# Coronovirus shutdown projects?



## mlau (Apr 27, 2020)

Hey everyone,

I haven't been here for super long.
With this coronovirus shutdown, I've found myself with unusually much time...more than I'm used to.

I've been trying to finish/come up with projects to keep busy.
Thinking of making an end grain cutting board from some quartered walnut that I salvaged the year I got my dental license.

Recent project include some saya, rehandled kitchen knives, and a cutting board.








Do you have any interesting/fun projects?


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## bkultra (Apr 27, 2020)

Moving this to the new section dedicated to all things covid-19.


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## mlau (Apr 27, 2020)

No worries. Wasn't sure where to put this.


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 27, 2020)

I really like those handles. What's the wood?
I too have been making the most of my time making some sayas.


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## M1k3 (Apr 27, 2020)

Working on organizing my tiny kitchen! I keep telling myself "At least you have a normal sized stove and refrigerator." I got one of those standalone pantry/cabinet. That helped clear out some hallway shelves. Which helped clear room in the bedroom closet.... But still need more. Going to get one of those wire shelf racks next.


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## mlau (Apr 27, 2020)

Nice saya!

I have a hard time with anything harder than pine. Tried walnut, but didn't get very far. Currently, just using Basswood exclusively.

Btw, I'm a huge fan of Revashelf for organization stuff.


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## mlau (Apr 27, 2020)

The handles were from a piece of flamed claro walnut from McBeath, in Berkeley.

I think that I paid $18 for the board? I thought it was pretty expensive, and was going to use it for a guitar neck....but it was too flamboyant.




Going to make a lot of pretty things with this. Probably mostly knife/tool handles.


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## mlau (Apr 28, 2020)

btw, any tips on finishing flamed walnut? 

I made a puukko with similar wood, but the thing darkened under cold-pressed linseed oil (so figuring dissappeared).


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 28, 2020)

mlau said:


> btw, any tips on finishing flamed walnut?
> 
> I made a puukko with similar wood, but the thing darkened under cold-pressed linseed oil (so figuring dissappeared).


Have you tried Danish oil? I have found it really brings out the best in wood grain.


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## mlau (Apr 28, 2020)

I might. Wanted it to be foodsafe though.

On a side note, has anyone tried making a folding bread knife?
I'm tempted to get an Opinel, and cut in serrations before reshaping the handle. 

While I have the Lamsonsharp Batard knife coming in, I hear that they're pretty heavy.


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## TheNewMexican (May 15, 2020)

Good looking projects. I use mineral oil for all my cutting boards. Not a high luster but certainly food safe.

Projects so far include framing out / tongue and grove finish on a closet, garden boxes and next is to finish the yard fence.

Noticed the workbench in the photo. After a 3 year contract I finished working out of country back in 2014, I just basically checked out for 8 months and focused on days filled with coffee, woodworking and beer. Pretty much in that order. The thumbnail is a workbench I made during that time. Approximate weight, 400 lbs.


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## lars78 (May 24, 2020)

3D Printing


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## lars78 (May 24, 2020)

transforming an old workbench lamp into a living room lamp ( with 3D printet cableclips )


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## TheNewMexican (Jun 6, 2020)

A collaborative project between me and a luthier........ I've liked this style of guitar for many years but wanted something unique. I've got a couple of stratocasters with quilted maple tops and just love em. 

Humbucker choice has been a tough one. I've been watching the Doug and Pat show on youtube, "Chasing Oscar" which is an original 1959 LP. Went with ThroBak pickups for the vintage vibe.

I think it's coming out great so far!


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## Michi (Jun 7, 2020)

TheNewMexican said:


> I think it's coming out great so far!


That is stunning, absolutely beautiful!


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## chefcomesback (Jun 7, 2020)

Making steel from scratch


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## Matus (Jun 7, 2020)

I have started to bake from sourdough (keep your boos, I know that IG is full of this lately  ) I got to the point where most groceries we eat are home made. Only possible because of home office setting.


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## TheNewMexican (Jun 16, 2020)

And..... one more.........

Had cut out the pieces for this fire-pit last fall, but never got around to stitching it all together. *&^% welding three dimensional stuff with compound angles is tough!

Second pic is after a coat of "engine paint". Rattle can says it's good to 2000 F,,,,,,,, we'll see..........


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## roughrider (Jul 1, 2020)

Upgraded an old Zinsco electrical panel to a new modern Square D panel. Installed 2 new air conditioners, 1 at my house and the other at my brother's.


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## mlau (Jul 17, 2020)

Been making a bunch of gelato and sorbet for my neighbors/friends.
Most recent one has been plum sorbet.


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## mlau (Jul 17, 2020)

On a side note, do you have some good ideas for presents to cooks? I'm thinking of carving some spoon/chopstick/ladle rests.

FWIW, now that dental is reopen, I'm busier than ever. There's way more administration, and trying to find PPE is a PITA...as is dealing with the SBA.


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## paranoia_bro (Jul 23, 2020)

mlau said:


> On a side note, do you have some good ideas for presents to cooks? I'm thinking of carving some spoon/chopstick/ladle rests.
> 
> FWIW, now that dental is reopen, I'm busier than ever. There's way more administration, and trying to find PPE is a PITA...as is dealing with the SBA.



What about tweezers? Iron to Adamant does some great wooden handled tweezers for inspiration


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## paranoia_bro (Jul 23, 2020)

mlau said:


> Been making a bunch of gelato and sorbet for my neighbors/friends.
> Most recent one has been plum sorbet.
> View attachment 87465



Feel generous enough to share the recipe?


