Wednesday Working – A New Toy

Posted on 12/27/2023 by Andrew Reynolds

This Christmas I got a new toy for the workshop: A Seyco ST-24 scroll saw!

I bought my DeWalt scroll saw in 2010 and I think I’ve just about done as much as I can with that one. It was also starting to wear a little bit and needs some major renewal to keep going. Instead of that I decided to buy a bigger, newer and better model. Seyco is a top of the line tool and I received it before Christmas and put it together this week. I also had to do some rearranging of my shed as this saw is a bit bigger than my old one. The DeWalt is a 20 inch throat while I got a 24 inch Seyco which makes the new saw a touch longer. The Seyco also comes with a dust collection system that I didn’t have for the DeWalt.

I’ve done a few test cuts and tested out the dust collection. It’s quite, low vibration, and less aggressive cutting. Dust collection on a scroll saw is always a problem, but the Seyco system manages to collect most of the dust that falls below the table. Here’s a few pictures of my toy:

Side view. The thing with the tubes is the dust collector.
Close up of the table. The target pattern is a table cover and the lines help me line up where the center is.
In its new home.

That’s it for this week. Next week I’ll be using this to finish the nativity set, until then, if you need me, I’m cutting up boxes for the recycling bin.

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Friday Wisdom – Fog

Posted on 12/22/2023 by Andrew Reynolds

This morning we drove our son to the train station and it was foggy out there. We don’t see much fog here in the desert, but today it was thick. In many areas you could see hoarfrost freezing on plants and cars. On my way back from the station, it dawned on me that I’ve never shared my knowledge of fog — sorry for the mist opportunities …

I remember seeing a fog machine once. It still mystifies me.

I read about a guy who got arrested for buying 100 fog machines. They said he was part of an extreme mist organization.

It was so foggy this morning that when I shot an arrow into the air, it stuck.

I was writing a joke about mist, but it was turning into a pretty bad joke, but I’ll keep working on it as it haze potential.

And what is fog’s favorite drink? Mountain Dew.

The fog really made the captain angry. It mist the boat.

I got lost in the mist today — didn’t have the foggiest idea where I was.

Now I do think we may have had fog yesterday, but my memory’s a little cloudy.

I almost took a job researching fog, but I declined. Thinking back, that may have been a mist opportunity.

What kind of cloud is so weak that it can’t stand up? Fog.

Fog is nature’s mood lighting — seething the stage for a mystical experience.

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Friday Wisdom – Christmas

Posted on 12/15/2023 by Andrew Reynolds

Well, it’s just 10 days until Christmas. Some of you may have heard of this holiday. I know a lot about it and I’m willing to share my wisdom on the subject:

Just read that a man got sentenced for stealing an Advent Calendar. He got 25 days.

The snowman was critically ill and was taken to the hospital – he was running a fever.

A bald friend of mine received a comb for Christmas. He said he’d never part with it.

Did you know Santa has a dog? Its name is Santa Paws.

What do gingerbread men put on their beds? Cookie sheets …

I read that Santa is thinking about buying a motorcycle from the Holly Davidson dealer.

I can always tell when Santa has been around – yes I can sense his presents.

What is another name for Santa’s elves? Subordinate Clauses.

What do they call an old snowman? Water.

I bought some expensive candy canes, well they were in mint condition.

Did you know that Santa is a great race car driver? He always gets the pole position.

I read that Santa had to hire a therapist for his workshop helpers. Apparently they had a bad case of low elf esteem.

Turns out that Christmas trees are just bad knitters — they keep dropping their needles.

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Wednesday Working – Nativity Set Almost Done

Posted on 12/13/2023 by Andrew Reynolds

Here’s the where I am on cutting the Nativity Set:

I’ve got the stable, Mary, Joseph, the baby, a shepard, two sheep and one of the wise guys men. Just two wise men to go:

Here they are at my drill press ready to have the starting holes drilled. It’s taking me awhile to do these because I really only work an hour a day in the shed. I hope to have these finished before Christmas.

Well, that was my hope until I saw that Sheila has released an upgrade to the set that adds two angles, a camel, another shepard and a donkey to the set. I was forced to buy the extra patterns because when I saw the Facebook post about the new figures I foolishly said out loud to Heather, “Oh look, that nativity set I’m making for you has more figures now.”

Now the way I figure it, as tradition has that the wise men didn’t show up at the manger until Epiphany on January 6th so I have until then to really finish all the pieces. That gives me twelve more days to work on this before I’m considered late on the project. Jan 6th is also the date when I turn off my Christmas lights as that’s the official end of the Christmas season. 

But I won’t do the whole when is Christmas really is lecture right now. Maybe later, until then, if you need me, I’ll be ordering more scroll saw blades.

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