Friday, December 28, 2012

Better go buy a heart

           I bet you all thought I had died or something. Whats it a month or so I haven't in all honesty been doing much of anything. For the past 5 weeks or so I've been sick a lot and have been staying in the house sleeping and watching the tube. I know I shouldn't have just dissappered like that but to be quite honest I really didn't give a S---. I'm sure there are some of you that know how I felt and I appreciate you simpathy, for those of you that don't know how I felt Better go buy yourself a heart .....................Just kidding thought I'd start out my return with a bang. Will start posting again in a few days. Thanks.........Rick

Friday, November 23, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving

              I hope every one had as good a Thanksgiving as I did. I know things are a lot tuffer this year for some and maybe you didn't do Thanksgiving this year. You still have a lot of things to be thankful for I"m sure. I haven't done anything in my wood shop for about a month and a half now but I think I can start up again soon . Haven't got a clue yet what I'm going to do I've been thinking about it for a few days now I'll come up with something.......................Rick

Saturday, November 17, 2012

My Father 1923 - 2012

Last week I laid my Father to rest. He was 89 years old and had a very good life I suppose you could say. He was self employed the last 50 years of his life he owned an auto salvage /tow truck business  up untill he semi retired in the late 70's but then he did scrapping and used car sales untill he started to lose his sight in the early 2000's . Than we all watched as he slowly shrunk into a tiny little representation of his former self. It wasn't an easy show to watch  . My Mother and his wife of 68 years tried her best to care for him but she has a weak heart and just could not do everthing she needed to do so 'about a year ago we put him in assited living.And as many of you may have witnessed once a person goes into assited living it usually speeds up the dieing process . My father and I had a stormy first 30 years together I personally think he hated me and I dredded to see him coming. Altho we had some good times during that period I can't put a finger on any one thing. I was in a nutshell everything He did not want in a Son . I played music in a rock band starting the summer between the 6th. grade and my middle school debut .That was about 1965 he hated the thought of having a long haired hippy in his family and went out of his way to make sure I knew it. Me of course being of the same blood responded the way you would expect .It was not pretty to watch. I really thought things would get better when I married and left home but I was wrong . I did not know it then but it was the fact we where both in the same town . That marrage only lasted 6 years but I did give him a Grand Daughter. In 1980 I married my wife and the one person in the world I would die for After 4 years marrage we gave him onother Grand Daughter .None of this seemed to Improve our relationship. In 1986 I was offered a job in Las Vegas Nv. so I took it he wouldn't even say good by the day I left .I really didn't care to be honest I hated the thought of moving down to such a big city I had never known any thing else and was scared to death. To be quite honest if it had not been for my Wife I probly would not have stayed. But instead we spent 18 years there and still miss it today. Some time during our time in Vegas my Father decided He liked me I really didn't do anything to change things We started spending time on the phone and they (Dad & Mom) Would come for visits as often as they could and we would like wise try to make a trip up north atleast once a year.By I think 2005 we started our plans to move to Roseburg Oregon By then his health had already started to fail and he only got to come and visit us here twice and both times he was kinda like a lost puppy. He really did'nt function well out side his own home. I understand I don't either.Dispite everthing that transpired between him and I over the years I loved him very much and will miss him. Words cann't express how I feel as I write this it's hard to cover 89 years in a few lines and I know his life would probly fill a book But at this time all I can say GOODBY DAD ....     Jim L Goff  1923-2012

Saturday, October 20, 2012

WINTERIZING

Have been really busy the past couple of weeks getting my house and out doors ready for winter.Not that its that cold yet but I didn't want to wait till the last minute and then have to do it all in the rain. I think I ve got it all done and now I can move back into my shop and start cleaning again. Still have the Router outfeed table to finish and the dust extraction for the both of them. I hope to get started this weekend I'm getting a little cranky because I'm not getting to work in my shop.. I really do get cranky and hard to be around when I don't get to work wood. I really don't know what causes it, I would call it selfishness. I like the solitude of just me in the shop its like I don't have to communicate with anyone and the wood never talks back. Sometimes I can almost forget about the outside world and thats a nice break. Any way hope to have some pictures by the end of the day....................

