The Poet Creek Express - Foamie Hybrid

[Wobbly Wheels]

Bit by bit, bite by bite, getting it done slowly but surely.

Yep...keep eating the elephant

Do you guys do F ratings on timber?

In a nutshell to avoid a hijack, our grading system accomplishes the same thing except the terms are all different.

[dales133]

Ahhhh cool.

[KCStudly]

I felt much more productive today, like this tool mount and blocking effort is starting to “get there”.

Yesterday I laid out the location of the upper shovel mount blocking and cut the foam there. This chunk was more secure than the lower piece, but still not a very high percentage of contact. There was a band and a few high points of dappled glue. Even though I had made the block 4x4 (3-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch), where I wanted to put it was a little lower than the rock guard blocking (partial spars) so I decided to cut the foam up to them and extend the block with a piece of scrap cedar 2x2. That way it will be easier fitting the second layer of foam and it gives me a tad more structural tie in.


You can see how the lower section was fairly well attached, coming out in pieces, while the upper piece only had pinpoint contacts and came out in a single piece.


Using the small scrapper and a small 1x2 block wrapped with an 8th sheet of sandpaper, I cleaned the “Klingons” out of the pocket and sanded back to smooth.


Two size 20 biscuits to extend the block.


And the pair of shovel blocks dry fit.


Before leaving I glued the cedar extension.


When I fit the axe to the mount with the first locating block now glued, the second piece didn’t fit as well as intended. I ended up making that piece over, which worked out better because I was also able to make the direction of the grain match the base. I used the axe with a piece of the wax paper box shim to provide a little clearance and clamped the second side piece up (shown here after removing the axe and shim). The excess material on the base will be faired to match once the glue has set.


Today I used a heavy application of PL Premium to glue the shovel blocks in. I used the same 2x4 backer clamped above as before, and a second 2x3 cleat hooked under it at the top and screwed into the front edge of the floor with a small spacer block. From there I was able to use wedge shims against this 2x3 to put clamp pressure on the blocks against the front wall.



The backer bar for the glue up was in the way of test fitting the axe to determine the lower blocking location for that, so it was back to the axe head mount for a few more details. The piece of stock I was working with had a dark streak running thru part of it. I didn’t bother avoiding it because I figured, since these parts will be exposed to the weather at times, and the shovel mounts being made from cedar don't match, I would be painting these parts (having second thoughts on that now… might stain instead). I didn’t even realize that when I remade the second side piece (cutting it from the first base piece that I scrapped) that it ended up being a “book match” to the new base. Anyway, here it is after rounding the corners on the lock knob side. Used a combination of the bandsaw, some hand work and the 3/4 inch round over bit in the router (using the waster block technique shown previously).



By cutting the hasp hinge down a little on each end I was able to round over the lower right corner on that side so that it wouldn’t look quite as lopsided as it did with the one square corner. You can also see that I rounded the corners of the hinge, and milled the countersunk screw holes.


Rather than just surface mounting the hinge, I made a router template to mortise it in using a guide bushing. The template is attached with double backed tape. The clamp holding it to the bench just fit once I took the rubber shoe off of the clamp jaw.




That’s where I left off. I’ll fire up the router again next time.

I didn’t quite make my goal of getting all of the blocks glued in, but I am reasonably happy with the progress. At least it feels like I kept busy, and did less staring and contemplating.

[Atomic77]

Nice work.
Don't underestimate the staring and contemplating part. Sometimes Carrie comes out in the shop and sees me sitting and staring at the project and wonders what the heck I'm doing! But that's when I'm building in my mind and some of my best ideas happen! So I get it... I remember an episode of Orange County Choppers where Sr. is yelling at Jr. because he keeps coming out into the shop and Jr. is just standing there staring at the project. I think that's a sign of a great designer; having the ability to see the project to completion or at least, progressively in their mind. Stay imaginative my friend...

[aggie79]

Keep plugging away KC. The time-consuming small bits sometimes seem as not worth the effort but they add the character to a build. Take care, Tom

[dales133]

Nice job kc that axe fits like a glove.
I hear you on the standing and staring....we'll wort it sometimes, helps piece the puzzle together

[KCStudly]

Thanks guys. Your kind words are very reassuring!

[KCStudly]

It has been dribbling snow on and off all day and we're about to get walloped by a major blizzard; upwards of 30 inches of snow or more and high winds.

Work is already cancelled for tomorrow, and the Governor announced early today that the roads will be legally closed as of 9pm.

Yvette, if you will recall works at a hospital over the line in Rhode Island, was giving a group lesson this evening so was scheduled from 11 to 8pm. She'll get home just as the worst of it starts. The Jeep will pull her thru slow and steady.

I gassed up the Ford on the way home; ran back out to fill the gas can; test fired the snow blower; and dragged the generator out from the shed to a level spot I made under the porch where I can feed my patch cord thru the dryer vent hole if need be. Have my cell on charge, too.

Soooooo, no progress tonight.

I'd really rather not lose power, but I might just cook on the Coleman stove just for the fun of it!

[bonnie]

Stay safe friend. Pics of the snowicane would be nice.

[Ned B]

I'm at the office at the moment, and I have one and a half 'fleets' parked because they deliver to costco stores throughout new england... the shipper, NYC, all of CT and MA are all under travel Bans at the moment for semis (and anyone else...). sounds like you're well prepared KC. stay warm.

[KCStudly]

Thanks. Yvette made it home safely, tho had icing on the windshield wipers and said visibility was "white out" at times, as predicted by the forecasters.

The worst is yet to come. They are calling for up to 4 inches/hr accumulation and drifting to 5 ft. That's as bad as I can remember, ever, around these parts.

[Ned B]

glad she made it home safely.

just looked at your post and your current avatar looks like a strange chocolate cupcake at first glance...

[KCStudly]

I can see the cupcake similarity to a well known brand looking down from the top.

If anyone doesn't recognize it, it is shot looking thru the rib stiffeners/paper towel hanger of my hatch. I thought of it as a little photographic perspective creativity.

I have not studied photography at all, really, but every once in a while something will catch my eye, and having taken so many pics for this build, I think that I must have certainly become a better photog because of it.

Also looking around in here, and especially at the trip photos of others (and some very accomplished photogs at that), some small thing just has to have rubbed off.

[wagondude]

Hot totties for you and the wife. Sounds like the snow blower is going to get a good workout. More planning time is always good.

[KCStudly]

Looking down from the front walk to the driveway.


The end of the driveway was higher than the blower, over 2 ft, but for the most part the snow was dry, light and fluffy, so the blower moved it well. There was still 6 inches of snow in the road, as the trucks concentrate on the main roads. The plow came around once so far today, but only did our loop in one direction. Still snowing.


The light dry snow and wind meant that there wasn’t much weighing down the tree branches, like a wet heavy snow would have, so thankfully we never lost power. Made some nifty drifty stuff on the cars, though.


When we get a lot of snow like this I like to run the blower well onto the lawn so that the piles of snow, which will turn to ice mounds, are far enough away to clear the next round of snow.


There is a fair bit of snow on the roof, mostly near the peak, as you can see from the swirl around the chimney. Not worried about that yet, but Karl has a snow rake he uses to prevent ice damming, so will keep an eye on the forecast if there is more snow predicted.


The Alpaca socks I got for xmas and the gaiters I got for my b-day this year went a long way toward keeping my feet warm and cuffs dry, so I was glad to have them. Good day to sit and sip a hot cuppa’.