Dave Gatton is hosting the 2018 Gatton CNC Christmas Challenge. I collect drum Christmas ornaments, but I don't have one made of wood, so I made one. Watch my project video below, then click here to view the other entries and subscribe to Dave's channel. Thanks to Dave and the sponsors for the challenge!
This Drum Christmas Ornament is made from poplar and red cedar. I designed the project in the Inventables Easel Software and cut it with the X-Carve CNC Machine. Click here to open my Easel project. I sprayed it with Satin Deft Clear Wood Finish Lacquer, then used three strands of gold thread in an X pattern around the drum (because the thread was so thin). I really like how it turned out. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
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I bought a new WEN 3410 Air Filtration System for my shop. It cost $126 with free shipping so I couldn't pass that up. Check out my video of the installation then read further for more info.
Installation could not be any easier. Pick a spot to hang it from the ceiling where it will be out of the way but near an outlet. The power cord is about 78" long. The instructions say to position it at least 3 feet from a corner. It is easy to move it to a different spot if needed later. It comes with inner and outer filters and all of the hardware needed to install it.
Screw the wood screw hooks into the rafters in a 12"x14" rectangle pattern. Note that the hooks on the top of the unit are not centered on the unit, in case you are working around obstructions and need to hang the unit in a specific location.
Thread the nuts onto the 4 rubber coated hooks and screw them onto the unit at about the same height. Tighten the nuts against the unit to lock them down.
Hang the chains from the ceiling hooks, then carefully lift the unit and hang it from the bottom of the chains by the rubber coated hooks. Plug it into the nearest outlet. Insert the batteries into the remote control and enjoy your new clean air!
My wife works for the local fire department and I thought it would be fun to make a wooden toy fire engine that she could display on her desk. In this video, I used an X-Carve CNC Machine made by Inventables to cut seven sections of wood that get glued together to make up the body of the fire engine. Check it out and read further for more details.
I used Microsoft Visio to design one side of the fire engine based on a picture of one at our local fire department. I copied this drawing and simply flipped it horizontally to create the right side. Then I designed five more sections that would be sandwiched in between. It was a fun challenge to see what details I could add by changing the outline of the cut. I added lights, axles, a back panel, and a mount for the water canon.
I saved the designs as SVG files and imported them into EASEL. Did you know you can create a free EASEL account and open my Fire Engine project to see how it is designed? Click here to open my EASEL Fire Engine Project.
The accuracy of the X-Carve CNC Machine really shines on a project like this. Each piece was precisely cut and lined up perfectly with the others. I used brad nails to help keep them aligned during assembly. Very little sanding was required to smooth out the joints.
I purchased 1/4" and 3/8" Furniture Buttons from the hobby store to use for gauges. I planned ahead of time and included the correct size holes for these in the design.
I also purchased 11/32" Axle Pegs from the hobby store to hold on the wheels. The correct size holes for these are in the axel design where the wheels are attached. The wheels have a slightly larger hole in them so they will spin freely. A washer is used as a spacer between the wheels and the fire engine.
I used Metallic Silver, Gloss Apple Red, and Gloss Black spray paint to paint the larger sections of the fire engine. Acrylic paints from the art store were brushed on for the details. It took several coats of paint to cover the base colors. This is a great project for practicing painting.
My wife really likes the fire engine. I wonder what the other people at the fire department will think of it. Perhaps they will enjoy the Atomic Fireballs that are stuffed in the back compartment! Thank you to all of the Fire Department Personnel out there who have committed their lives to helping people every day!
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In this Sidebar Convo Shop Update, I talk about my latest Bluetooth Speaker project, where I buy my lumber, a new HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer, an update on my weight loss journey, and making another electric guitar!
Below are links to stuff I mentioned in this Sidebar Convo!
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