Boards too nice to use.
It is easy to talk about those fancy dishes that we are saving, but stay out of my wood shop!
My lumber bins overflow. Walnut, Oak, Alder, a bit of Mahogany and Beech, some Black Locust and Maple. Then out in the back lumber shed there is more.
Our budget is being squeezed and I have long wanted to have a good clothes drying rack for Miriam. She is willing to use one. So one day a while back we drove out to the collection of stores that might carry such things here in Idaho and found several.
The $10 one was not even junk. A better one was $30. But it wasn’t very good.
So we came home without one. I looked on line at the Lehman site (http://www.lehmans.com/). They specialize in non power using house devices, catering first to the Amish and then to the rest of us who are so inclined.
They have a good rack, I knew they would. Oak and “only” $80. Worth every penny, but pennies are short. They did give added information. The rungs were ¾ inch dowels, and the end pieces were ¾ by 1 ¼. That is enough information, from that I could make one.
Which brings us back to my lumber pile. I have some really nice oak boards in this pile, saving for something. But a while ago I got to thinking and realized that I am not going to be doing any more big projects, and that I really should figure a way to use some of those precious boards, and not save them so carefully!
So this morning I pulled a particularly nice piece of Northern Red Oak out of my stash. Straight grain about 8” wide. Perfect. So I cut it to size to make the drying rack.
We also need a shower curtain rod for the upstairs bathroom. In my stash I had this really nice piece of oak. I was saving it for something and yesterday I decided this was the time.
So, today I cut and machined the pieces for both projects. I finished and assembled the rack, but I got it wrong, it is a fairly complex piece of geometry, so I took it all apart and did it again.
Right now it is sitting on its side on my bench, almost finished. Very soon Miriam can use it for it’s intended purpose. And, she can use it inside or out, and I will save some more bucks.
Clothes dried outside smell so good.
Gratitude #83 - Sweet Biddies!
11 years ago
4 comments:
Dad, that is soooo coool!!!!!
YUMmmmm!!! I love outside dried pillow cases. I forgot that joy! Remember that string Sid hung for Jessie to use for volley ball practice? It's kinda high but... I think it would work.
Take pictures of YOUR drying rack, I wanna see!
Are you available for commission? ;-} I'd love a hand-made drying rack!
I spent a month in western Ireland last summer and learned so much about being "green." The neighbors had recently built their dream house. Very beautiful, taking full advantage of being right on Galway Bay. They have 3 young children and, on purpose, no dryer. Instead they have outside and inside drying racks.
Since coming home, I came up with a compromise. I put everything in the drier for 10 min. to shake out wrinkles (setting my phone alarm) and then hang the clothes to dry in my sunroom. Right now I'm using chairs but a drying rack would be so much better.
Hum, again, how about working on commission?
The line in the wood business, when making a new product: The first one you throw away, The 2nd you give to a friend and the third is a keeper!
It is a long way from my house to yours, but otherwise, sure.
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