Got Hobbies?

[Pervy_dad]

Right, no rubbing strippers on the desk.

I'd have to redo the whole thing, I think, because the finish is very specific, not just this spot. The middle is slate, I think?

It looks like this:

http://i.imgur.com/DSRFtBk.jpg?3

Great looking desk!! Is the slate removable? It should be...and if so then it wouldn't bee to hard to use a hand sander on the top and a Dremel on the edges. If only you were 5-10 minutes away!! I'd see what I could do to get it looking brand new

 

[chillywilly2]

If the desk is actual wood, I'd probably put a layer of stripper (not THAT kind, you perverts lol) on it, scrap it off and then sand it before refinishing. I'm strictly amateur so the lumberyard/Home Depot may have better suggestions

Why would you sand it...would you be using water to wash the stripper off?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm impressed. I managed jalapeno peppers and some cilantro in Florida. Too many bugs. How do you manage?

I have an herb garden here and some rosemary and lemongrass inside, since they grew in Florida and I got used to having them around for cooking. Sage, oregano, chives. Lots of roses because the deer don't eat them, and everything is planted according to "not deer candy."

I have gardeners though, I inherited them, I cannot do it myself. My parents had an organic garden here in New Jersey when I was a kid and I spent too much time picking Japanese beetles off of soy beans to want to do it again.

I control bugs with their natural predators. My wife and I quarrel all the time about the wasp nests. Wasps eat many bug pests, and the wasps leave you alone if you leave them alone. I never get stung. But the old lady takes her broom to them every chance that comes along. Wasps also pollinate flowers. I use zero pesticides.

 

[Recidiva]

Great looking desk!! Is the slate removable? It should be...and if so then it wouldn't bee to hard to use a hand sander on the top and a Dremel on the edges. If only you were 5-10 minutes away!! I'd see what I could do to get it looking brand new

It really is a gorgeous desk and I'm partly apprehensive because I don't want to ruin it and I don't have much experience.

If only you were that close!

I don't think the slate is removable, at least I can't get to it from the middle drawer.

 

[Pervy_dad]

Why would you sand it...would you be using water to wash the stripper off?

I'd wipe it down with water first and then sand it, simply to smooth out the wood and get any nicks out of it.

 

[Recidiva]

I control bugs with their natural predators. My wife and I quarrel all the time about the wasp nests. Wasps eat many bug pests, and the wasps leave you alone if you leave them alone. I never get stung. But the old lady takes her broom to them every chance that comes along. Wasps also pollinate flowers. I use zero pesticides.

The only time I tried that, I released a bunch of baby praying mantises and a lot of ladybugs into the garden. The mantises ate all the ladybugs, and then either ate each other or died, and then I had one huge angry mantis grabbing at my hand every time I tried to pick a strawberry.

I do not have your knack.

Ulaven was thinking of getting some bee hives though, so we could harvest honey and make mead from it. Possible new project.

Did you get a wasp nest yourself or did you just luck out?

 

[chillywilly2]

It really is a gorgeous desk and I'm partly apprehensive because I don't want to ruin it and I don't have much experience.

If only you were that close!

I don't think the slate is removable, at least I can't get to it from the middle drawer.

Looks like hard maple with a dark brown stain..Get some stain to match, scrape the nail polish off, wipe a bit of stain on to even out the colour and let it dry a couple days, then get some wiping varnish and wipe a couple coats on...done

 

[Eyereadtoo]

I used to collect coins until I got into a pinch and sold most of my silver, made a tidy little profit from that at the time. I also volunteer and help prepare and serve meals in my community.

 

[Recidiva]

Looks like hard maple with a dark brown stain..Get some stain to match, scrape the nail polish off, wipe a bit of stain on to even out the colour and let it dry a couple days, then get some wiping varnish and wipe a couple coats on...done

Thank you. There's stain, and then on the drawers, it's not very prominent in the picture, there are splatters of black, I'm assuming an after process for added texture. Is that inherent in a stain now or do I go flicking boot black on it from a toothbrush?

