tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76773347855906700102024-03-21T09:06:05.529-04:00Tattered Jeans & Saw DustGuide to Living WellHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-28999818382573522272021-11-07T20:48:00.001-05:002021-11-07T20:48:35.763-05:00A milestone<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2nKq8hTdrc/YYh9nBif9kI/AAAAAAAAZ5U/PRdSSE1T6zobpG_N09Y2i0EVki6_UGoAwCPcBGAsYHg/s4000/IMG_20211107_144653426_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2250" height="373" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2nKq8hTdrc/YYh9nBif9kI/AAAAAAAAZ5U/PRdSSE1T6zobpG_N09Y2i0EVki6_UGoAwCPcBGAsYHg/w245-h373/IMG_20211107_144653426_HDR.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Meet Bruce the spruce</span></div><p></p><p>Today is a milestone on the homestead, my wife and I planted the first tree on the property. As a carpenter, woodworker and lover of nature I feel a strong connection to trees. Sadly since I moved into the house back in 2015 six large trees have come down, both by chain saw and mother nature. The trees in the yard were part of the great appeal of the home, for an inner city property large trees really make a place feel more in nature and I greatly enjoyed the sights of the leaves. Each time one of the great beauties came down my heart sank putting me in a bleak sour mood for days, so putting this tree in the ground is really a big turning point for the property and for me. Ashlee and I are trying really hard to make this property better then it was, building soil health, increasing native species, providing habitat for all manner of creature, as well as utilizing it to be self sufficient, enriching our lives and giving back to the land.</p><p>This little spruce was growing up between the cracks of our very old asphalt driveway. It was only a matter of time till a truck tire or snow shovel destroyed the sapling, and my heart, heavy with the loss of so many other trees, couldn't take the thought of this happening. So carefully I dug up the small tree and placed it in a pot, where it stayed all summer soaking up sun, water, our affection and being named Bruce the Spruce. It is nothing short of amazing the connection one can make with things such as trees. With winter fast approaching, and predictions that it will be a harsh one, Ashlee and I were grew concerned. Roots buried in the ground fair much better then those in pots when exposed to freezing temperatures, the cold could potentially harm if not killing the young tree. It was time for Bruce to be given a proper home.</p><p>I'm lacking photos of putting young Bruce into the ground so take my word for it on the process we took. It began with picking a location. The front yard is full already with some trees and many garden beds, and a smattering of lawn (not all lawn is terrible as some people might have you believe, I will elaborate on that in a future post, bare with me), so Bruce could not go there. Back yard it is then, but where. North side of the lot would be best, but the wood lot eats up much of that available resource and the shop eats up the rest. The south side can't be used, Spruce trees can get rather tall and the shadow Bruce will cast one day will be a problem for our ever growing vegetable gardens. The location then is on the south side of the shop cornered to out future utility patio space, here Bruce's eventual shadow will be a blessing for the shop, helping to cool it in the summer, roots may be a problem however that is a bridge to cross later. The ground here was slightly depressed though so we didn't dig a deep hole for the sapling. Planted shallow we built up the ground around Bruce first with a layer of compost, to provide easily accessed nutrients until the roots establish and can burrow through the native clay soil. Then a layer of cardboard and wood chips, to establish the new grade level and suppress the lawn and weeds. Before all that I put two new fence posts, for the future yard fence, in the ground to minimize the disturbance to new roots next year. Finally Ashlee and I used some salvaged brick from when we deconstructed out chimney to create a border around Bruce's new home.</p><p>We have high hopes for this small tree, the roots looked amazing when we popped it out of the pot, it thrived all summer. This location will see plenty of sun and water, no competition from other trees and being so prominent in the yard it is bound to get lots of our attention. Ashlee and I have plans for more trees on the property, including a small fruit orchard, but these are goals for the coming years. For now my heart is glad to see a new tree take root on this land, even if we don't stay on this property forever I hope this little tree will grow for years to come and that any who are present around it enjoy it as I do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJ5gF3moBPg/YYh-469D0fI/AAAAAAAAZ5g/lTM2a9zRwegyHgRbn0eycclq3v9dBBKUACPcBGAsYHg/s4000/IMG_20211107_144644978_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJ5gF3moBPg/YYh-469D0fI/AAAAAAAAZ5g/lTM2a9zRwegyHgRbn0eycclq3v9dBBKUACPcBGAsYHg/w449-h253/IMG_20211107_144644978_HDR.jpg" width="449" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The new home of Bruce, fencing behind to come at a later date.</span></div><p><br /></p>Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-46841858869145080302021-10-23T15:44:00.000-04:002021-10-23T15:44:06.432-04:00Listening to My Wife<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lb9mtqxhITc/YXRfcnLi0rI/AAAAAAAAZvM/QfbKKhERMoY_8rc3UIhD5dbNMWqm3eNKwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210906_134717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1860" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lb9mtqxhITc/YXRfcnLi0rI/AAAAAAAAZvM/QfbKKhERMoY_8rc3UIhD5dbNMWqm3eNKwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/20210906_134717.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>When my wife said she thinks I'm a good writer I had the same reaction that I do anytime someone gives me a compliment, I didn't except it. I self analyse, over critique, judge, and doubt myself anytime someone tells me I am good at anything. However when she told me I should do more, I did hear that loud and clear. I have wanted to write for as long as I can remember. I don't because of the stupid fear of judgement of others (a topic for another day). I also understand that the best way to get over a fear and to improve at something is repeated practice and exposure. That means this post maybe one of the most important. I am going to get back to writing, for a couple of reasons. Practice will make me a better writer ( a skill I really want to improve). I like writing, I enjoy the process, and find it cathartic. I have some ideas and thoughts I believe are worth sharing (they are by no means original but still worth putting down on paper (so to speak)). And finally, when my wife has a good idea I try to listen and try even harder to do.<br /> <p></p>Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-84420828951730345292016-03-18T19:41:00.000-04:002016-03-18T19:41:33.458-04:00First of the SeasonThe warm weather is upon us, so the calls for outdoor projects has begun. A previous customer called me up wanting to make some improvements to the front of their home. I really enjoy working for repeat customers having that past working relation usually makes the process more comfortable for both parties.<br />
