This is the first day of December, there are only 24 days until the holiday, “Christmas”. My present wife has misplaced a stand for her largest Christmas tree. This tree is the last to be put up as it goes in the dining room, and takes space that is needed when family come to the Homestead for food, I mean to visit with family.
As I have previously stated, I offered to make her a new stand from some old wood that has been laying in the back 40. The wood was a 4 X 4 by about 5 feet. For the non-wood butchers among us, a 4 X 4 is in reality a 3.5 X 3.5 inch piece of wood.
I made my plans on paper, this plan helps me to constipate, I mean concentrate on the wood working project by having a plan.
I measured and marked the wood and checked my measurements prior to the first cut. I then decided to check the measurement of a store bought tree stand, to be sure I was making the home made stand large enough. This measurement caused me to change my plans from 16 inch to 20 inch long.
I then re-marked the wood, double checked the measurements, and then began to cut the wood. First two cuts were vertical the next 4 cuts were 30 degree cuts all on the ends of the boards.
Each of the two boards would need to have a cut based in the middle of the wood 3.5 inch wide and 1.75 inch deep. The wood will be put together using those cuts to make a one piece stand.
Completing those cuts and some wood chiseling I put the two pieced together. ERROR, the 3.5 inch by 1.75 inch cuts were both on the same side of the wood, one should have been on the bottom while the other should have been on the top.
After an appropriate amount of crying and self-deprecation I again focused on the project and butchered another piece of wood. This time I made the 3.5 inch by 1.75 inch cut on the correct side.
I have a photo of a chiseler in action. Please note that the wood mallet the chiseler is using, was created (made) by this same senior retired chiseler several years ago. The devise hanging on the chiselers pocket is used to keep the dog from barking. Click photo to enlarge.
Even though I was working on the driveway there was saw dust everywhere, even in the garage. I had the electric leaf blower / vacuum / mulcher in the garage so I used it three different times in an effort to keep as much of the saw dust out of the garage as possible.
I did drill a pilot hole into and through the connecting wood pieces. This hole was then used to guide the 1.5 inch drill bit through the wood. That was not easy but I did complete the holes. I finished the project, or at least I thought I had finished. There was another problem, the tree when inserted into the 1.5 inch hole that was there to hold the tree erect, allowed the tree to lean just a little, but it was enough that I and my present spouse could see it.
It was getting late and I decided to clean up and put away the saw and other tools.
The cleanup complete I decided to have a beverage outside on the fords ole rocker since the weather was nice and warm. As I sat there enjoying my beverage, a thought came to mind, the homemade tree stand could be put together in one of two ways, had I put it together wrong? I was able to get my tired ole retired body out of the Ford’s ole rocker and stagger into the garage. I pulled the tree stand apart, turned the top piece, and put it back together. I then installed the bottom portion of the tree, and it was vertical, no leaning!
You are correct, I am good! Photo of the homemade tree stand with the lower part of the tree installed. Click to rejoice.
Plan your projects but expect the unexpected!
Senior retired wood butcher; Don Ford
No comments:
Post a Comment