Jump to content

Wanted: Tardis


Timbo

Recommended Posts

Infamy, infamy, they've all got it ...Alchemy, I mean...alchemy.

I've been slaving over a hot stove. Oh, all right it took a few minutes, but I've been making a beeswax finish for my chopping boards. I was surprised at just how easy it was. Some gently heated mineral oil into which I put slivers of beeswax....about two bars of beeswax to a cup of mineral oil. After decanting to a small jar I let it set outside.

I'm amazed at the quality of the finish. Rubbed into the chopping board, give it some time to soak in, apply a second coat and buff up with a lambswool pad on my drill. Pennies to make and much better and cheaper than the factory made stuff. I know what's in it and can tell customers at craft fairs.

I'm making a second batch with some essential oil in it for non-food related items. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Returning from a trip to earn some spondulicks for RT's coffers...I get roped back into Ellie's YouTube project. A little jaded this morning, it took me until 10 am to get up enough get up to go walk the dogs...go...got too many go's now!  After the walk, I get back to the window sections for RT. About 11 am Ellie rings me to say that I 'need to make a gift for the eldest lad's birthday'. So I potter about trying to come up with an idea. At 2 pm I pick Ellie up for her lunch.
"How are you getting on?" she asks.
"Oh OK" I reply.
"Well you have plenty of time we are not due until 7pm."
"What day?" I ask.
"Today!"

So I redoubled my efforts. I planed and squared two feet of sapele which was eight inches wide. Cut the board in half, and stacked them one on top of the other. With a 5.5mm drill bit, I drilled sixteen holes through the top section of wood and halfway through the second. I swapped the bit out for a 41mm forstner bit and after separating the top plank from the bottom I drilled four 41mm holes straight through the top.

I then cut the top board in half lengthways, and at the bandsaw took a rectangular piece from the inside edge of both pieces. Still at the bandsaw I cut some sapele dowels to around 70 mm in length. A good clean up with a flat file along all the sawn edges and I broke out the router to round over all edges. Time for some glue. I glue the dowels into the bottom plank and hammer the top two planks on to the dowels. Finally, after a good sanding, I applied some oil, let it dry, applied a second coat, let that dry, applied some beeswax and buffed everything up with the lambswool pad chucked into my drill.

The very last touches were some small rubber anti-skid feet, four shot glasses and a bottle of Jack Daniels.
DSC_0006.JPG

A bit rough and ready...but it's a gift all done by 5:30 in time to pick Ellie up.

 

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another couple of days working on....projects. Something totally different this time. Ellie has had me photographing fragrance bottles for her next YouTube video. I wasn't happy at all with my first attempts, so I persuaded her I needed to use the proper kit. So,  it was out with the light tent, a couple of large softboxes and, after messing about with an iron for an hour to get the backdrop smooth, off to Trent Plastics to buy a 1mm thick sheet of plasticy type stuff to use instead!

My very first photo's of fragrance bottles were garbage!
Stronger.png

But with the right gear...
Creed Flat.png

They are a bit better...but flat!
Creed Correct.png

With some tinkering...I can get the colours to pop, but they show every speck of dust that the naked eye couldn't see.
Creed TouchUp.png

So a quick fiddle in photoshop and they are a bit better but I then nip off to the plastic shop and buy some plastic. To my amazement, I discovered that not only are the photos better with the plastic base but...
Bottle Hangers.png
...it does woodwork too!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

For details of our Guidelines, please take a look at the Terms of Use here.