What are you working on?

[RickZieger 0]

Put 60 gabs of leaves on the garden. Then covered with two pickup loads of fresh manure on top of that.

Leaves sat in bags over the summer. Will till in next spring. Supposed to rain at the start of the week.

 

Rick

[mikechell 0]

Rick, do you put lime on those leaves to help them compost?

[vicente 0]

Found out my water heater was leaking on Tuesday morning, so I've spent the past couple days replacing that, made more difficult by the fact that the former owners of this house were extremely cheap so getting anything done means doing twice the work to fix the corners they cut to save 10$ on 700$+ project, new ones in I have hot water again, I hate plumbing, my wallet is happy I'm able to do it but part of me wishes I could just call a plumber.

[Poopdeck 0]

Water heaters are heavy to. I use to do all my own plumbing but recently gave some of that work to a plumber. I still do the little stuff like replacing toilets and sink/faucet swaps but the heavy stuff like replacing a tub or completely ripping out the plumbing and moving it elsewhere I'll pay others to do. It's not so much about my ability or health but rather A lack of desire to do it. I agree plumbing sucks.

[vicente 0]

Yea I usually refer clients to someone else for major stuff, I don't mind setting tubs to badly, the last tub/shower I tiled the plumber set the tub 3/4 on an inch off level front to back, I wish I would've set that one, most plumbers I've met have been angry people, I understand why.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Mainly been working on trying to get caught back up on some rods that I need to get out in the next week. Between trying to get stuff ready for the holidays, and dealing with some real bad holiday depression this year with all that happened to me this year. I just have been having a bit of a hard time getting things done like usual. Other than working on rods I've started a new project. Well, barely started, tore down a carved foam rock wall I made in the shop some years ago and will be framing that area in to add another 30 or so sqft because I picked up another 75g tank that I plan to build a paluradium with it. Needed some sort of new project to keep my mind/hands busy after the holidays are past. Should be done just in time for Mike's visit.

[Swamp Fly 0]

Steve I can sympathize, it's been a rough one. I was hoping these holidays would be a little better than the last but as it turns out on top of everything else I had to have my dog put down last weekend. Yup you guessed it, it was cancer. We never had children, just the dog and the cat. Tore everything open again. Every time I see something of the dog's I end up thinking about the hours with my wife. Remember you are not alone both in thought and in process. For me sometimes it helps to know that there are others that are in the @#$% with me and truly understand. Focus on the good times. If I don't focus on those good times it hardens me and fills me with anger. I don't want to become that person permanently. I hope you can find a few moments of respite in the next weeks. I'll raise a glass to you and yours. Enjoy your project as best as you can. Peace...

 

Swamp

[Steeldrifter 0]

 

If I don't focus on those good times it hardens me and fills me with anger. I don't want to become that person permanently.

 

Same here. Honestly the past 3 weeks have been worse than the previous 5 months since losing my Sister back on May 12th. The holidays are always tough after losing someone close, especially the very first ones. It's even tougher for me because Tracy absolutely loved Christmas, she listened to Christmas music and watched Christmas movies all year round. I didn't think it would become even worse for me at the holidays but I'm finding it is. I was "okay" there for a few months but these past few weeks are just depression intermixed with anger. The other day I was mocking up three of the wood pieces so I could measure and cut, got all three pieces balanced where I wanted them, turned to grab the tape measure and knocked all three down, then proceeded to repeatedly punch the wall. Guess that wall learned a lesson. Just anger coming out of no where. I killed a few interior doors back in my younger angry days but that's not me now, I haven't been that person for nearly three decades. Just got to try to keep my head in the right direction. Having something to do helps so just have to stay busy.

 

BTW really sorry to hear about your pup.

[Swamp Fly 0]

Thanks, she was special to us. The cat misses the dog too he has been totally attention needy, bloody roof rabbit...

 

I put my foot through a door in my house earlier this year. That was about the time I realized that I needed to step away from work, it was making me a very angry person. That would have ended poorly, this way I left on good terms. I explained to the owner why I was leaving and he hated it but supported me. I say left but I still get sucked in every once in a while, amazing how often I go in.

 

As far as distractions and projects, I've been alternating between totally unmotivated and getting things done in a mania. Wish I could find a middle ground.

 

Swamp

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

I have volunteered to make about 90 double bladed bucktails for our Muskies Inc chapter. We give them to military kids we take out fishing at an event, kids who attend our meetings, and kids who fish in our qualifying event for the MN HS Muskie Tournament, as well as prizes for the MN State HS Muskie Tournament. Materials are furnished from a grant. The blades range in size from 5-10 and the hooks range in size from 2/0 to 7/0. Since I do not ice fish, it is a good winter activity. Here is a picture of the first 30.

 

[Mark Knapp 0]

This is what I've been up to. Fifty hunter/skinner sets. 100 knives total. My biggest single order to date. A customer of mine gives them to his customers for Christmas.

 

 

I am sorry to hear some of you are depressed, especially you Steve, don't be sad. We love you.

[mikechell 0]

That's a ton o' work there! They look fantastic.

[Bimini15 0]

I am working on getting back into tying again...

[Steeldrifter 0]

Wow Mark how long did it take you to do all those??

[Mark Knapp 0]

Wow Mark how long did it take you to do all those??

We took the order just after Christmas last year. We have been working on them all year (me and my apprentices). The same customer ordered 50 of my 1911 survival knives for Christmas last year and we are working on an a proposal for next Christmas of 50 slip joint folders. We, of course, worked on a lot of other things during the year too. It's hard to say exactly how much time we have in these knives alone, a few hundred, I'm sure.