Inside Decoration & Tree are Boxed up Safely in the Garage

We removed all the decorations off the tree.  Then we unscrewed the large white ball shaped lights. We put a white plastic plug back in the hole.  The next job we did was to take down all the nut crackers.  There are hundreds of them in all sizes and shapes.  The last thing was the round snow musical balls.

We put the pictures back where the nutcrackers and glass balls were.  Everything is boxed up in a bathroom closet and in three large totes in the garage.

I resumed working on the table.  I cut the legs out yesterday and today I built the cross braces.  I have the skirt and the table top to do.

The weather is so warm that a big chunk of the Devil's Ice Tower fell off.  It is melting some all day. 

The little piece a the base looks a little like a bear.  

Comments and questions are welcome. 

Putting Christmas Away

The Christmas season is about over.  It is time to box it up and put it away.

Carol boxed the Santa ornaments in the live tree in the corner.  I put the big nativity away that is on the dinning round table.  It is always a challenge to get the piece in the right spot.  I have the compartments numbered and a number on the bottom of the same piece.  They would not fit in.  Used the named compartment instead of the numbered one.  They fit right in.  I slide it all in the big box.  It is now ready for next year.

I made this stool from a piece of wood that we found on a trip west of Utah Lake and west of West Mountain.  We were hiking and found a old weather and partially rotted piece of wood.  I took it home and used it for the seat.  It has been in the garage ever since we moved here nearly twenty years ago.  I wanted to fix it several weeks ago.  Today I pulled it all apart.  I filled the mortises with Elmer's glue and used clamps to force the tenens into the mortises.  It looks a little crooked from this angle.  That is okay.

While rearranging things in the garage I found and solid old table top.  I cut into two piece to build a table say sled.  I have one I made a couple of years ago which is not very accurate.  I took my time on this one which is really accurate.  I can cut a perfect 90 degree angle.

I use the table saw sled to cut rabbits in this wood.  The one on the top is too wide.  The one on the bottom has a tight fit.  I am going to make a small stool which I will use a router to make the rabbits.

I thought that I would use the table saw sled to make miter cuts.  My miter saw has been in house four for years.  I brought it into the garage and cleaned it up. A little sowing machine oil helped to free up the saw.

I glued up four twenty-three inch zx4's together to use for the legs.  I ripped a little off each edge of the 2x4's to have good gluing surfaces.  I put a little glue on and clamped them.



Comments and questions are welcome.

To Delta and Back

We drove to Delta, Sutherland, to deliver s present from Betsy that mailed to us instead of Ray and Mary Ann.   We left here about 9:30.  They have hundreds of Nativity sets.  We wanted to see them.  They were in every room in their home.  Some were large and others were tiny.  Their friends gave them many sets.

 This  one was on their front porch.   I took this picture to make one like it for next year.  

I got this picture of Ray and Mary Ann.  Ray is my youngest brother.  

This afternoon I checked out greenhouse two.  Many of the plants growing they are lousy with aphids.  

Here is a close-up of the tender tip of the pole bean.  It is not in focus but the aphids are piled on top of each other.  I am waiting for the predatory wasps that will kill the aphids.  I thought I saw one.

I worked in the garage doing more cleaning.  I started the truck and hauled out boxes and other trash thing to the dump.

It has been so warm that I turn off the water to the Devil's Frozen Tower.  The running water would cause it to melt more rapidly.  I turned it back on at nine tonight.

Comments and questions are welcome. 

Late Afternoon

This is where I left off yesterday afternoon,  All of the bench parts are laying on the floor of house two.

This afternoon I cleaned up the floor.  All of the wood parts were taken to house six where there is more room, and where they will be out of the winter weather.  It took over and hour to remove the bolts and a few screws that broke.   Next I want to put in two raised beds.  

There were few screws that broke.  I had to cut off the end of one board next to the screw.  I was able to remove the screw.  There were some screws that I was able to remove with vice grips.  I had to dig out the wood around the screw in the above picture before i was to remove it.

It has been warm most of the day.  The Devil's Ice Tower has melted some during the day.

Questions and comments are welcome

Christmas, 2017

Christmas morning, the celebrated birth around the world of the birth of Jesus Christ.  We have received a lot of presents from our Children and we opened them before breakfast.  It took some effort to figure them out.   One present is a shop stool given by Lisa and Eric Gray.

These two tomato cuttings were put in a quart bottle December 7, and developed a good root system.  I put them in gallon pots.  They are in this small aluminum tray and watered from the bottom.  Many time the water will run down the side and not soak if watered from the top.

The bench on the west side is on rollers where I can roll it either to the west or the east.  If it is rolled to the west, it gives about eighteen more inches in the center isle.  I have removed the wire.  The long 2x4's were held to the 2x4 below by screws driven into the side.  I had to put the bench upside down to reach the screws.  I drove some of screw so deep that I couldn't see them to be able to remove them.  I was able to get a few with a hand held screw driver.  I had to pound some off with the hammer.  The rest I moved back and forth and it broke the screws.