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## chefcomesback (Jul 23, 2020)

Baked a steel cake


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## paranoia_bro (Jul 25, 2020)

chefcomesback said:


> Baked a steel cake


D E N S E


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## mlau (Aug 18, 2020)

paranoia_bro said:


> Feel generous enough to share the recipe?



Make simple syrup: 1:1 water to sugar by volume. Set aside.
Get some fresh, organic plums. Pit them. Boil them. 
Puree syrup and plums together. Add a dash of low-fructose corn syrup (I use Karo's from Safeway)
Keep adding syrup until an egg can float (with 1 nickel's surface area showing) No-Recipe Sorbet: The Egg Test

Throw in ice cream maker. 

Sorbets are more of a "feel" than a recipe, since fruit has variable amounts of sugar.
The Low fructose corn syrup is key to the proper silky mouth feel.


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## Barashka (Aug 19, 2020)

Started off with some bread making, here's most recent:
(full progress Breadmaker recommendation request)

"I'm going to need a bigger bread knife .."





Inbetween that just was messing around with making guided sharpening rig:
(full details here Building a guided sharpening system for full size stones )








And now off to un-planned project .. but when back gate and fence is falling down board at a time ..

.. also Home Depot is empty, never seen it like that, apparently, everyone else needs to replace their fence too.






Actual progress this weekend .. hopefully.


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## mlau (Aug 19, 2020)

That's a pretty hard core sharpening rig.

As for the knife, I'm picturing you forging one out of kill bill...


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## mlau (Aug 19, 2020)

Currently, trying to grow Alpine strawberries and White soulberries.








White Soul Alpine Strawberry


120 days. An improved form of species Alpine Strawberry, White Soul reaches only to about 6 inches in height and yields small white to cream colored, aromatic fruit over a very long season. Similar to “Yellow Wonder”. 6-12 hours of Sun Sprouts in 14-48 Days Ideal Temperature: 60-75 Degrees F...




www.rareseeds.com












Alexandria Alpine Strawberry


120 days. Deep scarlet, egg-shaped fruit weighs two to three grams each. Everbearer that yields the first season from an early planting. A very productive alpine sort, sweet and flavorful. 6-12 hours of Sun Sprouts in 14-48 Days Ideal Temperature: 60-75 Degrees F Seed Depth: Surface Sow Plant...




www.rareseeds.com


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## Barashka (Aug 31, 2020)

Mild update with before and after:

(there's a bunch of happened like prying 10ft poles out of the ground with a crawbar, bending it in process, running out of concrete, nearly breaking my drill, a few sunburns and bumps on legs when 4x4x8s fall out of my tired hands)


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## mlau (Aug 31, 2020)

Bragging rights= priceless


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## TheNewMexican (Nov 28, 2020)

Put together a couple of plant stands. Want to do some indoor gardening during this winter. 1 1/2" x 1/2" barstock, oak stair treads which were like $20 at home poo-poo (best thing is I didn't have to cut or sand anything). Rattle can paint job in black. Got some grow lights on the way. A crop of carrots, radishes and beats are the first order of the day! Sorry about the crappy picture, everything is in the basement for the time being.


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## hijackn (Dec 5, 2020)

We rebuilt our interior staircase (stringers were mostly ok, just a small repair - we replaced all the treads and risers). We've started looking into a kitchen remodel next. Our house is very small and very outdated/cheaply done. I'd like to build all the cabinetry ourselves but my wife has vetoed that pretty hard


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## Michi (Jan 8, 2021)

Well, the greater Brisbane region (over two million people) is under a strict lock-down since last night, provisionally until Monday evening. We had a local case of the UK mutation, and the government is stepping in early, rather than waiting for an outbreak first. Even though it's inconvenient, that's probably for the better.

We are back to the eerily quiet days we had back in March and April. Shops are closed, except for essential ones, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, and petrol stations. Restaurants can sell take-away food only. No-one is allowed out except for essential work (if that cannot be done remotely), outside exercise with one other person and only in the local area, etc, etc…

I've been hacking my Bradley smoker. Installed a fan a few days ago and, last night, a 900 W heating element that replaces the original 500 W one.




Also added an internal temperature probe for a PID controller:








I have plenty of plans for smoking things now


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## TheNewMexican (Feb 7, 2021)

Wheels were rubbing on the wheel wells of my truck, so I "machined" some custom brackets to get some lift. The tires were pretty heavy, so my boy helped me mount the axels and install the new rims.


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## daveb (Feb 7, 2021)

Michi said:


> We had a local case of the UK mutation.....



Why is it ok to call it the UK variant but NOT ok to call it the China (or Hunan) virus?

I'll go ban myself now.........


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## Michi (Feb 7, 2021)

Over here, the press seems to have settled on “Wuhan strain”, “UK strain“, and “SA strain”. You don’t see B117 or N501Y all that much.


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## Keith Sinclair (Apr 9, 2021)

TheNewMexican said:


> A collaborative project between me and a luthier........ I've liked this style of guitar for many years but wanted something unique. I've got a couple of stratocasters with quilted maple tops and just love em.
> 
> Humbucker choice has been a tough one. I've been watching the Doug and Pat show on youtube, "Chasing Oscar" which is an original 1959 LP. Went with ThroBak pickups for the vintage vibe.
> 
> I think it's coming out great so far!



I just saw this that is a beautiful guitar


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