Monday, October 8, 2012

FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL

 I thought it might be nice to show you all some pics of the things I built for the fall family festival that I spoke of in the last post. The first one is a Sponge Bob sponge toss pretty self explanitory I think.   The second one is a plinko board this one took some time to put together but it works great. The third one is what we call the UFO toss basically if you get a ball thru the hole you can win that many tickets to redeem prizes .So everyone had a good time we gave away alot of prizes and nobody went home empty handed . some of were pretty tired though

Sunday, October 7, 2012

two weeks in hell

Just finished two weeks in hell. my family and I, mostly my Wife put on a fall family featival at out churh. It's kinda like those old school carnivals you went to as a kid, lots of tossing games and fishing over the wall stuff. It was a huge success I'm guessing close to 300 screamming kids and they're bewilderd parents went thru it in the 2 hrs. it goes on. I do all the construction for the festival and of course I have to put it together and take it down Thats what I've been doing for the past 2 weeks. Maybe now I can get back to my router out feed table  Keep looking in you never know what you are going to see on this blog............................................Rick

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Black Licorice Recall

                This black licorice recall is about to kill me. I haven't had any in about a month . I actually am not suppose to eat it at all because I'm diabetic but we all have our down falls and vices don't we.. I used to keep it on hand a 1lb. bag would last 2 or 3 weeks. They say there is too much lead in it, maybe all that weight is whats slowing me down. I think most of it has settled in my ass because I can't stand up for very long . Maybe not having any will be a good think Just a thought................Rick

Saturday, September 8, 2012

School Bus

I ve made it to Saturday at the end of My first week back to work. Calling it work is loose by any term. I drive a School bus and the hardest thing about my job at this point( aside from having to get up so early) , Is the heat on the bus. On a 90 degree day the temp on the bus well exceeds 100 or more. Thats pretty tough on an old fat man. My Kids this year seem to be pretty well behaved or maybe its just the calm before the storm. I cover over a 100 mile a day but it broke down into 3 different segments which makes it nice. I alo have a kindergarten route this year what an adventure. Hauling 20 5 year olds in quite the thing.                                           Rick

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sprinkler System

  I bet you have been wondering where I am ? I was suppose to be working on my 2nd router table/ out feed table . The truth of the matter is I have been doing everything but working on my router table .Those of you that are married will know what I'm Talking about. This past week has been all about her and what she wants. It really don't matter its all stuff that needed to be done and we need to get things done before I return to work for the winter. The main thing I'm trying to get done is putting in a sprinkler system . I ve got all the pipes ran and hooked up for the main water supply now tomorrow I can start on the drippers and other parafinailia that goes along with it . It would certainly help if I only had a clue about what I am doing. OH well can't be a expert at everything ..........I'm not an expert at anything.......................Rick

Friday, August 17, 2012

router/out feed table








   I got my camera fixed so now I can start showing some pics again. I'll start with my router table that is all ready complete ( the one I didn't get any pics for ) as you can see it's strickly for utilitarian use there is absolutly nothing fancy about it and thats the way I prefer it. After all it is a peice of shop equipment and it should look like it . The case is built from 1/2 " Oak plywood and the face frames are made from some old cedar I took off a pump house that was being torn down . Not the best wood in the world but the price was right. The drawers on either side of the router are made from melamine shelving material, it's heavy but it sure makes for a nice interior look dont You think? The drawer slides are some that I picked up at yard sale for $ 1.50 per set brand new still in the package. The table tops them selves are a matched set that I pick up at a Salvation Army trift store for $3.50 each. If you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to say something If you would like send pics of you'res and post them right here on the blog. Thanks for looking in.......................Rick

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Model A Ford 1929




Well for those of you that expressed an interest . This is a few shots of my old 1929 Model A Ford. I drive it every chance I get. It's the best car I own just can't get in a hurry to get where I'm going. About 35 m.p.h. is the best traveling speed.   Thanks for looking    Rick

Monday, August 13, 2012

Router Tables

  I do have my router table / out feed table done but I have no pictures apparently I am having camera problems and was not aware of it. I am however building 2 router tables that will be identical so I'll get my camera fixed or replaced and will be able to show the process of that one. I unfortunatly have already built the cabinet I built both of them at the same time. But I still need to make all the drawers and cut the hole in the top for the router plate. When they are both finished they will sit at the out feed side of the table saw and act as out feed tables. Sorry for all the problems .......Rick

Monday, August 6, 2012

HEAT BREAK

       Just a note to let you all know I am in the process of building a new out feed table/ router table for my shop. I will explain in greater detail later . I will also have pics. But it's been so HOT here the last few days my shop is like a sauna. so I'm not doing much. As soon as it cools down I'll get started again.........................Rick

Monday, July 30, 2012

    Well hello I ve decided to return to this blog even if no one is looking in. I need it more than any of you do apparently. I will be making some changes to My style I feel at this point in time it's more important for me to rant and rave about things than it is to build things. I will continue too build and post but I feel the strong urge to just talk. If any one would like to talk back I welcome the comments I am willing to try to talk about anything you would like.  I would prefer not to have any bad language or obsenities if you know what I mean. after all children may come to this sight. If you feel the need to use obsene words or pictures than I strongly urge You to go elsewhere. That being said I hope to have some very nice conversations with some of you. .................Rick