 

[Recidiva]

I used to collect coins until I got into a pinch and sold most of my silver, made a tidy little profit from that at the time. I also volunteer and help prepare and serve meals in my community.

Did you start to collect again? I mostly collected books until it took up too much space.

My dad used to do that. He helped a local church with their outreach. It always seemed like such a good way to unambiguously help someone.

 

[chillywilly2]

I'd wipe it down with water first and then sand it, simply to smooth out the wood and get any nicks out of it.

I would wipe with mineral spirits instead of water.
Its already factory sanded to whatever grit they use.
Water will raise the grain and you will have to sand, mineral spirits will clean it but not raise the grain.

If there are some dents you can use warm water to swell the fibres back up again and then you have to sand a bit but I wouldn't use the water unless I had too.

Maple doesn't take stain worth a shit, whats on it now has been sprayed but not wiped so its a bitch to get it exactly the same.

The black flecks are splattered on so yes, a toothbrush or possibly something heavier depending on how big the specks are...try it on scrap first.

Personally I hate refinishing and would rather just build new and finish that.

 

[Recidiva]

I would wipe with mineral spirits instead of water.
Its already factory sanded to whatever grit they use.
Water will raise the grain and you will have to sand, mineral spirits will clean it but not raise the grain.

If there are some dents you can use warm water to swell the fibres back up again and then you have to sand a bit but I wouldn't use the water unless I had too.

Maple doesn't take stain worth a shit, whats on it now has been sprayed but not wiped so its a bitch to get it exactly the same.

The black flecks are splattered on so yes, a toothbrush or possibly something heavier depending on how big the specks are...try it on scrap first.

Personally I hate refinishing and would rather just build new and finish that.

Raise the grain of the wood in the desk? So it would swell according to relative density and then be uneven when it dried?

Do you build furniture? (she asked hopefully)

 

[Pervy_dad]

I would wipe with mineral spirits instead of water.
Its already factory sanded to whatever grit they use.
Water will raise the grain and you will have to sand, mineral spirits will clean it but not raise the grain.

If there are some dents you can use warm water to swell the fibres back up again and then you have to sand a bit but I wouldn't use the water unless I had too.

Maple doesn't take stain worth a shit, whats on it now has been sprayed but not wiped so its a bitch to get it exactly the same.

The black flecks are splattered on so yes, a toothbrush or possibly something heavier depending on how big the specks are...try it on scrap first.

Personally I hate refinishing and would rather just build new and finish that.

I'll admit I'm an amateur and don't know as much as I should. All of what you say sounds like good advice, I'll have to remember it Thanks, chillywilly

 

[oggbashan]

What's the ratio of decent human beings elected to office versus people who want office for their own ego in your opinion? Hopefully you have some help.

As far as our local City Hall is concerned I have only known one or two ego trippers in 30 years. Most are ordinary decent folk who want to work for their local community, whatever party they represent.

The majority of potential councillors vastly underestimate the amount of boring work involved in being a councillor, the level of frustration because they can change so little, and the level of abuse they will receive from members of the public. They are paid expenses and allowances so are accused of milking public funds. The reality is that for their recorded hours of attendance their pay per hour is worse than for a rookie Macdonald's employee. But they work many more hours than are recorded.

About three-quarters of everything they do is non-contentious and doesn't require division on party lines. The other items get reported in the local media and generate public abuse, much of it undeserved because they have to follow instructions from central Government.

There is never enough money for the things they HAVE to do, and very little for the public's latest fad.

I have considerable respect for anyone who works as a councillor.

The Council Officers? That is different.

 

[chillywilly2]

Raise the grain of the wood in the desk? So it would swell according to relative density and then be uneven when it dried?

Do you build furniture? (she asked hopefully)

All the little fibres swell when wet and feel rough after they dry and have to be sanded off.

