Repaired and Glued.......

The bird feeder didn't wear very well in the outside weather.  The bottom piece that held the seed as it fell out from above really didn't last a couple of years.  I didn't use it once it had broken and it was down in the basement waiting for repair.  While I was down there sanding on the walnut wood frame, I saw it laying there in a heap.  When I had finished sanding I looked it over to see what needed to be done.  I ended up making a brand new base out of scrap wood and sprayed black enamel on it to shed the water from snow and ice.

The frame as you can see is now glued together.  I ended up putting it into the stretcher straps that hold it together while the ends dry but this time I glued one corner at a time.  I would squeeze the whole frame together and allow the one corner to dry and then when dry released it and did the next corner.  The boards are a little twisted from warping so I could manipulate it one at a time to get all the corners to be glue straight.  I was a lot concerned as I got to the last mitered corner as I was afraid it wouldn't line up, but it did line up with a modest uneven area that I can sand away. I will have to sand all of the corners to make it blend well as a straight well mitered frame.

This frame is going to be created as one as a simple frame with the burl markings on the wood being the natural decoration.  It won't be like an modern one as they would give you a finish that somewhat covers up the grain or hide the uneven color. The burl markings are on most of the frame pieces and I tried to cut them that way.

I have an old walnut table from my grandmother which has one drop leaf that is completely covered with the burl pattern.  I got the idea as I worked with the frame that all burl would make it a special frame.

I may have told the story before but the older gentleman that gave me the peaches is the one who was wanting to get a frame together for his grandson's three different graduation awards.  We have been talking about the project going on over two years.  He is a wonderful woodworker but his age and condition has shut that ability down.  I have had the certificates for a long time and he kept calling me to know the size of the mat that I had made.

While getting the peaches this fall I asked him if he would like me to make the frame for him too.  He beamed and said that would be perfect.  He said I have the wood and that would make me happy if you used my wood.  I have been slow on the project but I wanted to make it be a specially designed frame so he could remember his grandpa was involved with the project.  I will be glad to finally get that job done for him.



I am helping in the special education room today.  I have been off 9 days including weekends so it was a little tough to get going and being back at school.  I am health wise in good shape.  I still feeling a little stamina problems from just being sick for so long but it should be a good day.

The cold weather is coming and we will feel it by Tuesday. The low temperatures at night will be single digits.  Thanks for stopping in today.