Spring Time in the Shop

The time of year when I can really open things up and do some cleaning. Get rid of all the dust built up over the winter when I had to keep things buttoned up to keep it warm. It allows me to work on larger projects that can move outside the bounds of the shop. Major projects now will center on a new couch and molding for a bedroom I have yet to finish.

My sweety has started creating some very cool looking raku tiles that will be used in upcoming projects. Ideas that I have at present are a tile top night stand or end table and inserts into jewel chests.

I have a new couch going that I will post a picture of very soon. The primary woods are alder and maple in an Arts and Crafts style. I plan to do some high lighting in mahogany and a few little touches in exotics woods. It is constructed with deep and through tenons with cross pegs on all of the major joints that have been wedged.

I will be constructing it so that the back will fold to the deck and that the seat deck can be removed. I am doing this because many of the couches that I have helped move in the past are so heavy that it takes a team to move them. This couch will easily disassemble to the point that most of the parts can be managed by one person.

I bought some upholstery material some time back with this project in mind. It has now reached the point that I take it to the local upholstery shop to determine cost of that part of the project. This is the couch with the new upholstery nearly complete. The customs and pillows are in paprika and leather and the workman ship of Timberline Upholstery 719-447-9876 was just outstanding I could not have asked for a better job and the turn around from choosing my material to completed project was really quick. You really should visit these folks over on north Stone Street.

Need Zen for Motorcycle Maintenance

I have been trying to trouble shoot my own bike and I am in need of some zen. I thought after all how hard could it be, no computers and an engine that's a giant lawnmower motor. I have a fuel problem. I have been checking the fuel system one step at a time and taking the bike apart as I go. Disconnect the fuel line into the pump (gas all over the place) so that's not the problem. Disconnected the out feed line and turn on the bike and it pumps. Put the line back on and it don't pump. Guess I will sleep on this one its a puzzle I do not understand.

This will be a post of ongoing notes. Maybe I will see the problem in the notes I have taken. Maybe some kind soul who knows more then I do will stop bye and tell me the solution.

Well the solution was fouled spark plugs. Of course to get to them I had to remove the seats, the gas tank, the purge tank, some covers and other things. According to my shop book the carb needed to come off but that was not necessary. It took much longer to get all of the parts off then it did to get them all back on and I had no left over parts. It has been a dandy day. Now the weather will get nasty and I still won't be able to ride. Ain't life grand sometimes?

I now know more about my bike and won't be spending the ridiculous prices the shops have been hitting me with to tune and change the oil every year. Life is sometimes a wonderful teacher and necessity is a great helper.

Finally got a chance to go out and test the job I did on the bike. It runs better now then any time I ever took it in to the shop. I am not sure what I may have done different but you can be sure I will be doing this work myself from now on. I will also be looking for a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance. I spoke with someone who knew the author and now that I know the point of the book I really must read it.

March and St David's Day

Today marks the first day of the old Roman calender. This month is named for the Roman god of war, Mars. It is two weeks to the Ides of March made famous by William Shakespeare in his play about Julius Caesar. It is also St David's day the patron saint of Wales so today is a holiday for the Welsh.

The dibbles pictured below will soon be useful in the garden. I make them out of many exotic hardwoods and they should last the average gardener a lifetime of use or display.

I am often asked "What else do you make"? The answer to that is pretty much what ever it is that you might want, if it is interesting and possible. Sometimes people want things made that are only possible in plastic. They get the idea from going to Walmart that everything should be cheap. So few have any concept of what is involved with a custom item made from exotic real wood. They are more content with cheap that lasts a couple of months when for a little more they could have something to pass to thier children.