I haven’t been redirecting the pumpkin vines away from my path because it has been too hot outside. Now they have engulfed it.
I have yet to see a pumpkin produced from the vines. Maybe they’ll find enough sunlight on their journey.
Bye bye path
Make it fit
I had the idea to install an under mount sliding keyboard to a buffet table. This poor table has undergone many modifications as its purpose has changed over the years, and not once was it a buffet table. We purchased it new to be a TV stand, then it became a standing desk, then an electronics table, and now it is going back to being a desk. I purchased a clamp-on keyboard tray as there wasn’t much wood under the drawer to mount anything. Unfortunately the clamps wouldn’t fit under the drawer, and there is a gentle curve to the underside support that makes the right side thicker than the left. Hm. So I chiseled out space.
I used a small pull saw to cut across the grain at the ends of the dado, then used a chisel and mallet to remove the wood between the cuts.
I’m pleased with the modification (which is good because there is no going back now). I can sit and use the keyboard at a comfortable height, or move the keyboard up and stand at the desk if I wish, depending on what I’m doing.
It works!
The new bearing that I made for an antique great wheel works! It is slightly longer than the original, but since the maidens adjust separately, the fraction of an inch difference doesn’t affect functionality.
The shaft of the bearing ended up being a little thick. It was a tight fit, but needed to be able to rotate to hold the accelerator wheel as the maiden post was twisted up or down. I used my pocket knife to shave off some of the wood so the bearing could rotate.
I spun for about an hour, working on my yarn width consistency and testing out my new part. It worked just fine! And rotated in the socket when it came time to stop and release the tension on the drive bands. I always lighten the tension between spinning sessions so the bands don’t stretch. I don’t loosen them enough to come off when stationary, which is standard practice for spinners. I can see though, how someone coming along and turning the wheel might be startled by the drive bands coming off or the parts not moving. The bands just need to be tightened before use.
Rosette square
Here is the next square from the book Granny Square Flair, called Rosette. This one had many firsts for me, with construction of the flower and the making of the frame.
I’m hoping it evens out when I block it, which I’ll do in batches. Hm. I could probably start blocking these as I go. My plan is to put them on a grid with pegs, so they all come out the same size, and I certainly can’t put all 50 on at the same time.
Small for the Great
The Great Wheel I spun with in the basement of the Doss had one accelerator wheel support bearing missing. The previous spinner’s solution was a bit of dowel and a pin, which worked just fine, but I wanted to try to make a replacement bearing.
I took a picture of the original bearing next to a tape measure so I had the measurements. Sorting through my stash I found some copper pipe that was about the right internal diameter of the side hole. This is the main point of friction, so having it lined with metal gives it a longer wear time. I drilled a hole through a 1/2” oak dowel and friction fit the copper pipe (hit it until it went through), then sanded the ends flush with the wood. Since carving small bits of wood is difficult, I worked with a long piece of dowel and carved the shaft at the end next.
My lathe needs assessment and all the bands broke on my belt sander, so I used a small round file to carve the decorative grooves on the bearing, then a coping saw to cut off the new part from the dowel “handle”.
I did some more sanding, then stained the part with dark wood stain to get it closer to the color of the other bearing.
Now it is time to line up a meeting with The Doss to see if the part fits and works with the great wheel!
Critters and Craft 