More shady deals...

Well, she's done it again

Scarecrow asked me to build more shade for the garden.

No hurry, but it had to be done today since the temp was to be over 40*C!!!

So, to work.

The beds were beds 1, 2 and 3 (see here) and later 4.

The whole vegetable area is now protected from severe heat damage in time for the summer about to hit us.

Bed 1,2 and 4 were basically just the old star piquet with polypipe attached and covered over with shadecloth.

For bed 3 I used an old trampoline frame upturned and covered in shadecloth.

Doesn't everyone have one of these left over from when the kids were home?

Attach the shadecloth to the frame using the same method that I used to attach to the hothouse here.

It only took about 4 hours from start to finish

This included having Scarecrow hem the edges of the shadecloth so we could slip it onto the pipes.

Following that, I started up a fan club for Scarecrow!!!

Regards, Doc

Wooden it be nice...

...to quickly find middles?

Another quick trip around the workshop to pick out a couple of widgets I keep handy.

These are easy to make and very useful.

First, the centre finder.

Ideal if you do wood lathe work, like I do

Using an old bandsaw blade, make a groove in a square of wood and stick the blade in with the teeth showing, thus:

Place your wood up against the two sides and it will provide teeth marks along the midline. Rotate the wood 90 degrees and voila!

Instant centre.

Of course it would probably make more sense if I found the centre of a square piece but didn't have any any since all the blanks have been turned into rounds

Now the midline finder!

How about finding the midline of a piece of plank?

Always did see myself as middle-of-the-road

Anyhoo, simply predrill a piece of wood and wack in 2 nails with nice sharp points.

At the exact centre, wack in a smaller nail.

Click on the piccy to see it close up.

To use, simply drag along the top edge of your wood with both of the end nails touching the side of the wood and it will leave a small groove along the edge.

This is a useful gadget for making accurate halving joints for those people without power tools

Finally, what to do with all those large lidded cans from the copious amounts of coffee consumed

If only coffee came intravenously

Well, how about making some simple wooden handles.

Can be used out in the workshop to store all sorts of stuff or in the kitchen to store pasta, rice or erm, coffee

Regards, Doc

You'd better watch out...

...better grow hair (never could remember the words to that song)

Well it's nearly that time of year for the believers...Christmas

I thought I would just give you frugal people some handy tips on what you can make for the various boys and girls in your life.

You can find these around my blog.

Let your imagination flow. Kids (big and little) love to get hand crafted things for those special occasions.

How about a racing car, balloon boat or a dragster, here?

Howsabout some puzzles. Great with a photo on it

Scarecrow and a gonk, anyone?
She really is sooo much better looking than that

Great use of scrap wood from the project-in-waiting box

Sorry, I don't knit or sew very well but I have had many nice hand made things given as gifts over the years.

Find your own talent. Go on, amaze yourself (and your loved ones)

Each year at the in-law convention (we catch up with Scarecrow's side of the family) we bring gifts of a bowl or a basket containing a variety of biscuits, cakes and other home made goodies.

They are a great hit.

It's almost as if people have forgotten how to do things any more.

Sad really.

Regards, Doc