a 60's-ish cornflakes box...
and a 60's-ish marlboro box.
also a table an chair set box from...
that's right! ohio... akron, ohio.
as i sat on the kitchen floor during a hard day of work on the house, trying to find a solution to buying the wrong wood blade for my roto-zip, frustration mounted quickly. then, as if knowing my overwhelming frustration, my puppy took over me and used me for a bed.
it made me smile! :)
our neigborhood is sprawled with "pesticide free" signs. we didn't know much about them, other then the obvious, until we stumbled upon an application at our local hardware store.
for the bag, i choose a gatemouth jr. becareful, tool weight adds up quick! the jr has allowed me to carry all of the tools need, at a decent weight.
trusty leather gloves [i've gotten more cuts on my hands than i can count] and a small brush and pan. it makes andrea smile when i clean up after a project!
this is the same hammer my dad got me when i was 12 years old. i keep anticipating the handle breaking, but stanely make a good hammer. a trim pry bar and a cat's paw.
we've been working on rewiring our house; a little at a time. lineman pliers [blue handled] are a must! also, in the upper right is my greenline power tester...a MUST for any old-home-renovator!
drill bit set and drill driver bit set. not a fan of dewalt drill bits, as they are expensive and break easily. i've been trying hitachi "green label." they've been quite excellent...and cheaper!
my dad bought me the nail pullers [red handle]. they are awesome! they'll grab onto an tiny nail head!
flashlight with incorporated stand; i've used the heck out of this!
many screwdrivers have come and gone. i stick with this series of craftsman. i'm on my 3rd or 4th set. they last forever, however not when you seal them up in your walls!
measuring tools. the orange blob on the left is a carpenter pencil sharpner. i know i should use a utility knife, but i hate the point it gives.
over all glance. here's everything in my tool bag.
I'm always so bad at remembering to take a 'before picture.' This is the best I could do (just picture it all the same color as the bottom.)
Brooke let me borrow his orbit hand sander...
It worked great!
Mmmm....mint green.
It took a few coats of paint.
and....ta-da!
This table really opened up our living room, and gives Townsend more room to romp!
An easy weekend project on a small budget:)
in order to maintain the style of fence panels, i need to assemble the gate with mortise and tenon joints. not my favorite task, but i'll try to be patient and do my best.
i like to use a spade drill bit to remove as much material as possible before using a hammer and chisle to square off the corners. your other option is to buy a mortise press.
if all is done right, your should get a nice smooth joint. if all is not done right, chisel more out and add more glue!
i was surprise at how much i got done in just a few hours. i'd say the mortise and tenon joints will be well worth the time i spent. now all i have to do is add the screen and mount the gate.
mom! dad! i wanna help you measure! just give me a second.
there, i got it. will three inches do?!
i've acquired a few favorite tools over the years. these are my most recent: ear plugs. i use to try to 'man up' and just deal with it, but recently i've noticed some hearing loss. maybe it's all of those loud guitar amps and saws! i've grown tired of always saying 'what?' and 'huh?' so i've 'manned up' and have started using ear plugs. the best $6 i've ever spent. no more ringing ears, imagine that!
start with a wood frame. we choose pressure treated. each panel consists of one 2x4x8 ripped down the middle. each piece is mitered and then a 1/4 inch groove is ripped down the middle of the cut side. corners are assembled with glue and one fence/deck screw.
this wire fence material is used within the frame.
sometimes you have to do a little jig on it to flatten it out!
the wire is cut and end to fit in each panel.
sometimes it take a while to get a perfect snug fit!
even townsend lent his expertise; 'looser dad! it needs to pop out easily!'
close off the forth end.
'enough of this fence stuff. let's go to the puppy park!'
this should hold the pup in.
once outside, the panels 'should' fit between the fence posts.
using the 1/4 inch groove, screw one fence/deck screw in and level and plumb the panel.
once level and plumb, screw in 3-4 screws on each side.