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Previous to my arrival the homeowners deck was surrounded by a poorly installed and frankly ugly plastic lattice. The homeowners understandably did not like this and asked me to make an improvement. After some discussion it was decided to install new 1"x 6" vertical pressure treated fence boards.</div>
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After removing the lattice I installed a new sub rail to support the new deck skirting. This took a fair bit more work then anticipated as the front of the deck was out of level. After some shimming and shaving and adjusting the new vertical boards were nailed on level and in a straight line.</div>
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And this is the final result. Able to report happy clients again.</div>
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The clients also asked for a gate on the side of the deck so that they can store items under the deck during the winter, so of course I obliged.</div>
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In the end a simple project that resulted in a dramatic improvement to the curb appeal of the home, and it was nice to be working outside again.</div>
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Cheers</div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
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<br />Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-42164517689488211002015-03-08T15:50:00.001-04:002015-03-08T15:50:45.562-04:00Finding Focus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jack of all trades master of non, a common enough expression. Mastering a trade will take you very far in the construction industry, but to take yourself far in your own business you need focus as well. Without focus you end up running all over the place and getting, ultimately, no where. Admittedly this focus is something I lack; I just have way too many interests that are all slightly related. Building furniture is not so different then building custom millwork, and trim carpentry is in the same ballpark home building. Isn't it?<br />
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This lack of focus has plagued me for sometime now, and it is no where more apparent then when people ask me what I do.<br />
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"What do you do?" </div>
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"O I...you know I build...stuff, O and I renovate...and make custom furniture...and do some traditional woodworking and...you know other stuff...I yea make things"</div>
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"Right" (silent slow head nods follow)</div>
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"you know I build...stuff" is not a great opener especially if it is a potential customer or business relation you are meeting for the first time. Also not so great on a first date either.</div>
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Recently though I have been spending time trying to reconcile this problem and gain some much needed focus. I know what I like to do, and I know what I don't like to do, I know what I want my business to accomplish and what I don't want it to venture into. Knowing this is going to help me narrow down my focus, so now I am not running all over the map, more like ,maybe, two soccer fields and a baseball diamond instead.</div>
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I would love nothing more to work in my shop or in someones home building wonderful wooden "Things". I would love to never have to answer phone calls, or read emails or deal with stupid people.</div>
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I do however want to own a successful business, and I want that business to renovate old homes and bring them up to modern standards.</div>
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So what is my focus. Broadly speaking I want to run a renovation business that specializes in updating</div>
older homes (preferably in the 100 year plus range). The hope is this will combine my love of building with my love of traditional woodwork (old homes are full of traditional woodwork ,usually), and if I am lucky this will be successful so I can gain free time to spend on my other passions.<br />
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Cheers</div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-13658166257685681992015-02-28T17:50:00.001-05:002015-02-28T17:50:54.542-05:00Speaking about WoodworkingI had the privilege to speak to the Kingston Woodworkers Association today. The KWA put together a great symposium to discuss woodworking joinery. I was included in a great line up of talented Ontario based makers and felt honoured to be asked to join them to speak. If I can make one complaint is that I had way too much to saw and way too little to speak.<br />
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This was my first time speaking to a group of people this size, nearly sixty faces staring at me, and they were a great group. Everything went off without a hitch. I even got a few laughs during both of my talks.<br />
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With this presentation finished and behind me now there is one last thing to think about and devote attention. Now I can focus on paying jobs, and get some work on my house done (notably my shower plumbing).<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-50472388100918526972015-02-20T20:24:00.001-05:002015-02-20T20:24:56.130-05:00Getting On TrackThings are getting back on track finally. Yesterday the electricians finished their work in the Shop, the walls are drywalled and I even have heat on in the shop. I moved in the machinery and all my tools which means I am finally where I wanted to be several weeks ago, now I can focus my attention on completing paying jobs I've had to postpone.<br />
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The shop does need more work, all the drywall need to be plastered, cabinets and proper storage needs to be built, and the exterior still needs several inches of rigid foam installed and new siding over top of that, but all of that work will have to wait till warmer weather comes around. Big step today though was moving in my toolchest it feels great to see that sitting in my new shop.<br />
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Yesterday I started a new job, a custom stair railing, for a new customer. A few weeks ago I began the job by signing a contract with the homeowners and doing the design work for the stair rail.<br />
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I got started with the on site work by protecting the existing carpet. The carpet is not to be replaced so I have to make sure not to damage it, so I nailed on some canvas tarps to the stairs using 1x3 and 2" brads. The nails will pull out easily after work is finished and will leave no sign of being there.<br />