Mineral spirits, varsol trade name, won't do that.

Yes, I build furniture as a hobby.

 

[Recidiva]

As far as our local City Hall is concerned I have only known one or two ego trippers in 30 years. Most are ordinary decent folk who want to work for their local community, whatever party they represent.

The majority of potential councillors vastly underestimate the amount of boring work involved in being a councillor, the level of frustration because they can change so little, and the level of abuse they will receive from members of the public. They are paid expenses and allowances so are accused of milking public funds. The reality is that for their recorded hours of attendance their pay per hour is worse than for a rookie Macdonald's employee. But they work many more hours than are recorded.

About three-quarters of everything they do is non-contentious and doesn't require division on party lines. The other items get reported in the local media and generate public abuse, much of it undeserved because they have to follow instructions from central Government.

There is never enough money for the things they HAVE to do, and very little for the public's latest fad.

I have considerable respect for anyone who works as a councillor.

The Council Officers? That is different.

My only personal experience with this was my mother's election to the Board of Education.

It affected me because I did well in school and got excellent grades and people would accuse me of getting a part in a play or first chair in Orchestra or grades because my mom was on the Board.

It became a joke at least with my band director, but other people took it seriously and thought I succeeded due to some sort of unseen nepotism. How exactly do I play a solo in "Greensleeves" on a French horn through nepotism, I wondered. Fortunately I didn't screw up enough for it to become anything more than a weird omnidirectional rumor.

All my mom really wanted to do was get soda and candy out of the schools and vending machines. OH BOY WAS THAT WRONG.

 

[Recidiva]

All the little fibres swell when wet and feel rough after they dry and have to be sanded off.

Mineral spirits, varsol trade name, won't do that.

Yes, I build furniture as a hobby.

That is so cool.

What do you build?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The only time I tried that, I released a bunch of baby praying mantises and a lot of ladybugs into the garden. The mantises ate all the ladybugs, and then either ate each other or died, and then I had one huge angry mantis grabbing at my hand every time I tried to pick a strawberry.

I do not have your knack.

Ulaven was thinking of getting some bee hives though, so we could harvest honey and make mead from it. Possible new project.

Did you get a wasp nest yourself or did you just luck out?

I create ecologies nice bugs like. Like....the yard is filled with flowering trees and shrubs honey bees want. My magnolias are blooming at the moment. Ditto the tomatoes. Pear and peaches in April. Crepe myrtles bloom for all the summer. When I irrigate the garden all drink!

 

[Recidiva]

I create ecologies nice bugs like. Like....the yard is filled with flowering trees and shrubs honey bees want. My magnolias are blooming at the moment. Ditto the tomatoes. Pear and peaches in April. Crepe myrtles bloom for all the summer. When I irrigate the garden all drink!

If the bear hadn't eaten my bird feeder I'd do better with ecologies. All I have now that can't be eaten by deer or attacked by bears is a birdbath.

I used to watch a show about creating backyard ecologies, very cool.

Do you have a separate water source like a pond or fountain or do you water it yourself?

 

[oggbashan]

My only personal experience with this was my mother's election to the Board of Education.

It affected me because I did well in school and got excellent grades and people would accuse me of getting a part in a play or first chair in Orchestra or grades because my mom was on the Board.

It became a joke at least with my band director, but other people took it seriously and thought I succeeded due to some sort of unseen nepotism. How exactly do I play a solo in "Greensleeves" on a French horn through nepotism, I wondered. Fortunately I didn't screw up enough for it to become anything more than a weird omnidirectional rumor.

All my mom really wanted to do was get soda and candy out of the schools and vending machines. OH BOY WAS THAT WRONG.

Years ago my wife was appointed to be a Governor of our local Primary Schools, as a non-political appointee. She acquired many hours of unpaid work but our children were accused of being 'teacher's favourites' because their Mum was a governor. If the children were favourites it was because they worked hard, helped anyone else as much as they could, and took part in activities to the best of their considerable abilities.

