Whale Time (2).

Whale 2 - Voila!

[Deep-sea diver needs a rear-view mirror!]

[Ever thought of yourself as an entree?]

I could have called this piece of wood work "Swim, Forrest, Swim!" But "Fast Food" stayed on my mind because I was hungry at the time I reached for my metal letter kit and punch.

My first two whale-art-pieces now adorn my study and are inspiring a few other ideas, one already started as seen below:

[All the wood shavings make a good fire-starter.]

The whale and sailboat may be ready for sanding and painting by the end of this week, so I may have a wee sale of odds and ends in my driveway this weekend. Yard sale, birdhouse sale, whale sale - three in one!

Over the next ten years I'll actually have to have many a sale to help clear out stuff in my basement! Having a few hand-made pieces should make the sales a bit more fun.

More to follow.

Please link to Whale Time (1).

Photos GH

Whale Time (1).

Dry Wood and Palm Chisels. And Paint.

[My back deck is big enough for one blue whale.]

Now that I have finished a dozen birdhouses and tidied up the workshop I can give attention to two or three slats of wood that seem to be perfect for a bit of art craft.

A piece of fir from an old shelf - flat, almost knot-free, and easy to chisel - has been repurposed with a pencil sketch of a whale and help from a set of palm chisels. Removing a 1/8th-inch-thick (approx.) layer of fir from all the right places, one small stroke at a time, can be relaxing work. Sanding and painting the resulting surfaces can be the same.

Soon after I took the top photograph I added navy blue trim as a frame. More rescued lumber came in handy and looks pretty good, in my opinion.

["Singing the Blues" is ready for market, so to speak.] 

A dry piece of pine barn board (12 by 24-inches), rough on both sides, also took well to a pencil sketch, this time of a stylish, yet territorial and squared-headed whale. 

 ["Swim, Forrest, Swim!"]

[A few more details are still required.]

I have been spreading the news that my work in the shop will be slowing down as my research and writing efforts gradually increase (related to my Dad's Navy days). 

If another weekly column finds its way into my routine then expect to be informed on this space, or redirected to a new blog related to the new column.

And more whales will follow too, just for the fun of it.

Please link to Workshop Variety Pack (2).

Photos GH

Workshop Variety Pack (2).

Cedar Birdhouses, Whale Art and Palm Chisels.

 Smaller models than usual, for smaller birds in smaller gardens.

Recently, once western cedar log cabins were under control (5 of 11 are already finished), I spent time on houses that should catch the eye of local gardeners, i.e., four small units that can be planted in a small garden. Two are in progress, above photo.

The four red cedar houses are now finished and are sitting atop metal poles and waiting for GOG1, June 1.*

The black metal pole plus house is about 6-feet tall.

Work continues on a hand-carved, art piece that will feature a blue whale. 

Palm chisels make quick work of removing lots of wee bits.

More to follow, so stay tuned.

*GOG1, June 1 is Gathering on the Green, a big local event coming up this Saturday in Wortley Village.

Please link to Workshop Variety Pack (1).

Photos GH

Log Cabins from Old Cedar (2).

Log Cabins Ready for The Green.

Five of 11 log cabins are finished, a week before GOG1, June 1*.

This week I will work on six more log cabins made from rescued western cedar from Joe Flagler's dock.

Now, Joe's new dock - on the Trent Severn waterway coursing through Fenelon Falls - will not be ready for rescue and turning into birdhouses and various other projects for another 20 - 30 years or more. So, 'til then, I'll just continue to putter around in my workshop, waiting for the inevitable call.

It will likely go like this:

"Hi, Gord? This is Joe. Do you want a load of nicely-weathered cedar 2 by 6s?"

"Well, I still have a dozen planks left from your last dock but I think I can use those up pretty quick. Same problem at the land-fill site as last time, Joe?"

The darker part of the face is rescued pine, as is the wooden spoon perch!

"Yes. Those beggars want to charge me $150 per pickup load of lumber if I drop it off at the landfill. Yipes, it would cost me an arm and a leg to get rid of this big pile of planks."

"Okay. I'll rent a moving truck, like last time, and see you in about a week."

"Thumbs up!" I'll say.

A sturdy pot scraper makes a sturdy perch!

While puttering in the future I will try to come up with a few new designs for rustic birdhouses because I'm running low on wooden spoons.

*GOG1, June 1 is Gathering on the Green, next Saturday, on the Green (behind the old Ed. Centre in Wortley Village).

Please link to Log Cabins from Old Cedar (1)

Photos GH

Workshop Variety Pack (1).

Log Cabin, Wee One, and One Whale!

Five log cabins are of good size and require a bit more trim before I can say, "Fini." Hopefully, they will be ready to bring indoors for storage by the end of this weekend.

What's that? Yes, Friday does look good for motorcycling - so maybe they'll all be finished by late Sunday. : )

Four smaller houses (made of fine red cedar, almost ready to be placed on metal poles) will be finished by next Wednesday, after a bit of paint work is completed.

Custom project. A faint sketch on a piece of old fir shelving.

Sometime today I will have a whale of a time with palm chisels, hoping to turn the above sketch into a finer piece of wood work, and thinking all the while about how to paint the beast and then frame it properly.

More positive progress to follow as days quickly go by toward my June 1st deadline.

Please link to Log Cabins from Old Cedar (1).

Photos GH

Log Cabins from Old Cedar (1).

Waste Not, Want Not.

Old cedar from Joe Flagler's dock.

I am making 11 log cabins that I should call "Joe Flagler Specials" because I rescued the cedar deck boards from Joe's dock 5 - 10 years ago, and it looks better every year!

I still have a bit of trim work to do in order to finish the first five birdhouses, e.g., a perch, roof edge trim, picket fence, windows, roof ridge, etc., so you will see a few photos in the next few days as progress continues.

You've been warned! : )

The two darker triangles atop the tiers of logs are old 'rescued' pine.

While working on this set of houses a fellow dropped by with cedar scrap from his sauna project. I said 'yes' to the lumber because it is just the right size and amount for three small bird houses I want to attach to three metal poles I rescued. Good timing, I say!

More to follow as Gathering on the Green approaches, June 1.

Please link to another birdhouse w Joe Flagler's cedar deck board at Rustic Harrison Specials (3).

Photos GH

Gathering on the Green, June 1, 2019.

Fine Tuning the Collection.

"Really, I have two dozen birdhouses all set to go. Only 12 more are needed."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Spring has almost sprung. In another 2 - 3 weeks the workshop should be warm enough inside - without two heaters in operation - for me to sort out an easy work schedule.

By 'easy' I mean easier than last year. Because the writing/research side of my brain has geared up over the last few months - and I have plans for a news column and second book re my Dad's Navy days - I want to downsize the agenda in the workshop and upsize the writing.

'Easy' definitely means no more Little Free Libraries, Swap Boxes, or larger pieces of woodwork (Rietveld chairs, Purple Martin houses, shelf units) unless my lovely wife wants something done.

I'm sure I'll still find time to work on sets of rustic houses using my large stock of old western cedar:

I'm sure I'll still build a few custom models each summer, to use up a pile of license plates or slates for roofs:

So, here's to an easier season in the workshop.

Please link to Rustic Harrison Specials (3).

Photos GH