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The majority of the work will be done in the shop, making the posts and railing, and then installed on site. The next step is to purchase the materials and get them in the shop to start building the posts.<br />
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Follow along to see how work progresses on both this stair rail and on the shop.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans Christopher<br />
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<br />Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-65443394173047547162015-01-30T19:01:00.000-05:002015-01-30T19:01:46.678-05:00Shit Happens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am finally in my new place full time and that is a great feeling. For my first time moving it went smoothly, but it did take a long time, and I did learn a lot during the process. Chief lesson is do not rush your move but do as much of the move in a single shot as possible. I spent several weeks and many round trips between Perth and Kingston moving my belongings to my new home, and in the end I still had to rent a 14' truck to move the last of my things before I had to be out of the old apartment. Lesson learnt, I should have rented the truck at the beginning and done the move at once; this would have saved time and in the end money.<br />
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Simultaneous to the move work on the house has begun. First step was to get the house livable. Prior to my taking possession the house had been vacant for half a year, doors and windows closed and no one cleaning, which resulted in lots of dirt building up and a funky smell developing. So for me this means spending lots of time cleaning and painting (and cleaning) just to feel comfortable in the house.<br />
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With the cleaning taken care of the first big project for the house is to get the garage converted into a workshop, a place to work on paying jobs as well as a place to work on the house.<br />
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The original plan was to rip out the existing wall board, pull out the insulation, run new electrical, reinsulate with better quality insulation, install new new drywall, put down a floor and then move in the machinery and get working.<br />
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However, the moment after the bin was delivered and I started pulling out drywall things went sideways. There is a double layer of drywall, making it harder to rip out, taking more time and creating more waste: meaning I need a bigger bin, and then the shit really hit the fan. After the drywall came off the south wall I found I was missing 30feet of sil plate. Missing is the wrong word stolen is more appropriate. Ants and water damaged completed devastated the wall framing and now I have to fix it.<br />
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On to plan B.<br />
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Cheers<br />
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Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-32485855390189010772015-01-11T14:15:00.000-05:002015-01-16T12:48:26.073-05:00A New Year, A New City, An Old House2014 is over and so is my time at <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/">Rosewood Studio</a>. I started as a student at Rosewood in January of 2013. For three months, Ron Barter the owner and full time instructor, showed me the ropes of building wood furniture. After finishing the <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/index.php?action=cms.dyncms&id=37">12 Week Craftsmen Program</a> I was shocked and honored to be asked to stay on at the school as the Resident Craftsmen, a position previously held by the talented maker and (now) great personal friend <a href="http://www.nickmoore.ca/">Nick Moore</a>.<br />
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In the twenty one months after completing my program I was able to: build many wonderful pieces of furniture which you can see <a href="http://www.h3designconstruction.com/#!furniture/c1wpg">here</a>, help teach new students along side Ron, acquire commissions, attend exhibitions and conferences, meet amazing teachers (<a href="http://www.garretthack.com/">Garret Hack</a>, <a href="http://www.adrianferrazzutti.com/ferrazzutti/home.html">Adrian Ferrazzutti</a>, <a href="http://www.michaelfortune.com/">Michael Fortune</a>, <a href="http://blog.lostartpress.com/">Chris Shwarz</a> just to name a few) and continue my own education.<br />
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Thank you to everyone I meet during my time in Perth, you all helped make this beautiful small town my home for two years.<br />
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Now I begin a new phase of my life and it is a big step. I am moving to Kingston Ontario where I have bought a house. I will be renovating the house while simultaneously trying to make my business <a href="http://www.h3designconstruction.com/">H3 Design & Construction</a> my full time employment.<br />
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I hope that you my readers new and old will continue to follow along as I do the renovations.<br />
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Just before Christmas I completed a hall bench for a new costumer. I would have posted during the actual construction of the piece except the piece was a surprise. Now that is has been delivered to a very excited customer I will be posting about the build in the next couple of weeks.<br />
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Finally you can now follow H3 Design & Construction on Facebook click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/H3-Design-Construction/1549940015241223?ref=hl">here</a> to get to the page. I am new to Facebook so be patient as I get started using the page.<br />
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Best wishes to everyone in 2015.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans Christopher Mueller<br />
<br />Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-51158100545937636882014-02-01T15:33:00.002-05:002014-02-01T15:33:50.960-05:00Photos, Counters, and NoiseNothing exciting occurred this week at all. Work on all my projects continues, some much slower than others.<div>
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In the shop this week students learnt about cutting all types of joinery commonly used in furniture making; half blind and sliding dovetails, through mortise and tenon joints and even dowel joinery. Big shout out to the students at Rosewood this week for making me laugh, you guys rock and best of luck to all of you in your woodworking futures.</div>
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After this week I have concluded that the extra bench in the machine room is a nice addition (so that I always have a bench to work at), but it means I work in an environment that is very loud and full of vibration (when any of the machines are being run) and after a short while in that setting all I want to do is find a quiet place to escape to, I look forward to getting back into the bench room next week, where the natural light and quiet environment are much more comfortable to work in.</div>
