these from Northern Tool.  You could source your own if you needed to.  I used 16 inch but have thought that 12 would have been fine and kept the cart lower to the ground.  Starting over I would go with the 12's unless you are planning on some serious off road, but if you are remember it will tip over.
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Pine Burl Table

A few tips left out of the videos:

Drying- I let these burls dry inside my shop for over a year.  They had been drying covered outside for several years.  If you open up the wood while the moisture content is too high you are asking for it to split on you.  This can be lessened to some extent by spraying it with a coat of poly when you are done each night but it can get irritating sanding it off in the morning.  You could also keep the wood in plastic overnight.

Pitch- I only mentioned it briefly but as the burl is scar tissue it tends to be full of pitch.  The surface layers will dry and harden over long periods of time (read months) but as you sand and cut you expose soft layers soaked into the wood.  Now those too will harden over long periods of time but who wants to wait?  If you spray poly or lacquer over it the solvents will soften the resin and lift it, marking the finish.  I attacked it two ways...

   Turpentine: Soak and scrub, soak and scrub.  This will lift the pitch to the surface then you can scrub it off with a rag.  This will only take up surface deposits but still that might be enough.  On my table this is what I did.

    Bake it:  Find a local kiln and ask that they toss your dry burl in to set the resin.  They do that type of thing all the time and the price will be cheap.  This will harden the resin inside the entire chunk.  It will still soften if you create a lot of heat sanding so go slow and keep it cool.

    Seal it: Spray your bad spots with shellac to seal them in.  I would only do this if the spot was minor.  Once you have a layer or two of shellac protection built up finish normally.  This will give the wood an extra yellow/orange look.

PLEASE NOTE!  ON A HOT DAY THE RESIN IN THE WOOD COULD STILL SOFTEN AND WELL UP THROUGH THE FINISH CREATING STICKY CRACKS.  (it can even do this though poured epoxy) THE ONLY THING THAT WILL STOP THIS IS TO HAVE THE PIECE KILN DRIED TO SET THE RESINS.