What did you do today, non-automotive?

[Barry Wolk]

Started the final details of my "forever" deck. It has stainless steel uprights supporting a 10" aluminum I-beam. On that are 2 x 10 joists on 12" centers with a double 2 x 10 every 4 feet. The deck material is EON, a plastic/wood engineered planking with invisible fasteners. The edge is lit with a continuous row of LEDs operating at 12-volts, controlled by a photocell. The railing is stainless steel 1 1/2" Schedule 40 pipe used in the food and dairy industry that I had burnished to a scratch surface. The fittings are Holleander aluminum alloy fittings commonly used in industrial railings. The horizontal stainless wire is 3/16" material that passes through all the vertical uprights requiring that I drill straight through the stainless pipe in 240 locations. This railing system can be adjusted as both ends are threaded and covered with an acorn nut.

The final detail was fabricating hanger brackets out of aluminum bar stock and widening the lower mount to accept rubber washer spacers to allow for expansion and contractions. The glass is drilled with a 1/2" hole in which I inserted pieces of 1/4" ID fuel hose to act as a buffer between the mounting bolt and tempered glass.

Almost done.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/IMG_0652.jpg

Went to the Modernism Show at a local Civic Center. My wife has always wanted a stylish rocker but didn't want to pay $75,000 for a Sam Maloof. Since the Industrial Revolution famous architects have theft their mark by designing trademark chairs. This one is by Leon Meyer, designed and built in 1977.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/IMG_0656.jpg

[Barry Wolk]

C'mon, somebody has to have some interest outside of cars.

[Chuck Lutz]

Ok, I was holding out but here goes. We planted the Topsy Turvy Tomato thingy in the backyard hanging from the fence. I checked this morning and ... nope, nothing yet. :)

Barry, the chair is stunning. I'm hoping it was at least half the price of the Maloof. ;)

Phillip Johnson is now into building little amazing structures on his property. (Don't remember where) Johnson will someday be in the same light as FL Wright. Both a bit off center :)

Somehow I thought the "forever" deck completed last year. Please keep the Holleander fittings clean and they will last a long time too. The stainless schedule 40 pipe will service you very well. (304 or 316?). Oddly enough, with the salt in the SF Bay Area the satin (#4 grain) finish isn't best here as the porus surface can trap contaminates and show, what looks like, rust over time. If that ever happens, baking soda + orange or lemon oil extract neutralizes for great protection.

The glass and fittings look great too.

[Barry Wolk]

Well, it was nearly completed when something occurred here that put a stop to things. It's called Winter, spelled with a capital Brrrrrr. I know you guys don't get that out there.

I'm having a company burnish the remaining pieces for final assembly. I'm not experiencing any corrosion on the fitting. The main rail has been up for almost 8 years.

[Chuck Lutz]

... and it looks great! Finished photos are a must ;)

[Mad Scientist]

OK how about this? Last Christmas my computer died and it wound up being cheaper to replace it rather then repair it. So now with a nice new computer I obviously needed a new computer desk to put it on. Naturally the only way to get a new computer desk is to make one.:)

So I bought some oak plywood along with some padouk(a scarlet colored wood) to trim the edges.
First I made the left side of the desk.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp0.jpg

Next I made the right side.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp2.jpg

Then I added some shelves to the left side

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp3.jpg

Following that I then put shelves along the back

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp4.jpg
Finally added the area for the keyboard

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp5.jpg

Next I sanded it, then stained and put on three coats of polyurethane.
I then disassembled it to be able to move it into my office area where I reassembled it in its current location.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp6.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp7.jpg

Of course my old couch was not big enough for my assistance's to play on so I made a new couch/cot.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp8.jpg

And finally to finish it off I made an end table.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/comp9.jpg

[Barry Wolk]

Nice work. Love your dogs. Got 101?

[Chuck Lutz]

Mad, That's my kinda basement!! Probably a little tough getting the MarkII down there, huh?

[Mad Scientist]

I have “thought” about running a driveway around the to the back of the house and cutting a hole through the basement wall but so far I do all my automotive work in the garage.

However here is a photo tour of my shop. One can never have too many tools. :D

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/shop%20pictures/?action=view&current=b5bdef2a.pbw

Of course just having a bunch of tools doesn’t mean much if you don’t use them. So here are a few of the things that I’ve made.

http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/mscientist/projects/?action=view&current=f68bcd9f.pbw

[Barry Wolk]

I tried hooking up a Wii for my wife. Got so frustrated that I called a friend and his propellar-head kid to come over. They did no harm but did no good. I have audio, but no video.

May have to hire a geek.

[Pat Marshall]

I slid my zero-turn mower into a pond. Maybe this should go under the "I think I did a bad thing" thread?

:o

[Barry Wolk]

Dude, been there, done that. There's something about going downhill on a slope that buries it every time. Something about how they handle. I love my LazerZ, water-cooled. It's a 2000 model with 246.7 hours on it. It'll be my last lawnmower.