The wire is gone.  There were a lot of small staples all away around the perimeter. I was able to pull them out with a small pair of wire cutters.  There is a noticeable scar in the wood where the staples were.  The braces closes between the 2x4's held in place by the pressure from each side.  There are other braces have screws holding them in place.  The next group of braces are staggered some to make room for the screws. 

The bench was held together with grabber screws.  Most of them were pretty easy to remove.  My drill speed up the process.

I finally finished with the demolition of the bench.  All 2x4's will be used in wood projects that I will make in the future.

Comments and questions are welcome

Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ Through Music

Today is Christmas Eve.  The ward choir, which I am a fifth chair member, has been practicing for the Christmas program for two and a half months.  Our last practice was at 9:15 this morning.  There was only one meeting today which started at ten.  We were ready.  It went really well. There were a lot of good comments.  Sheri, our choir director, made some thank you treats for the choir.  There is a front and back to them as shown below.

The freezing temperatures have caused the Devil's Ice Tower to grow.  This photo was taken this afternoon.

Carol fixed a good dinner with meatloaf, small Yukon Gold baked potatoes. sweet corn from the garden by the way of the freezer, and green Jell-O with condiments

We watched several Christmas programs on TV.


Comments and questions are welcome.

Eagle Mountain - Family- New Traditions

Carol has everything for the taco soup. The recipe and all the ingredients ready to go.  After break fast she made the soup.  We boxed up the present last night and loaded up the trunk of the car.

 We drove to Eagle Mountain, to be with Eric and April and their children, and most of the rest of the family.  It was good to be there.  There were five different soups, chips, crackers, and deserts.

Tai, Emi, Lisa, and Quentin on Lisa's lap.

 Carol is holding Quentin.

 I have Quentin on my lap.

Everyone had a good time.  Melissa conducted a game where there were two teams.  The wives on one team and the husbands on the other team.  Melissa read a question.  One team would write down a comment related to that questions.  The other team would guess who wrote the question.  It was pretty funny.  Most chose correctly.  Melissa did a good job.

Several weeks ago we drew names.  Everyone brought a present for the person whose name was drawn.  That was pretty fun.  I had hoped to show a video about the birth of Jesus Christ.  For some reason Eric could not get it to play on the large TV.   We had to skip that part of the program.

We made it home at six.  The weather forecast was for snow.  The roads dry all the way to Eagle Mountain.  There were a few snow flurries while we were there, but the roads were dry by the time we got to I-15 and dry all the way home.



Questions and comments are welcome,

Storage Self in Garage

The plan today is to build a shelf on the east wall by the door about two feet from the ceiling.  I had planned on doing this for a long time.  There is a lot of stuff, or junk, stacked against the east wall that has to be removed.  I need room for the ladder.  I watched You Tube videos.  There was one that looked easy to do.  I watch it three or four times.   I would build it on the garage floor and then lift it up and attach it to the studs and the trusses.  I would need a lot of help to hold it up and screw it into the trusses.  The lumber needed is two eight foot 2x4's ripped in half.   I will call these 2x2's or boards.   I screwed the first one to the east wall.

To hold the first 2x2 I screwed two blocks into the wall at the right height.  I placed the board on the blocks.  The screws I used were too long and I could drive them in all the way.  I tried to screw them out which was difficult.  One I could get out.  Using a chisel I split it in half and finally got the block off.  Using a large screw driver and vice grips I got them out.

The next one is screwed to the ceiling trusses which are on two foot centers. I did it several times before I got it right.  That proved to be more difficult than I thought.  I marked the board at two foot centers.  I drilled two holes in each end for the screws.  One end were straight and the other end was at an angle.

I held it up with the other 2x2  I needed some shorter screws which I thought that I would go to Fillmore to get.  I looked for some in the greenhouses and in the garage.  I found enough.  I drilled the holes in the wrong place.  I took it off and dilled new holes.  Finally I got it right.

I cut five 2x4' two feet long.  These are for the vertical pieces.  There is a large piece of plywood by house five that I used for the floor of the shelf.  It was covered with snow.  I swept off the snow and some mud. It was eight feet long and about three feet wide.  I cut off a two foot strip.  I then attached the bottom rail.  The photo below show the finished shelf.

I finished the tool for cutting narrow strips of wood.  The one I made yesterday did work to well.  It sets on the fence.  I can push a board through the saw with my finger safely away from the blade.

Comments and questions are welcome.

Pipe Clamps and Slider

A few snow flakes this morning when I got up.  After breakfast there was about an inch of snow.  I used the blower and blew it off as far as the cord would reach.  Which was about five feet from the asphalt.  I used the scoop shovel to get the rest of it.  I then did the front side walk.  It had snowed some more and after lunch I tried to blow, but the snow was to wet.  The sun was shining some.  I used the wide push broom for the rest of it. What I didn't get off with the broom was melted by the sun.

Cleaned the patio.  

 The bird seed was nearly gone.  One of the tube was plugged by the large sunflower seed.  I dumped it on the patio, which was closer to the house so we might watch the birds feed.

I filled the bird feeder and hung it back in the tree.

 Another big cleaning job.  The card table, that we got soon after we were married, was covered with dust and things that I haven't touched for years.  I moved some and threw some away.  The table is folded and leaning against some of the lumber.