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To avoid the noise and calamity of a full wood shop I worked from the office a lot this past week. I reviewed the designs for the kitchen and found a mistake I had made. Luckily I caught the mistake before any material or time was wasted and I am now working on a solution to fix said mistake. Wednesday I drove around speaking with suppliers to get price estimates for granite and quartz counters. Four stops and four seemingly identical conversations later I found a company I liked and will hope to do business with on the kitchen renovation.</div>
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I also spent a fair amount of time at my drafting table designing small wooden objects that I could possibly do in small batch productions this year. Items such as mirror frames, book ends and boxes of various shapes and sizes. I will begin prototyping these ideas so and hope to be selling them in the next few months.</div>
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Wooden coasters I made this week</div>
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I did get some work on the hall table done as well. After a trip to <a href="http://kjpselecthardwoods.com/index.html">KJP Select Hardwoods</a> to purchase some walnut, I broke down all the stock in to rough pieces. The pieces are now going to sit for a few days to acclimate before I begin milling them to final size.</div>
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Breaking down all the components for the table except for the top</div>
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And Finally I have spent a few hours today re shooting some of my past pieces. The hall bench and the walnut box I have shoot on a brand new backdrop that I will use for all my portfolio shoots in the future. A big thanks to my clients for allowing me to come back and re shoot these pieces in their home.</div>
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Re shooting the bench and walnut box</div>
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Cheers</div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
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Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-42830419065944017522014-01-25T15:44:00.003-05:002014-01-25T15:44:45.302-05:00In The ColdLike much of North America it has been very cold here this past week, and I am sure I am not the only one wishing to crawl back under the blankets and wait for spring to roll around.<br />
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None the less work and life continues. Rosewood has been very busy this week with the eight students learning about machinery, how to set it up correctly, use it and of course safety. With so many people in the shop and Ron talking it has been hard to work there (no fault to anyone, just the way it goes). I have been spending time at my computer instead (drinking lots of tea) working on the website, this blog and researching sustainable furniture and business practices, more on this to follow.<br />
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Ron explaining how to safely use a router table</div>
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My kitchen table has been reassembled, but it is not finished yet. It is no longer at risking of falling apart if someone sneezes on it, but the top still needs to be re stained and a coat or two or three of finish still needs to be applied.<br />
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Kitchen table with one leaf folded up</div>
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Work also continues on the kitchen renovation. The cabinets are now being constructed, I am waiting on a completion date so I can budget time for the rest of the work that needs to be done. Next week I will be driving about to source lighting, plumbing fixtures and counter tops.<br />
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A second kitchen has come on to my plate. I am helping some homeowners refinish their kitchen cabinets. We began yesterday by cleaning the cabinets very well with a solution of TSP and water. This will help to insure the new finish will adhere.<br />
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Finally I am working on a piece of furniture at this time. My hope is that I can get this piece into a gallery so that people can see my work in person, not just on the web. I am building a hall table out of maple and walnut, similar in design to my coffee table I built last summer. Pictures and update will follow as I get underway with this project.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-14508531254892657092014-01-18T15:06:00.002-05:002014-01-18T15:06:20.824-05:00Kitchen Table Re BuildThe first week, of Rosewood's winter<a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/index.php?action=cms.dyncms&id=37"> 12 week craftsmen program</a>, has just ended. Lucky for me I still had a bench space this week, only 7 students, so I began repairing my kitchen table. When I got the table as payment for helping a friend clean out his garage (so practically free) it was in very rough shape. The finish was faded and scratched, the table was wobbly and coming apart and the whole thing needed a good cleaning, and after living with it in this state for roughly a year I figured it was time for some fixing.<br />
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I removed the top from the base, scraped and sanded it down, to remove scratches and blemishes. I was surprised to learn that the top is made of walnut, not surprisingly the top is made up of many thin strips and little to no care was taken to achieve good grain matches, so I will be staining the top to unify the colour of the heart and sap wood before I put a finish on.</div>
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Blue tape to keep the epoxy off the wood surrounding the joints</div>
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The base of the table was assembled with dowels and glue, and all of the joints on the stretcher had failed. I separated the joints the best I could and glued everything back together with epoxy. Epoxy will stick to just about anything so I did not have to remove the old glue. A few hours later and I had a solid base again, no more fear of my table collapsing in the middle of a nice Sunday dinner.</div>
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The repaired table base</div>
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Next step will be to stain and finish the table top. I am not going to stain and finish the base of the table. The table is not worth the time it would take to protect it with finish and the base will not be seen much so there is no need to make it look any better than it does. The top will be seen and abused much more so it is worth the time to add protection and improve its appearance. This will also give me a chance to try a new finishing product. I am constantly looking for sustainable solutions in my woodworking, so for this table top I will try using a waterborne stain and finish. Better to practice on a piece for myself then on a client's piece if I like the result and it is easy enough to work with I will use it on other jobs.</div>
