Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[R2elk]

 

[jvls1942]

We still have snow banks.. in some places..
I was rewarded with three truck loads of wood chips from
the guys trimming along the high lines and telephone wires.
I will use a lot of it for fill. it takes a year or two to decompose,
but then lawn grows on it like crazy..

 

[jvls1942]

I use my shop tools to build trellises etc,
So this is gardening related.
all of my wood shop machines got rusty from
sitting in the unheated shop over winter.
Table saw, two jointers and a planer.
I tried some rust remover that was made
just for that purpose, It was OK, but not very
fast acting.
then a friend told me to use PB Blaster.
a penetrant oil.
I soaked one of the jointer tops with it,
gave it about 15 minutes and then rubbed
it with a scotch brite pad. It really worked.
I repeated the process a couple of times.
soon I could see silver metal.
I dried the top with a rag,
then ran over it with 350 grit sand paper.
like new. and this jointer is about 55 years old.
there are a couple of spots that are stained
with who knows what ? they won't hurt
the performance..
today I am going to wax it with Minwax paste.
just thought you might like to know..

 

[R2elk]

It's nice to live where the humidity is low enough that I don't need to worry about the tools rusting during the winter.

 

[jvls1942]

r2elk, you are indeed lucky
on Tuesday it was almost zero visibility foggy.
it was so humid that there was water on the garage
floor and on the top of the table saw.. luckily I have
all the tools waxed. I took a towel and dried all
the work surfaces ..

 

[R2elk]

It's intentional. Arthur won't let me live where the humidity is high.

 

[bruceha2000]

r2elk, you are indeed lucky
on Tuesday it was almost zero visibility foggy.
it was so humid that there was water on the garage
floor and on the top of the table saw.. luckily I have
all the tools waxed. I took a towel and dried all
the work surfaces ..

Wow that is some kind of humid! What would happen if you covered them with those plastic coated/fabric underside table cloth things? Would it just sweat underneath or would it maybe keep the damp off?

 

[jvls1942]

Bruce, as it would happen, I have one of those
in my shop. It is worth a try..
it has dried up now, and the wax has done
it's job.. I am still going to put another coat
on , though..
our plum tree just went into full bloom.
now where are the bees ?
rhubarb is growing fantastically ..
grapes are just starting to bud our.
the pear tree has it's first ever blossoms.
chives transplanted last year are doing great.
and I got the driveway graded real nice.
either today or tomorrow we have 18 cu yds
of granite coming. Annie wants the parking area
extended a little bit. Ollie will get a good workout.

 

[jvls1942]

18 cu yds of granite came Monday afternoon.
this morning I got at it at about nine AM, got it
all spread before eleven AM. Now we have parking for
three to six extra cars if people just learn how to park
without using up three spaces..
the apple tree is blossoming. I hope we don't get frost.
the plum trees have just a few more days before their
blossoms fall off..

 

[jvls1942]

It looks like we made it. No frost predicted for at least
the next week. I think all the blossoms will make it until
they fall off naturally.
I finished the last project in the shop as far as getting
the machines tuned up. Yesterday I built the extension table
for the miter saw.. I got to use all of the other machines.
It was pure pleasure..
I have to get the lawn mower out and sharpen the blades.
DW is anxious to mow..