Free Lathe

There’s tons of old tools sitting in people’s basements & garages. Tools that granddad or dad used to use, but that the current generation doesn’t have time or space for. Once people learn that you enjoy restoring and using old tools, they start being offered to you, as most people would rather see their tools being used than collecting dust & turning to rust.

Look what I dragged in.

A buddy of mine is retiring and moving into a condo. Last week at a party he asked me if I wanted his grandfather’s lathe.

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Hatband for the straw hat

Sorry, this one happened too quickly for pictures. Seriously, once I started tying it just flew between my fingers.

The construction of the snake knot has the cords reversed on the inside. (Red is wrapped around black.) This means that the colors of the True Lovers Knot in the center are opposite the snake knot for a bit of visual contrast.
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8 Strand Herringbone Braid Variations.

So I started playing with paracord and wanted to do some experiments with color.

This is an eight* strand herringbone braid in two colors. I find it interesting how changing the order of the colors changes the overall appearance of the project.

So far, the eight strand herringbone braid is my favorite braid. The biggest reason is that when it’s evenly tensioned, the finished braid is square in cross section. It’s quite striking visually and feels very interesting.

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It’s Grillin’ Time

Just a couple quick thoughts that jumped into my head while grilling up some steaks tonight.

Some of you have outdoor kitchens with countertops & covered storage. Not me. I’m old school – charcoal and a Weber kettle is perfect for me.

Say hello to my little friend
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