PS. My City Hall activities are noticed by the Councillors. When they were considering a reduction in the number of people who should be allowed to speak about planning applications, they gave priority to official representatives of the relevant Parish Council, and, by name, [Og].

Why? Because every time I speak about a planning application, I speak about issues of Planning Laws and Regulations, and not just 'I don't like it'. It helps that I am always brief. Although allowed a maximum of three minutes I rarely take more than one. The Councillors listen to what I have to say, even if they don't agree with me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

If the bear hadn't eaten my bird feeder I'd do better with ecologies. All I have now that can't be eaten by deer or attacked by bears is a birdbath.

I used to watch a show about creating backyard ecologies, very cool.

Do you have a separate water source like a pond or fountain or do you water it yourself?

I harvest rainwater but use municipal water when the barrels are dry. Rain water germinates seeds in no time.

 

[chillywilly2]

That is so cool.

What do you build?

Thank you

I build jewelry boxes, keepsake boxes, my own dining room table, all the coffee and end tables in my house, lots of wine racks, cabinets in James Krenov style, muck is from my own designs, some from plans.

I use a fair bit of exotic and figured wood.

My for sale work goes in a gallery, up to #350.00 for a box, 4 to 500 for a table or wine rack sort of thing

It helps keep me out of bars and from chasing women too much but I don't let it interfere with my fishing or snowmobiling time

 

[oggbashan]

Other Hobbies

I'm involved with a project for the local community to run our local museum. I'm their constitutional/council bumpf expert, writing applications for funding and compliance documentation.

I've also had that role in four other local organisations and have successfully bid for funding from the local council, local businesses, Arts funds, and Europe.

I run a mini-museum in my garden during the local festival, letting people, particularly children, handle and use old artefacts such as a wind-up gramophone, a manual typewriter, and tinplate clockwork trains.

I'm still, although I am trying to shed some of the roles:

Chairman of the Residents' Association
Vice-President of the local Chamber of Commerce (and have a nice chain to hang around my neck for official functions)

[I was accused of taking my Vice-Presidential role a step too far when I recruited one of our local prostitutes. Why not? Her clientele were older gentlemen and her services were legal. She offered 10% discount to Chamber Members, and had discounts from them on electrical work etc... She lasted as a paying Member for about five years before she moved to another town.]

Secretary of the Association of local Chambers of Commerce in our county
Chairman of the Friends of the Park
Chairman of the Police/Community Consultation Group
and other roles...

 

[Recidiva]

Years ago my wife was appointed to be a Governor of our local Primary Schools, as a non-political appointee. She acquired many hours of unpaid work but our children were accused of being 'teacher's favourites' because their Mum was a governor. If the children were favourites it was because they worked hard, helped anyone else as much as they could, and took part in activities to the best of their considerable abilities.

PS. My City Hall activities are noticed by the Councillors. When they were considering a reduction in the number of people who should be allowed to speak about planning applications, they gave priority to official representatives of the relevant Parish Council, and, by name, [Og].

Why? Because every time I speak about a planning application, I speak about issues of Planning Laws and Regulations, and not just 'I don't like it'. It helps that I am always brief. Although allowed a miximum of three minutes I rarely take more than one. The Councillors listen to what I have to say, even if they don't agree with me.

It's very strange. I admire people undertaking public service, and I'm glad to hear you're simultaneously providing ground upon which people can keep on their toes.

If I were going back to school at some point during a hobby-retirement age, I think I'd do best as an advocate for at risk children after my experience with my son.

 

[Recidiva]

I harvest rainwater but use municipal water when the barrels are dry. Rain water germinates seeds in no time.

What's the science on why it's better, is it oxygenation, composition?

I don't doubt it. New York City pizza tastes the way it does because of New York City water. And sausage.