12 June 2008

$64000 Question

I got up this morning (as I usually do most mornings) and peeked out the upstairs window to have a quick look at the weather before heading off the the bathroom for a shower and shave.
Wet. The 'shop roof was wet, the pond was wet (which means that the fish were as well...needs some thought, that one) and the patio was wet....but not the cats, as they're far too clever to get really soggy. With an increasing sense of doom, I finished my ablutions and dashed downstairs, (got dressed first though) out the back door and into the 'shop to have a look inside. The $64000 question is...did it leak? Once inside, I got down on my hands and knees and had a good look along the floor for the impending signs of wet creeping in...a nasty brown wet stain just above the floor on the wall. To my huge relief, not a drop had managed to worm it's way inside, all was dry, so my efforts to date have been successful, all that now remains is to complete the last corner and then the final side.
We've had some very pleasant new neighbours move in within the last couple of weeks and once the preliminary 'how dos' were over with, they asked me to repair their dining room chairs, which had been given to them by the out-laws. These were solid oak chairs, decent material but appallingly constructed. Apart from the tusk tenons on the stretcher rail they were all held together with bloody horrible nails! After a lot of rather enjoyable work with a big lump hammer the first one has been completely refurbed and handed back last night...seat re glued, frame sorted out and usable now for a good few years to come. This particular one was the worst as any weight on it would make the imminent danger of collapse more than a distant possibility, more like a definite certainty! Three more to go then, shouldn't take too long.
Back to the marking knives tonight, which ought to be finished quite soon. The main task is to heat treat the blades and then grind them on the Tormek, after which they can be epoxied into the handles...lots of polishing to do though before that happens. Onwards and upwards...

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