Andrew's View of the Week

Woodworking Wednesday – yes, it’s Thursday

Posted on 06/12/2014 by Andrew Reynolds

The remodeling project is heating up. The trim carpenter has been busy the last couple of days on final details plus Heather and I have been painting like mad.

Today the granite people were out to measure the counter tops and tomorrow my electrician is back to start the final stages. Heather’s taken over the project management this week so I could get a little break and spend some quality time at my office. Of course, she’s been swamped with a lot of details, decisions, phone calls and trips to home center. All this work has kept me from doing any woodwork and likely will keep me away from the shop and my keyboard for another couple of weeks. I’ll try to post some pictures from time to time. Here’s today’s finished wall:

The kitchen wall – only one gets this accent color.

The first room in the house likely to be fully completed is the bedroom followed by the kitchen – my two most favorite things to do, eat and sleep.

There are a bunch of furniture and storage projects I’ll be done myself so I expect I’ll have enough woodworking posts to last a couple of years.

If you need me – I’ll be painting,

Andrew

Posted in General, woodworking | Tagged kitchen remodel, remodel, remodeling, woodworking | 1 Comment

Just Cabinets

Posted on 06/08/2014 by Andrew Reynolds

Just pictures this week as I am still in, “work in progress” mode. It’s been one of those kinds of weeks. The remodeling has gotten the better of me and I don’t have the energy to write. The good news is that the home remodeling project has finally turned the corner and we’re now working to put the house back together.

I picked up Heather from the airport last night and I’d rather spend my time with her than writing – sorry folks, I’ve got me priorities.

The big news on the remodel front is that the kitchen cabinets arrived. I had to take a day off work to paint the walls before the installers came and another day to be here for the installation crew. The cabinets aren’t completely ready for use as the drawer pulls are on back order and we need get the granite company out to make their templates for the counter tops.

Here are a couple of pictures of the new cabinets:

Ever since the cabinets were installed, I just stand in the kitchen saying, “This is so cool. Maybe it’s been worth it.”

Till next week,
Andrew

The new drawers and pullout shelves.

The pantry cupboard with all pullout shelving.

The new breakfast bar. Just wait till the counter top is installed.

Posted in General | Tagged kitchen remodel, remodel, remodeling | Comments Off

A work in progress

Posted on 06/01/2014 by Andrew Reynolds

Today our church held a craft show featuring some of the member’s art work. There were quilts, wood turnings, a chair, ceramics, and even a couple of paintings. There was some great stuff there. It was a wonderful show of creativity.

I did take a few pieces to the show. I almost didn’t. It was yesterday morning that I realized that I only have “works in progress” in my shop. Finished pieces are generally given away as soon as they are completed so I don’t have a lot of my own finished work about. Then with my little accident last week I wasn’t able to get into the shop to finish the pieces I had hoped. Plus, with the remodeling in the house the two or three finished pieces I’ve kept for myself are in storage and not accessible at the moment.

Now Heather did plan a little better than me and even though she was out-of-town today, she left behind three of her recent, completed paintings for me to take down and show.

Me, well, I felt kind of embarrassed standing in my shop looking at bits and pieces of things. Sometimes it’s just better to admit defeat and make the best of it, so I printed out two little information signs for our table. One boldly declared, “Paintings by Heather” and the other timidly, “Andrew a work in progress.”

I did bring along a few pieces in various status of incompleteness plus a small selection of hand tools so I could talk about how I make things. Turns out that there a number of people do follow my postings there and I a few asked, “Is this the cross you posted pictures of?” I had a number of pleasant conversations with people and received more than a few generous comments about my pieces (oddly enough there were some folks who actually liked it). Still, I wish I had something complete to show.

It does seem like a theme in my life though – “I am working on it.”

Years ago I knew a person who had this bumper sticker, “Be patient with me, God isn’t finished with me yet.”

A work in progress.

That’s where I am today, feeling incomplete. My dear wife, friend, and love is traveling and I am alone. My house is under construction, my shop filled with half started projects and I can’t figure out how to end this post.

A million begins for a post came to mind – projects I want to start, updates on the house, stories I could tell, history I could explore and knowledge I could share.

but endings and conclusions evade my thoughts.

Let’s just leave today as, “a work in progress.”

Till next week,
Andrew

Posted in General | Tagged works in progress | 3 Comments

Wednesday Woodworking, sort of.

Posted on 05/28/2014 by Andrew Reynolds

I did manage to get a bunch of woodworking done over the long weekend but had to stop for a little emergency room visit.

The really great thing that’s going on right now is that my contractor is on the job installing the drywall and now I’ve got real walls in the house again. So instead of woodworking pictures here’s my new drywall. Feels good to start putting the house back together.

Spirit kitty is doing her own inspection of the work.

The sink area in the kitchen. The broom belongs to the contractor. Tomorrow, I am hoping they actually use it to clean up the house.

The floor wanted in on the action so we’re getting ready for some new tiles.

The living room wall. I am thinking of just keeping the plastic covers.

The new office wall. The computer just lives there.

The bedroom wall. The shoe was an artistic addition to the photo.

Oh, the ER visit? Well, I had a little problem with the table saw – my left thumb touched the blade during a cross-cut with my crosscut sled. Good thing I was using the sled because the damage would have been much worse with out it. As it was I just ended up with a nasty cut, a painful thumb and a small co-pay to have the ER doc check it out and dress it for me. I got very lucky – no stitches and I still have a thumb. The doctor didn’t think she could do much for my wounded pride or damaged ego. Although she did agree that it was a stupid accident. Now she didn’t call me stupid – she just agreed with me that I did a stupid thing. and yes, I still feel stupid, very stupid. I know better. Honest – I use to teach electronic shop safety, including power tool safety. I use to yell at my crew for not wearing safety glasses and stuff.

So I now, I am officially saving up for a new Sawstop table saw. This saw has a flesh sensing device that will prevent injuries like I got (no I am not posting a picture of my thumb). Here is a demo of the saw:

In addition to the great safety feature it is also an outstanding saw. If you ever used one, you’ll like it. I’ve used the saw in a couple of woodworking classes and loved the accuracy of the saw. The only draw back is the price. The model I want starts at about $2,500, before the accessories, so it’s going to be awhile before I get one. Unless one of you out there as a few thousand dollars you’d like to give me… 🙂

and Heather’s already scheduled the long safety lecture with me so you don’t need to worry about that. Sadly, I’ll be out of the shop for a little – doc says I need a couple of weeks for the thumb to heal.

If you need me – I’ll be on the sofa watching old movies feeling stupid and nursing my wounded pride.

Andrew