Shop Notes 2

The 6 oval boxes are well underway. Over the weekend I shaped the strips (bands) for the lower and upper box parts. These were soaked in hot water for over ½ hour. The newly painted water tray performed perfectly (and this time I emptied the water out to keep rust away). The strips were formed into ovals around their foam forms, and hammered into shape with the copper tacks. After 2 days I took them off the forms. I then prepared the thicker material that makes the box tops and bottoms. These were cut and milled to their respective thicknesses. Last night I traced the ovals, cut and shaped the box bottoms and tops, and installed the bottoms. That is done by drilling through the thin bands into the thicker bottoms, then rolling toothpicks in glue and tapping into the holes. At lunch today I trimmed the excess toothpicks and sanded them flush. Next will be to repeat that process for the tops and sand the boxes.

In case you haven’t seen the oval music box project from last year, here is the link:

Click here.

As often happens, while I am working on one thing, something else pops up. This time I got a card from a niece in California who is graduating high school. I had already made her sister a cherry pen (from a tree in my backyard) a couple years ago when SHE graduated. So I thought it fitting to make another pen for this graduate. Would be nice if I had a little stockpile, but as with the oval boxes, my supply of cherry pens was zero. However, months ago I started preparing to stockpile some cherry pens and had already worked up the blanks for 2 pens. Last night I turned and finished one of them to send to California. At lunch today I shaped the second one but have not finished it. Hopefully, I won’t be like Michelangelo and leave a bunch of unfinished works when I die.

While driving, it occurred to me that if I don’t get working on it SOON, 2010 will come and go before I finish the restoration of the mahogany upright piano. Not sure if I have blogged about it before. The piano was given to me by someone who had it in their basement for years. It looked sound yet required some cosmetic touchups. I found a web site dedicated to piano repair and restoration and started. That was years ago already. The piano was built in 1910 (again, searched the web) and I would like to have it restored some time in 2010 when it is 100 years old (and have a party with a professional piano player). If I blogged about it I will find the link. Anyway, the sound board and harp were good. Most of the hammers and keys were good. A few repairs are needed that I can do, but aren’t trivial. Lots of felt to replace. Need to strip and refinish the cabinet. It’s a big job but I still have a little over a year (thinking that Michelangelo thought again).