Tool Storage!

Garage Organization

Building a new tool organizer in an attempt to improve the infrastructure of the garage…

Adam Savage is right.  Drawers are where tools go to die.

I’m tired of rummaging around through my rolling metal box to find things.  I built this organizer similar to his basic design.  At the base is a rolling cart I bought at Harbor Freight tools for only 15 US bucks…

I still need to add several options but it’s coming together nicely.   Do yourself a favour and build one of these.

Spring Garden Tour

A little walk through our garden early this summer including my Mikey Mouse topiary.

Gramophone!

I found this gramophone at the”Restore” in Fonthill.

With a little TLC she came back to life. It just need the needle arm  lubed and some small repairs. Sounds great and was less than a hundred bucks.

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New Outdoor Cushions!

I wanted to replace out patio seats cushions with new ones and see them myself. Mandi and I found this cool outdoor fabric in Hamilton on sale. It fits in with the “Tiki Room” theme.  After several frustrating attempts to see them with my old cheapie sewing machine I finally gave in and bought a new (old) machine:  a Pfaff 230 which is very sturdy.   I don’t need a lot of fancy features but I wanted a machine that would go through stiff fabric since I’m going to be sewing my car upholstery as well.

Magic Kingdom Gate Sign

I finally got to mount the Magic Kingdom sign I bought years ago on ebay.  It looks great on an arch I made over my entrance gate.

Mickey Mouse Gate

I was constructing the new fence in our backyard and decided to add something special to the gate.  This was a simple thing to do but looks great.  I just bought some soft aluminum metal from Home Depot and bent it into shape using a paint can as a guide.  I put it up against the gate and traced it’s shape then used a jigsaw to cut it out of the wood.  Some brown caulking around the edge makes it look more fitted.

Tiki Room Roof Complete!

I added the purlins (cross-members) to my pergola and finished off with sheets of corrugated polycarbonate sheets.  This stuff is super tough, lets the lights through, and also protects the furniture from UV light and rain.

I finished just as the rain/snow(!) started flying.  Now on to the deck boards, fence, etc.

Sculpting Jose

I’ve decapitated the plastic macaw I bought and started to add details with two part epoxy putty.   This is working pretty well as I’m trying to get him closer to Jose from the tiki room before I make a mold.  I have to order silicone mold making rubber and liquid plastic to make duplicates of the head.

Tiki Room Birds!

Just when you thought you would have to sculpt the Tiki room birds from scratch…

You’re walking through Canadian Tire at lunch, round a corner in the gardening section and see this…

He’s not 100% accurate but a good starting point to making Jose, Michael, Fritz, and Pierre.  I can cut off his noggin and use is to make a silicone mold and more heads.  And I can use the body (cut in half)  to fill with plastic and make a “buck” for vacuum forming more bodies.  Yay Crappy Tire!!!

The Tiki Room (Deck) Under Construction!!!

Here is the framework of our new deck.  The old one was too far gone to save.

The frame of the old one (that I did NOT build)  was filled with concrete from a demolished patio.  Which leads to trapped moisture and rotting.    The 6X6s have proper concrete pile footings under them now:

This new deck will be partially covered with a pergola attached to the house.  It will have poly carbonate roofing to keep the rain off our patio furniture.  Just need to finish off the joists and add the proofing then the deck boards.  I say that as if it’s easy.  Here is a 3D rendering of the structure:

And it will be a TIKI ROOM like the ones at the Disney parks with animatronic characters.  See future posts for developments.

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Greenfield Village Old Car Show

If you’ve never been to Greenfield Village in Dearborn Michigan, you should!  It’s a wonderful walk through museum of old buildings including Henry Ford’s workshop, the Wright brothers’ bicycle shop and much more.  This is the “Old Car Festival” which is held every fall and features cars from the pre-war era.