The wood vice hasn't been working properly.  It would not open wide enough to hold a 3/4 inch pipe.  I took it off and fixed a few things and then put it back together.  It opens and close now, but the quick open lever doesn't work.  That is a project for an other day.

 The pipe clamps were standing upright in an unorganized was in a large nursery pot.  I took all of them out and lined them on the floor.  One was beyond repair which I discarded and another one that I was able to fix.  There are nine.

 The tool I built a couple of days ago to safely rip narrow pieces of wood had a few flaws.  I am building a new one which removes the flaws.  It is clamped together in the photo below.  I had it clamped for a couple of hours and would have completed it today.  The clue was not set up.  I did it again and leave it clamped over night.

Comments and questions are welcome.

Fudge, Divinity, & Cookies

This morning is the day of making candy and cookies to give to some of our friends this Christmas season.  Carol had all the ingredients for the candy and cookies.  We began with the fudge, which was fast and easy.

Next divinity which was slow and somewhat difficult.  We had one direction wrong.  It said 160 degrees and it should have been 250 degrees.

We then put on small plates and covered with plastic wrap.  The finishing touch was a bow ribbon and tag.  Later we drove around town delivering the Christmas sweets.  There were a few that were not home.  I walked them to two neighbors that were close to us.

Yesterday, I began work on wood pusher that I saw on Pinterest.   It about two inches wide, five inches tall, and four inches long.  The pictures are up side down.  It rides on the table saw fence.  It will help me safely push wood through the blade.  The results are strips of wood 1/8 thick and could be as narrow of 1/8 inch wide.

I cut off about 1/2 inch of height.  When I was ripping of small strips, it was too tall and it was difficult to hold down.

 Below is another angle.

 We are expecting snow tonight and the tractor tires are flat.   It was quite warm at noon.  I tried to start the compressor, but it would not start.  When it is cold it won't start.  I hung a heat lamp above the compressor.  When I came back a couple hours later, the compressor felt warm, but it would not even turn on.  I took of the cover and removed the reset fuse.  Just looking at it, it looked okay.  I took it over to Richard, our neighbor.  He can fix any thing.  He came over with a voltage meter to check if the electrical system was working all right.  Everything seemed to be all right.  We messed around with it and finally got it working.  I pumped up the tires and filled the compressor with air.  I then put everything back together, and put my tools away.

A sideline is the two tomato plant cuttings that I put in water on December 7 which is two weeks ago is growing roots.  One has numerous 1/4 inch roots.



Comments and questions are welcome.

More Cleanning in the Garage

It was nearly three when we got home from the temple.  I changed clothes and walked out to the greenhouses.  I started some jade plants a couple of months ago.  They are now beginning to root.  

It has been pretty warm today.  And the Devil's Ice Tower is beginning to melt.  The warn water, 40 or 50 degrees together with the warmer temperature took little toll on the ice.

On the right is the lumber rack.  I picked up most of the scrap wood that was on the floor and in a tub and by the radial arm saw.  I leaned some of them behind a cement block against the wall.  The block was to help hold them upright.  I swept and vacuumed the floor.

The photo below shows the lumber rack.  Some of the pieces I picked up, I put on the lumber rack.  I was able to make a much larger place free of dirt and pieces of wood.

 I noticed a tray at the nursery that would be good to hold the smaller pieces of wood.

I started another little project that I will finish tomorrow.  I will have a picture of it when finished.


Comments and questions are welcome.

Lumber Rack is Finished

It was about 8:30 when I started working in the garage.  I finished the four components of the rack Saturday morning.  I took the picture this morning.

All the lumber in the southwest corner of the garage was laid down on the middle of the garage floor near the north door.  Of course, I had to back the car out of the garage and leave it on the driveway.  

The picture is a little fuzzy, but here is the lumber.  The black garbage bags at the front of the picture holds the cushions for the outdoor furniture. 

I moved the four components and put them on the lumber.  Here they are upside down, but I had them right side up and facing to the left and to the right.  I didn't move them all, but only moved one.  When I had it the way that I wanted, I brought the other three out, and lined them up.  I spaced them eighteen inches apart, and used a strip of wood to hole them in place.  Before I move it to the wall I cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood ten inches wide.  I attached it to the rack just above the fourth arm.  By my self I lifted the top end and was able to stand it up right.  With a spirit level I got it plumb.  With a small strip of plywood I braced it.  I drilled holes and put screws into the ten inch wide plywood and attached it two the rack.  The drug it the corner.  

  The next thing was to drill three holes through the plywood in front of each stud.  I then screwed it to the wall.

I put the heavy 16 foot 8/4 inch oak boards on the bottom arm and the one inch oak on the next arm. When we were in American Fork, I did a lot of yard work.  I cut down a big spruce tree and had it sawed into lumber.  It way dry now and is on the top arm.  There were some long 2x4's that I put on the third arm.  There were a lot of short pieces of oak that rested on two arms.  It is done, finished, completed.

There are a lot of short small boards that are two to four feet long.  I am going to make a box that will hold the pieces in a vertical position.  

Comments and questions are welcome.