What Projects Are You Considering This Winter?

[CalgaryPT]

Just wondering what great projects everyone else is contemplating for over the winter. Before the snow arrives I always try to pick a project or two that will keep me out of trouble in the cold months. Last year it was an RC Lawnmower, this year I think I will do a couple—but one I am starting already is a headache rack for my truck. I always wanted to make one, but with a tonneau cover it proved a challenge. Thankfully a company in Ontario makes an adapter kit that allow their racks to attach to beds with tonneau covers. I have no interest in their commercial racks, as I want to make my own. But the adaptor kit solves the attachment issue for me so I can build around that (it's basically a bracket with an oddly twisted bolt that snakes through the stake hole pockets. So I'll buy the kit and make a custom rack instead. A big part of the build for me is integrated LED flash beacons or light bar that will be useful to me when I haul my snowblowers to properties in the winter. On multiple occasions I've been almost rear-ended while parked in a snowstorm, and it's getting old fast.

Anyone else got a big project planned for the winter as we hibernate from snow and COVID?

 

[DavidR8]

Big project? Not really but I have some small ones...
I need to make a pair of trellis (trelli?) for our garden. I've never done anything like this before but it's a line of work I want to pursue.
Also need to fabricate some exterior stair handrail out of Schedule 40 pipe. One set of new hand rail, the other to extend existing handrails that were altered for a renovation.

I also want to make a knurling tool. I have all the bits for this but I was renovating my shop...
And I want to start the resto on my Honda NT650.

 

[CalgaryPT]

Excellent projects David. Love to see the knurling tool when done as I could never pull that off

But a trellis was a winter project 15 years ago...so good for you. It's lots of fun

 

[DavidR8]

Excellent projects David. Love to see the knurling tool when done as I could never pull that off

But a trellis was a winter project 15 years ago...so good for you. It's lots of fun

View attachment 11147

That's a great trellis Pete!
What did you use for material? 3/4" frame? 1/2" interior verticals and horizontals with round stock for the curved parts?

 

[CalgaryPT]

Super simple...all 1/16" square wall tubing.

1" for frame, the interior is a mix of 3/4" and 1/2" square.

 

[Dusty]

Excellent projects David. Love to see the knurling tool when done as I could never pull that off

But a trellis was a winter project 15 years ago...so good for you. It's lots of fun

View attachment 11147

Is that a bust of Donald Trump bottom left side of shed? LOL

 

[CalgaryPT]

Is that a bust of Donald Trump bottom left side of shed? LOL

LOL. Good eye.

But no it isn't. (If it were I'd be sticking my head in my 20 ton hydraulic brake right now. Not my favourite person.)

It's the bottom of a birdbath fashioned to look like an Easter Island Moai. The top got broken years ago.

Now that you pointed it out you just created another winter project for me. I had always intended to make a replacement birdbath top—or maybe a sundial to replace it. I have some copper left over that might look nice....

 

[Dusty]

Nice trellis, what you've got nothing that resembles puffed up blonde hair. LOL

 

[DavidR8]

LOL. Good eye.

But no it isn't. (If it were I'd be sticking my head in my 20 ton hydraulic brake right now. Not my favourite person.)

It's the bottom of a birdbath fashioned to look like an Easter Island Moai. The top got broken years ago.

Now that you pointed it out you just created another winter project for me. I had always intended to make a replacement birdbath top—or maybe a sundial to replace it. I have some copper left over that might look nice....

View attachment 11148

I think that fellow on the right has a serious limp!


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[Chris Cramer]

most of the projects that I do in the winter are either pieces of jewelry or wood carvings. Unless I put together a better ventilation system I cant do much metal work, because use of my welder, plasma cutter, and propane forge all create a lot of fumes.

 

[Chris Cramer]

These are some designs I have in mind.

 

[CalgaryPT]

How do you work on such small stuff Chris? I could never do that.

 

[kevin.decelles]

‘54 Ford NAA overhaul (in progress)
3phase vfd conversion for cnc mill
Shaper vise retrofit



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[DPittman]

Is that a bust of Donald Trump bottom left side of shed? LOL

Well it' s a cinch that bust has more brains and ability to lead a country than Donald Trump... but thats beside the point....great trellis and a great project.

 

[Tom Kitta]

Whole winter? That is like 20 projects worth.

Project A - I am making for my parents 7 holders (2 x 2 for the sides, 3 for the bottom) for a large glass panel that goes in front of a balcony. They are made of 2"x2" tube that had one of its sides cut out using gang milling on a horizontal mill (have video of that).

Project B: adapter for welder to use tiny spool of wire on a wire feeder made for huge ones. Side project get MIG working.

Project C: I have an old Canadian anvil - need to weld that sucker up so it has no holes. Canadian casting 50 - 80 years ago is worse then 1980s Chinese.

Project D: I have an old Canadian vise - copy of Record #4 that needs little love and care.

Project E: Maybe make a little forge out of old propane tank.

I am sure there are like 5 more projects I though off but never yet done. And new things will come up. Also have machines I have never used too much yet.

 

[Chicken lights]

Well.....seeing as I bought a project truck....
But I’m torn if I want to slam that together and get it on the road ASAP or build it over the winter. It needs a headache rack, saddle boxes, possibly work lights, beacons, bunk heater, probably the CB coax replaced, FM radio and speakers, Teltek gauges for pyro and axle weights, and that’s not even what it needs for safety.

Stacks gotta get cut down. Probably a new mattress. Maybe a power inverter. Plus a full service, and oil samples taken. It’ll need all the rigging put on too. It’ll need to get all the badging put on too

And that’s only what I can think of now. I’m tired just thinking about this

 

[DavidR8]

Well.....seeing as I bought a project truck....
But I’m torn if I want to slam that together and get it on the road ASAP or build it over the winter. It needs a headache rack, saddle boxes, possibly work lights, beacons, bunk heater, probably the CB coax replaced, FM radio and speakers, Teltek gauges for pyro and axle weights, and that’s not even what it needs for safety.

Stacks gotta get cut down. Probably a new mattress. Maybe a power inverter. Plus a full service, and oil samples taken. It’ll need all the rigging put on too. It’ll need to get all the badging put on too

And that’s only what I can think of now. I’m tired just thinking about this

What I want to know is what you are going to do after lunch?

 

[francist]

I really should build a new fence on the one side of my property. The existing one is beyond being on last legs and I’ve been putting it off for too long. The question is, will I actually do it or get sidetracked with something more fun?

On the subject of trellis, I built one a while back too — in 2002 to be exact. I was profoundly impacted by the events of 9/11 the year earlier and could not get the images out of my head so had to translate some of it to steel. A passion vine usually grows well on it but is looking a little scruffy here.

-frank

 

[Chicken lights]

What I want to know is what you are going to do after lunch?

What I want to know is when you’re flying out to help

 

[Chicken lights]

I really should build a new fence on the one side of my property. The existing one is beyond being on last legs and I’ve been putting it off for too long. The question is, will I actually do it or get sidetracked with something more fun?

On the subject of trellis, I built one a while back too — in 2002 to be exact. I was profoundly impacted by the events of 9/11 the year earlier and could not get the images out of my head so had to translate some of it to steel. A passion vine usually grows well on it but is looking a little scruffy here.

-frank

View attachment 11156

You know, that’s one thing I keep meaning to read more about
I get the general gist of the importance of the event, but I would’ve been about 17 years old at the time it happened.
But, if you have any suggested reading or care to elaborate I’m all ears on why you feel it was important enough to you to make the trellis
Seriously, please elaborate, sir