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Next week is the <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/index.php?action=cms.dyncms&id=12">mastering machinery</a> class at Rosewood, and it is fully booked, so normally I would have no space to work in. Ron however moved a small work bench into a corner of the machine room and I will be able to work there for the next two weeks.</div>
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My other bench space.</div>
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Once the table is finished I will be posting photo's here as well as my website <a href="http://www.h3designconstruction.com/">http://www.h3designconstruction.com/</a></div>
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Cheers</div>
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Hans Christopher<br />
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Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-48292113777840264992014-01-09T14:34:00.000-05:002014-01-10T07:43:56.660-05:00New Years Resolution, One Of Them At LeastI mean this in the most humble way, but I am constantly trying to improve myself; either as a designer, crafts person or human being, and I believe I am very successful at this. Once I complete something I begin thinking of a way to achieve a better result the next time; maybe I can do the same thing faster, more accurately or for less money. My father said to me "first do it right, then do it better" when I was starting in the trades, and this simple idea has become a personal motto and a big part of my business model.<br />
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New Years is a great time to take stock of one's self and look forward into the New Year. I am writing about this here because this year one of my resolutions is work related and is as follows: To provide handmade, well designed, well-built and sustainable furniture at an affordable price and enjoy the process of building it. I hope I can accomplish this. I truly believe that everyone should be able to afford well made goods, while I simultaneously make a good living. Maybe I am naive or maybe I am simply wrong, only time can tell, but I am definitely going to try and maybe even inspire others to do the same.</div>
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Cheers</div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-11253129982509519252014-01-07T19:11:00.000-05:002014-01-07T19:11:33.389-05:00New Year Blues<div dir="ltr">
Two days into the new work year and it is damn cold here. Bummer because cold brings everyone's energy down which is not what you want when you are trying to began the new year on a high note.</div>
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I have begun the planning for a kitchen renovation, same house I replaced the siding on this past fall. Brand new kitchen in a very old house can be a challenge, unexpected things behind the walls, floors out of level, nothing square and to say nothing of matching a new kitchen to an existing homes style.</div>
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To avoid issues in the project forethought and a certain elasticity in the plan help. Plan for the worse hope for the best.</div>
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I've got the scope worked out, the plan is to refinish the floors, paint the walls, install new cabinets, move appliances and set a new tile back splash. A straight forward renovation nothing outrageous nothing that pushes the boundaries.</div>
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Next step for me is to put together quotes from suppliers and other trades to finalize the budget and once that is done I can draft the plans for the work.</div>
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In other news I now have a website for my business H3 Design and Construction, check it out at <a href="http://www.h3designconstruction.com/">h3designconstruction</a>. Let me know what you think of the website and the work I've done. And keep checking back to see new work.</div>
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Cheers<br />
Hans Christopher<br />
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Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-59730788562949702292013-11-30T09:14:00.001-05:002013-11-30T09:14:07.724-05:00Round the BendCurrently on my bench is a bench. A sitting bench. This project started last Tuesday with a trip to <a href="http://kjpselecthardwoods.com/index.html">KJP Select Hardwoods</a> to purchases the cherry for the bench uprights and drawer components. At the end of two weeks I have both of the uprights constructed.<br />
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The uprights are faceted. Each of the eight staves (per upright) has a 4 degree bevel cut on the edge. When all put together the have a slight barrel shape. To get the best glue joints possible I hand planed all the beveled edges to remove the machine marks. Then I planed the inside faces which will not be possible after glue up.<br />
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I then began prefinishing the staves (easier to do now), and this will also help in the removal of any glue squeeze out.<br />
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The finish is three coats of garnet shellac, followed by three coats of super blonde shellac and then two coats of wax buffed out with a cotton cloth.</div>
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Next week I wont be at the bench much as <a href="http://www.adrianferrazzutti.com/ferrazzutti/home.html">Adrian Ferrazzutti</a> will be in at <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/">Rosewood Studio</a> teaching box making. With a full class means I give up my bench to a student, I will still be around helping out with the class and may be able to get a little work done.</div>
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Cheers </div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
<br />Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-22844279326272891292013-11-18T18:27:00.001-05:002013-11-18T18:27:20.953-05:00A Much Wanted ItemYesterday was the bi-annual <a href="http://www.ontarioantiquetools.com/">Tools of the Trade Show</a> in my home town of Pickering Ontario. If your in the Greater Toronto Area, and even if your not the show is the place to go to find antique tools and other cool things. Yesterday I scored an Emmert pattern makers vice.<br />
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The vice as I bought it</div>
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The vice is in remarkable condition, it worked perfectly so all I needed to do was clean it up a little. So today I did just that, I fully disassembled the vice (carefully) and cleaned off and out all the schmutz (a technical term). Then I reassembled (carefully) the vice.</div>