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Taking a break

              Since the best I can deduce from the utter silence out there in Blogland. Absolutly no one is reading or even coming to this blog site. I have to admitt I thought I had something to offer in the woodworking world but I fall far short of doing anything out of the ordinary. I did not offer anything on my site that you (fellow woodworkers) couldn't do youre selves in you're own shops. I will be taking a break for an unspecified amount of time to try to regroup and come up with better stuff . Blogs such as this one should be instructive and entertaining mine was and is neither of those things. I have too admit I'm very dissapointed in myself if not a whole imbaressed....................Rick

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Dust Extraction



    This is as far as I have gotten with My dust extraction so far . Its been a little tough buying what I need to plumb it in being on such a tight budget and all . Just like every thing else that has to do with wood working it's priced too high for the average person to buy. I have 2 drops, 1 to my chop saw or mitre saw how ever you wish to phraze it and the other to my radial arm saw. I now radial arm saws are considered dinasours but I use mine everyday and love it I like it better than my mitre saw as far as accuracy and stability. The dust extraction system on this saw works really good and I'm very happy with it. On the other hand the dust extraction on my mitre saw does'nt work for CRAP there is so much stuff flying around none of gets picked up by the pick up tube I will probably slow the use of the mitre saw to a slow crawl..................Rick

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

thinking of quitting

     I've been working on my dust collection system for the past week because it needs to be done and I can't really come up with anything to do as a wood project . As many of you know I am a school bus driver and school is out for the summer so I have all day to think and plan. I am coming up with things to build its just a matter of having all the materials at my dissposal so that I can. I will post a couple of pics of what I have done with my dust extractor later this week. In the meantime look over some of my older projects. I will answer any questions any one might have or if you just want to leave a smart ass remark that would be OK too .It would be nice to see if anyone is looking at this blog. I might just stop I have not decided yet.....................................Rick

Monday, June 11, 2012

flower bed



Well we got at least one flower bed done . Still got 2 more to build but that will be at a later date . My Wife and I both have back problems and we need to heal up a bit before we start on another. My wife did 90% of the work and preferred it that way I think . Time to start another wood project , don't even know what it is yet.......................................................Rick

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Raised flower beds

                    Things have rather hectic around my place for the past few days ,My wife and I are building raised flower beds in our back yard. We are building brick retaining walls, while nither of us knows anything about laying bricks It has been a real learning process thats for sure. We have almost finished the first of three I will post pics later. I want to let her plant a few things in it so you can get the full effect of the land scaping..............................Rick

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Sunday, May 20, 2012

clean up / new project

  I have not done any wood working this week I have however , been doing a lot of clean up in my shop. Sometimes you just have to set aside every thing and clean up so you aren't tripping over every thing on the floor. Even though I have several trash cans scattered thru out the shop I can never seem to hit one when I have scrap that I need to dispose of besides the floor is much easier target to hit. I have decided on my next project and I do believe you will all like it. I will start that process next week  Wed. the 23rd.Hope you can stop by and check it out......................Rick

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

I have been racking my brain for weeks now trying to figure out what it's going to take to get people such as youreselves to follow me I've tried to stay away from being too politcal eventho whats going on is driving me insane .I 've tried to put up more post in the hopes I would say something that some one likes. Instead all I get is a blank screen on the comments. So tell me is the subject matter boring or typical and not unusal I have not yet moved too video which was on my mind but then you would probably throw rocks at you're computers. Should I tell you I oppose Gay marrage , Should I say I think we as a nation deserve more proof that Bin Laden is dead other than what the government tells us. Should I say "my Daddy he disowned me because I wear my Sisters clothes. He caught in the bathroom in a pair of Panty Hose"  May be I should just keep building stuff for no one to see Yea Yea thats it.................FOR NO ONE TO SEE........    I do have one person who comments from time to time and agrees freely with me Thank you Dr. I am sorry you are in pain.......................Rick

Monday, May 7, 2012

Toy Box pt.4



I finally had a chance to finish the toy box . I have been so busy doing non wood working projects it just got put to the back. All that needs to be done this unit know is some sort of finish. I think it's going to be painted awful pretty wood to be painted but.....................

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Happy Birthday

    Tomorrow 4/30/12 will be my 60th. Birthday I haven't a clue how I lived this long or what happened to all the time between 20 & 60 . seems like yesterday I was struggling to loose my virginity and today I 'm wondering why I don't sex very often and why isn't it important anymore. I'd rather sleep whats that tell you about me.Seems like all I do is work, work wood in my shop and sleep. I have no time for the petty things. I am just kidding you know about the petty things It is not petty just not as important as it use to be.............................Rick

