tool tango

We are a couple months shy of five years since we started our move from our big subdivision home in Kuna, Idaho with my self-insulated, 5-car-garage shop to the Conner, Montana cabin.

I spent the majority of that time estranged from my major tools.

I had visitation rights, but the tools were not where I lived.

I will never forget the gratitude I owe the great friend who housed them in a fully functional shop for me eight miles away. But, they were not where I lived.

Today I am doing the happy dance around my tools.

First things first, I fired up the mongo wood burner. Spotty insulation keeps my shop from getting real warm on cold days, but this four-foot-long wood eater does a credible job of taking the chill off.

For over a year, every time I thought about using my band-saw, the fact it was not working slapped that idea out of my head.

Today I disassembled the ON/OFF switch, figured out how it worked, why it did not, cleaned the contacts, reassembled, and *VOILÀ* I now have a band-saw. We, the saw and I, had a lovely time carving up a little circle of wood in celebration.

PROBLEM: Band-saw does not function.

MODERN, SNOWFLAKE SOLUTION: Pay $100 for recognized expert service call. Recognized expert orders replacement switch, returns two weeks later for $100, plus $34.95 in parts to get band-saw working.

OLD FART SOLUTION: Figure it out. Repair it.
Sometimes it is handy to be an old fuddy-duddy.

Today I completed the build on my beta-version of a Gig Bag to contain my accessories for tromboning away from home. I committed to leading weekly Bitterroot Blues Band gigs. I might as well treat myself to some efficiency in that process.

The upper hinge pin on our living room woodstove was walking out regularly. One day I was bound to not catch it in time, thus breaking the lower hinge off. Big deal repair that I could see coming.

Today I used my metal working tools and skillset to drill a hole in said pin, then re-install with retaining wire to keep the unruly beast in its place.

Need I mention the Snowflake approach would have been a door broken off the woodstove, and urgent replacement woodstove installed by “experts” for $1,000 or so.

* SMOKIN’ *

Hot dang!

Thanks to a reluctant body (see below), I have been taking it easy this month. I seem to be on the road to resuming my ways, and today was stellar compared to the rest of January.

This month has not been MINE

December 20th I broke a rib. Then Chemtrail Sinus has been hammering me for a month. Attempting to protect the rib, my back decided to tense up to excruciating levels. I was rapidly approaching incapacity.

Having babied the rib, it is healing up … actually exceeding established norms. The pain is nearly gone altogether in far less than the 6-10 week prognosis. For that I am grateful. But I am still quite respectful of my old bones, staying off as much as I can remember to… and thank you unmasked pain for constantly reminding me to keep the pressure off it.

Allowing my anti-pharma self to bend a little, I began using SudoGest decongestants once a day to get ahead of that problem. That was on top of essential oils and herbal remedies I had been working since the onset.

Massage cures A LOT, but a great massage concentrated entirely on my back did not solve it. I knew it was time to add Chiropractic. It was ideal timing with the back loosened up by Wednesday’s massage, the Friday chiropractor visit was able to get my spine aligned right.

Now give it a rest. Heal thyself.

I gave it two days … definitely feeling all of it improve.

Today I hopped back on the horse … in moderation, of course. 😉

Well, dang, all that went so well that I have half a day left over.

How about a treat?

What little bit would I really appreciate getting done?

Oh yeah, the corner connecting bench – from my office desk to my reloading, workbench.

Not a big deal, but it kept being deferred by more important things. How hard would it be to put up something satisfactory there in what is left of today?

Completely do-able, as it turned out.

The core component was a tongue and groove oak hardwood panel I built for the Conner Cabin. It was about the right size for the space, it was sanded and finished to the ultimate degree and would fit nicely both esthetically and functionally.

Got’er’done.

The best part, for a tool guy, is that I am finally at that stage in my life where I have accumulated nearly all of the tools I am capable of using… and they are good…
well, I guess I am too.

Nice combination.

Today I used: band saw, chop saw, drill press, skilsaw, table saw, screw guns, nail gun, steel bench, heavy vise, dust collector, and a large handful of hand tools… and an experienced, old man’s skill-set.

Yeah, feeling blessed.

🙂

I cannot help but reflect sadly on what The Bilderberg Group, and parent Rothschilds did to destroy our ability to pass all this on to our descendants. How wonderful for all if I could be sharing this skillset with my offspring, and they inheriting the tools and ability to utilize them.