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The built in metal dogs spring loaded and fully functional</div>
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Few things blur the line between beauty and functionality. This vice really does just that. It is an amazing piece of engineering that I have wanted for a while. I cannot wait to get this mounted on a bench.</div>
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The thread and cam mechanism cleaned and reassembled</div>
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I also made a set of maple jaw liners for the vice, there a little nicer on wood then the cast iron. I also plan to make some wooden dogs to use instead of the metals ones (again the wood is a little gentler then iron).</div>
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I finished restoring a walnut blanket chest recently as well. A pain in the butt job, but it paid off in the end.</div>
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Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-63007594731213711882013-09-21T17:00:00.003-04:002013-09-21T17:00:52.689-04:00Going up in the WorldLooking back a year on my life the picture below is a great testament to how far I have come in a professional sense.<br />
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View first thing Thursday morning at work</div>
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This is the view from the porch roof of my latest project. I am currently repairing some fascia and sofit, as well as installing new drip edge, eaves-trough and downspout. A year ago I would have been doing similar work in the middle of a big city where the view would have been very different. Now instead of hearing busy streets and car engines I hear birds singing and wind rustling leaves. And instead of seeing asphalt and row after row of houses I see trees and wide open fields. For me this is a great improvement and I find that I enjoy the work I love even more in these beautiful settings.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v1IYCP2rY2M/Uj4DfhC7tGI/AAAAAAAABZY/xk_mDirJk7o/s1600/IMG_20130919_150540_311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v1IYCP2rY2M/Uj4DfhC7tGI/AAAAAAAABZY/xk_mDirJk7o/s320/IMG_20130919_150540_311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The job on the farm house has expanded slightly. Starting Monday I will be replacing the wood siding on one side of the house above the porch. I have to build a work platform before all the work can begin and that means some demo first. If the weather holds I should be able to get the work done this week, and have a great time doing it.<br />
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The new wood fascia board installed</div>
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Being on a site means little shop time. Classes are still underway at Rosewood Studio students finished up the <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/index.php?action=cms.dyncms&id=12">mastering machinery</a> course this week. When at the school I am working on a blanket chest restoration. I began by stripping all the paint off the chest, with scrapers and chemical strippers (as little as this as possible). </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SNUW0P1KgBs/Uj4Gz-QXepI/AAAAAAAABZk/fTGzlt-wuKw/s1600/IMG_20130828_104701_698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SNUW0P1KgBs/Uj4Gz-QXepI/AAAAAAAABZk/fTGzlt-wuKw/s320/IMG_20130828_104701_698.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Under the white paint there was green paint and under that there was some very brown shellac. And under all of that there was walnut, I have no idea who thought it was a good idea to cover up the walnut, non the less the paint is all off.<br />
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Though it took a fair bit to get it out of the moldings.</div>
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Recently I finished a small and simple project. A set of coasters for myself, made out of scrap walnut. Fun to do and super easy. The set of eight are book matched and sequential from piece to piece.</div>
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Cheers</div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
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Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-14435541114878237692013-09-13T11:54:00.001-04:002013-09-13T11:55:15.299-04:00New Semester The Fall semester has just gotten under way at <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/">Rosewood Studio</a> here in Perth. The students for the six and twelve week classes settled in this week and right away began learning about handplanes and sharpening. While I, at the back of the room, began work on my next piece of furniture. Still in the design process, I am hoping to receive a commission for a hall bench (should know by next week if I have a go ahead).<br />
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Last week I delivered my latest build, a painted blanket chest. The new owner is thrilled with the piece and while it is not being put where it was initially intended to go it has found a good home non the less. The chest its self was a great build and rather fun, a much simpler build compared to the coffee table I recently finished.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dWhaSTMJzQQ/UhezrfQMx7I/AAAAAAAABG0/BejkczgcRUI/s1600/IMG_20130823_144617_367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dWhaSTMJzQQ/UhezrfQMx7I/AAAAAAAABG0/BejkczgcRUI/s320/IMG_20130823_144617_367.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wanted the build to be simple and a relatively quick process so I choose not to dovetail the corners of the chest and instead used a locking rabbet. Much faster then cutting dovetails, and the piece still feels plenty strong enough and should last for years.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mJbelWXZ2AU/UjMN_ZWCibI/AAAAAAAABUY/WEU0kCvKhNs/s1600/Painted+Chest_2013_Portfolio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mJbelWXZ2AU/UjMN_ZWCibI/AAAAAAAABUY/WEU0kCvKhNs/s320/Painted+Chest_2013_Portfolio.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