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

It's 3:45 a.m. Wed. the 25th. Boy was it a short night or what ? A lot of my problem is when I wake up thats it I can't just roll over and go back to sleep.  Almost instantly I start thinking about all the wonderful things I need to do today  while secretly knowing all along that I won't get hardly any of them done. I'm not a terribly busy person You see I'm just lazy. I'm not sure lazy is the proper word now that I put it in print,I'm more like disorganised and flighty. I'll start to do something and the first thing you know I'm off on another tangent. I have spent the better part of the last 5 years trying to clean up my work shop, I'm starting to realise that it's never going to happen, but clean is a subjective thing clean to one person is a mess to another I know I've never been able to clean anything to my wife's satisfaction and frankly I have given up thats her cross to bare..... But really what I wanted to talk about was.........  No No just kidding . I would like to hear if anyone else who might be suffering from my affliction and what they might do to overcome It. Maybe we can use this forum as kindof a group therapy. Write about anything that concerns You and we can all dicuss it together..........Looking foward to hearing from you................................Rick

Friday, April 20, 2012

Gas Shut off valve

               Today I didn't do any wood working  instead I put a new gas shut off valve in me 1929 Model A Ford . It's been needing one for several years now , well long enough for the gas to ruin the floor mat so I had to replace that also. It felt good to work on a car for a change but I don't want to do it very often. Tomorrow back to the toy chest I've been working on...................Rick

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Toy Chest Pt.#3








             Today I rounded all the edges of the toy box and removed part of each leg to accept the bottom. I want the bottom to be flush . Later I will put some strips of wood on the inside to attach the bottom too .Thanks for looking.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Toy Chest update




    Just a quick update to the toy chest I have been building for my 5 year old Grandaughter I have now assembled all the sides and put the top on. After the assembly is complete I will cut the top off and install the hinges. The last pic is my 5year old Grand daughter...................Rick

Friday, April 6, 2012

Toy box


        I just started building a toy box for my 5 year old Grand Daughter Nothing remarkable about the construction . all 4 sides will be birch plywood and it will 4 corner post milled from reclaimed oak . These peices came ( I think) from some old pallets they were 50" long 3& 3/4 " wide and an inch and half thick. . All 4 panels will set in dados in the corner parts. I have decided not to put any type of legs on the box since my grand daughter is such a monkey she'd probably break them off climbing on it.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

15000 woodworking plans

   I have been on the net for the past few minutes watching Steve Ramsey on Wood Working for Mere Mortals. I f you have never been there you need to check it out . Steve makes wood working videos for the comman man and he keeps the humor up also I have seen him do really simple 15 minute projects and as much as 2  or 3 weeks on one project. He's not all high and mighty about his craft he is just an ordinary guy who loves what he do'es He turns out videos every Friday and some times more I look forward to seeing each and everyone of them. Right now he's doing a series on the guy that sells the D.V.D. with 1500 wood working plans on it . You should at least go follow that if nothing else Its important that we ( woodworkers) as a community stick together and try to put a stop to this kinda Crap..............Anyway check him out   @ Wood Working for Mere Mortals. com................................
.................................Rick

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

SUN AND RAIN

  Yesturday was absolutly beautiful!!!! One of those days that makes you remember why you life in Oregon. The sun was out and it 69degrees I had to wear my sunglasses. Today however we are back in the rain everything is wet and muddy the rivers are back on the rise and its cold again. One of those days that reminds why you don't like living in Oregon. Well all I can say is if you don't like this weather wait 5 minutes......Starting a new project after I get off work tonight I will post pics as soon as I have any...............................Rick

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Time off

    Yesterday  was a complete wash for me I did absolutely nothing In my shop. I've had the past week off of my regular job and have worked in my shop every day since I have been off. While I don't consider wood working work ( its play time for me) I felt I needed a day to just kick around so that's what I did.I'll start a new project Today or Monday I haven't decided yet........................Rick

Saturday, March 31, 2012

nonwood therapy

        Its about 4;30a.m. Saturday morning and I'm just sitting here drinking my 1st cup of coffee.and it came to me how much of a drug induced society we are . We have to have that coffee in the morning to wake up ( unless you are like me I drink coffee all day) ,some of use take vitamins like they going out of style,Maybe an asperin or two just ward off that nagging little head ache you've had for the last 20 years.And then theres the allergy medicine Loads and loads of that too. As for me I also take Metformin for type 2 diabetes and a couple of other things I'm not sure what they do.My wife takes a multitude of different drugs because she has severe head aches all the time some days they work other no. Back in the day I use to take all kinds of drugs for fun or at least I thought it was fun I realise now that anything that has to be brought on with chemicals isn't any fun but it is dangerous. I'm wondering what people did a hundred years ago when all these drugs were not available.That could be why most of them died when they were 50yr. old . I really wonder if the quality of life is any better than it   was . Just wondering what do you think let me know....................................Rick                                      

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Chess Anyone?



This my first attempt at a Chess board . Its made with maple and walnut. I still need to put on a finish but I need to wait for warmer weather. I have no heat in my shop. All I need now are some chess peices and to learn how to play.                        Rick