How many more ...

Doug Miller

Member
Messages
277
Location
Hardinsburg, KY
Here we are with less than a week until Christmas. I have the worst cold I've had in years. Yesterday I had to do a funeral for a lady I've expected to die for more than a year. While I'm hold up getting over this cold I'm thinking that I've got way too much to do to be sick. I have 3 pens, 1 pencil, and about 20 stoppers to do yet. What about the rest of you? What is still on your project list?
 
Well as I told my students to do, wrap up the kit with the blank, insert a picture of it from a catalog and explain that it will get completed after Christmas and if they want to watch, come to school on one of our turning evenings. :D:rolleyes::thumb:
Last night was our turning night, had over 20 students come and go between 3 and 7 pm. Really neat way to talk with them one on one. They got three calls completed, a dozen pens, a letter opener a couple of snowmen (between centers) and a couple of keychains. Overall a pretty successful evening. Since school was cancelled today (Friday) I made plans with the kids to open the shop between 11 and 3 on Monday. I know they have things to finish so want to reward the good work ethics they have been demonstrating.
For my niece and nephew, I am going to turn their pen blanks then carry a pen press into the house and after done with gifts, they can press their pens together.
 
This year I made one Christmas gift. My grandson requested I make this Flipchart/drymarker Board/storage shelves/thingy for his teacher. I made one of these for his mother (a teacher) a couple of years ago...

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Walnut, and Masonite coated with Melamine (yes, it dug deep into my Walnut stash) For a good cause but his future teachers should not expect one.... I Be done and did with this design.

Delivered today.
 
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Well Doug thought I was done till the director of the Arts Gallery said she needed more bottle stoppers so I am making the 10 I have and ordered 10 more.:eek: All my other Christmas Turning gifts are done. Had most of it done by October.
 
That's a great thingy, Bill. I'm sure it'll be very appreciated and used a lot.

I hope to get time to turn a couple of pepper mills, and maybe a few pens (as standby emergency gifts) between now and Christmas. Still haven't figured out what to give the few neighbors who I expect will be bringing stuff by the house. I think they all got bottle stoppers last year, so I have to come up with something different. Maybe some mushrooms or snowmen made from one of the neighbor's juniper trees.
 
Looks great Bill. Waht a good idea for the school.:thumb: As a matter of interest how do you hold the flip chart up. I see no hooks or lock bar?


Not to steal the string, but ... The flip chart lays across the top (1/2" thick) the charts come with a spiral binder and just flip over the top. Most have a cardboard backer or cover page and work quite well. I made one for my D-I-L a couple of years ago (as I had only sketches on the first one) I went to her classroom to measure that one, I asked her if there was anything she would change or alter or add or ? She said "just the way it is"... so I guess it works. She says she uses it one way or another a couple of times a day.
 
Had a few turning projects to finish but my wife keeps adding new projects to start and finish around the house (curtains, etc. all weekend jobs). So into the "project box" with the half finished stuff, someone can pay five cents on the dollar for the box when I die!
 
I just found out that my Aunt and Uncle are coming now. I have 1 stopper left but pens have yet to fail me. Everything else is done. Getting so many great ideas fro you guys didn't hjelp this year....but next year, all those cool ideas should make it out of the garage.

Merry Christmas all!!! :santa::biker::bonkers:
 
I didn't do much for Christmas gifts... I was working show up until this weekend and got rained out, so I guess I'm done for this year, but starting things for the spring and summer shows next year. I got wiped out on bottle s toppers and a few smaller things this past season, so I'll need more of them, but I want to do more larger bowls. I'm cutting back on pens, they didn't do as well this year as I had hoped, same with peppermills.
 
Got into the shop today. Completed the pens and pencil. Got 10 of the 20 stoppers done. Possible that I may get the last of the stoppers done and in shipping tomorrow. That means $, so I'm working in that direction. I love it when a plan comes together.
 
Over the weekend I got a salt and pepper mill set made, finished two bowls, and got three pen blanks drilled and tubes glued in. Hopefully Tuesday night I'll have time to turn the pens. Still need to buff the mills and the bowls, but that'll probably happen Wednesday night.
 
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