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The finish is (obviously seen in the photo) latex paint and while I am fairly happy with the final look (the colour is perfect) the paint was a pain to apply. For my next painted project I am going to try another type of paint and maybe spray instead of brush it on.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rf67c8U4vTU/UjM0hMV8B3I/AAAAAAAABU0/tHpva0GiD6c/s1600/Painted+Chest+2_2013_Portfolio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rf67c8U4vTU/UjM0hMV8B3I/AAAAAAAABU0/tHpva0GiD6c/s320/Painted+Chest+2_2013_Portfolio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My hope is to be able to sell more of these chests, as the are quick to build and can be adjusted in size fairly easily I can build them to order in a short turn around. And once my official website goes live there will be a way for people to contact me and place an order. Which brings me to the other project I have on the go right now, a website. I am still just getting under way with the site, but I hope to launch the site the end of this month, so check back regularly for a link to the new site, and do not worry the blog is staying.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-81577307534531966892013-08-22T13:53:00.001-04:002013-08-22T13:53:58.552-04:00Slab TableBusy, busy, busy. Since my last post I have been working non stop, not all ways in the shop though. I have been in the office fairly frequently working on improving my social network, the blog and trying to build a web site. The idea for all of this Internet based work is to help get me more paying work. Normally word of mouth is a good way for a construction company to generate job leads. However being new in town means I know few people and few people know me, but it's getting better and people are starting to know me and what I do.<br />
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In more exciting news my first designed and built piece of fine furniture is coming to an end. This large slab coffee table has been an incredibly fun project, challenging and incredibly rewarding.<br />
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Getting the table base glued up was a bit of a nail biter. Even with sub assemblies the final glue up had ten different glue surfaces coming together all at once; which meant working very quickly.<br />
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After the base glued up I secured the top to the base and began the finishing process. I sealed the top with several coats of shellac to help the final polyurethane coats take more evenly.</div>
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After four coats of wipe on polyurethane the table is finished and looks fantastic, I am really pleased with how it turned out. I will post portfolio pictures of it once I've got them, as well as shots of where the table will be located in my house.<br />
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And now on to the next project. Look closely and you can see it lingering in the background.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-50161551863346190682013-07-29T17:23:00.002-04:002013-07-29T17:23:50.064-04:00A Huge Can of Worms, I Mean AntsThis past week I framed a small landing and stair case in a carport, as well as repair some water damaged board and baton siding, well I thought it was some water damage. Further inspection revealed ants, a lot of ants, like seriously a lot of ants.<br />
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Beneath the siding I discovered several ant nests and a two by ten that had been eaten down to the size of a two by four. <br />
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So a simple repair job turned into a much more involved structural replacement job.<br />
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First step finding out just how bad the damage was. This meant digging back into the house removing siding and sheathing to see how far the ants had gone, lucky they did not go far and had only damaged one structural member (all be it an important one).<br />
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Having found all the damage I could then go about repairing it. No small task. A temporary wall went up to take the load off the roof rafters so the beam could be removed and a new one installed.<br />
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After the new beam went in the temporary wall came down new plywood sheathing went up followed by an air barrier, strapping and finally the new siding.<br />
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Later this year I will be going back to paint all the new siding that was installed after I replaced the beam.<br />
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Was a good project, fun to do. Involved a few sustainable solutions (deconstruction instead of demolition, recycled materials, and materials that can be recycled). Now on to the next one.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-90043481472669452782013-07-27T18:25:00.001-04:002013-07-27T18:25:17.258-04:00Cool Sustainability Tips<div dir="ltr">
OK so these tips may not be cool as in hip, styling , or happening, but these tips may help you stay cool this summer, especially if (like me) you lack air conditioning in your home.</div>
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The simple close line. Hang your stuff out to dry on a line instead of using the dryer. You will save on energy and not generate heat running the dryer. Best location for a close line is out side in area that gets lots of sun (and a breeze would be fantastic). If you cannot find a space like that no worries. Just about any place will work, so long as the humidity is not to high (close line in a sauna not so good).<br />
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LED light bulbs and LED fixtures. New LED bulbs are amazing the bulbs last for a long time so you won't be spending money on replacements frequently and fewer replacements mean less waste. Yes they cost more initially but reports indicate you can recoup the cost in energy saving in two years. They also produce virtually no heat helping to keep your home cool.<br />
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Use a barbecue (grill for my American readers). Gas cooking is more efficient then electric cooking so you can save energy, and cooking outside won't heat up your home.</div>
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Hope these simple sustainability tips help you stay cool this summer, these tips are good all year so try them out. More sustainability tips and ideas to come so stay tuned.</div>
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Cheers<br />
Hans Christopher</div>
Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-72923811759372077442013-07-10T20:25:00.003-04:002013-07-10T20:25:54.590-04:00Productivity <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is fun to go back and build a series of these saw horses. You may have recalled back in January I built my own set of <a href="http://tatteredjeansandsawdust.blogspot.ca/2013/01/week-two-closing.html">sawhorses</a> as part of 12 week curriculum. The fun part is seeing how much faster I have gotten at the operations necessary to construct the horses.<br />
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Today I was able to cut the majority of the joints on all the parts. The majority of the mortises are cut on a specific jig using a router (very Norm like). After all the joints are cut I can finish plane all the surfaces and then it will be time for some assembly.<br />
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Having everything close at hand, ready to go into the jig and the jig clamped down meant the whole routing operation took only 20 minutes. Hoping tomorrow to finish it all off.</div>
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Cheers </div>
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Hans Christopher</div>
Hanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-76258125001201915332013-07-10T08:15:00.000-04:002013-07-10T08:15:36.007-04:00Horses In The ShopThis week I am taking a break from my coffee table project to help out at Rosewood to build two sets of sawhorses for the school. Yesterday I managed to get all the rough maple milled to final dimension, and prepared to have all the joinery cut.<br />
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The saw horses are around 32 inches tall, 26 inches wide and 16 inches deep, and everything gets held to get with mortise and tenon and half lap joints. Nothing revolutionary.<br />
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While I am building these saw horses Ron is in the bench room this week teaching a new group of eight woodworkers the basic of hand tools.<br />
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This is the first week of a two week basics in fine woodworking class. The <a href="http://www.rosewoodstudio.com/index.php?action=cms.dyncms&id=121">class</a> will be running again in August and right now there are still spots available, so if you ever wanted a comprehensive introduction to woodworking this is a great value and a fun time. Bonus Perth is lovely in August.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-41998529696721050872013-07-07T20:14:00.001-04:002013-07-07T20:14:04.574-04:00Another WorkspaceOver the weekend I have been setting up and organizing my new home office. My company H3 Design & Construction (which I started back in 2011) is starting to get busy, and now needs some permanent office space. The house I moved into in April has a small room on the back over looking a yard and was previously a bedroom (was a very tight space when the previous tenets had a bed in here). It now is my home office and it seems to work great. Everything is organized and close at hand making the space very efficient.<br />
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I have a drafting table which I use as a desk, a file cabinet to sort all the paper work and holds up my new printer, a new 1 TB hard drive rounds out the office so far. More additions and alterations (I'm sure) to come.<br />
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Next week at Rosewood Studio there will be a class of eight people, so I will be off my bench for two weeks. I will be helping out in the class, running around preparing material for demos and generally lending a hand. I look forward to meeting a new group of woodworkers, should be lots of fun.<br />
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And it's raining again, what a wet summer this year.<br />
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And finally you may have noticed a few changes to the blog's aesthetics. I have been updating the blog to match more with my company's look. I like the new look, miss the old because it was the original blog. All things change though. <br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-68977063506650642732013-07-02T20:41:00.002-04:002013-07-07T18:48:41.136-04:00Nice Legs Seated WellMy gawd when did I get so busy. In three days I finished a drywall repair job (yes begrudgingly I did some drywall work), continued with my coffee table base, received a commission for a coffee table, was asked for an estimate on a deck and a fence, a estimate for a concrete slab and preliminary design and research for a home I am helping to design. This means I have been spending more time at the drafting table and computer then I have in the shop.<br />
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The work in the shop is going very well. I am currently building a large slab coffee table. I have designed and engineered it myself (with some suggestions from Ron). I went through a few design mock-ups, sketches and drafts, but now the solid walnut version is coming together and looks fantastic.<br />
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Getting the 12 legs to fit into the trestle stretcher takes a lot of patience and accuracy to get a tight fit.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677334785590670010.post-38562941280557366522013-06-19T15:30:00.000-04:002013-06-19T15:30:04.961-04:00Tool ChestAfter the twelve week class at Rosewood I was enrolled in the Chris Schwarz Anarchist Tool Chest Class. That was a heck of experience, the class was action packed, lots to learn, and lots to build in five days.<br />
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Chris was an awesome guy, fun to share a pint with, with lots of information to share.<br />
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Laying out the pins</div>
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The majority of the week was spent cutting dovetails, everything is dovetailed; carcass, skirts, till, dust seal. So after five days laying out, sawing and CHOPPING dovetails is almost second nature which is a great skill to have. <br />
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Watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUQfvYRPl40&feature=c4-overview&list=UUm2STQ_7vDrxrCtksNfrEPA">this video</a> to see me assemble my tool chest.<br />
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Fitting the bottom boards of the chest</div>
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I wasn't able to finish the chest in the five days. I manage to get the carcass assembled and the skirts installed. The following week with no class running in the school I finished off the lid and got all the interior storage completed.<br />
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The chest is now complete and I love it. I like that all my tools now have a solid home. The tills on the inside mean everything has a place to go, which helps with my work flow during the day. Once I am done with a tool I find that I put it right away back where it belongs which helps keep my bench top clear.<br />
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The chest now sits behind me at my bench which makes everything I need in arms reach which is fantastic.<br />
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The saw till is screwed straight to the lid and holds my backs saws. A saw till in the chest holds to hand saws and a coping saw, with more space if I want to add more saws.<br />
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The three tills in the chest hold everything from joinery planes to pencils, callipers to braces. I may add some dividers to the tills to keep some items from banging around, but I don't want to limit storage flexibility in the tills.<br />
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Added a tool rack to the chest, the rack sits on a french cleat so it can be pulled out and hung on a wall if it wanted to. Right now the rack holds my chisels, marking knives and marking gauges, but has space to hold more.<br />
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A wonderful project, and a very fun class to participate in. A huge shout out to Chris and many thanks.<br />
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Cheers<br />
Hans ChristopherHanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13007398421229875290noreply@blogger.com0