Since many of us enjoy the finer things in life and understand that great things come in small packages, I’ve decided to share a side project that I am personally working on and invite all y’all to do the same.

I just started my full restoration of my 73’ Innocenti Austin Mini 1001…going to be alot of work since its been sitting for a dozen years, but it should have enough trunk space to hold a few tins of snuff

Besides recording my own songs on Garage Band using the drum machine for beats I’m also producing a buddy of mine that’s a rapper. I’m not only his producer but his rap coach too. As a musician who has played in orchestra and jazz band in addition to fronting some rock n’ roll groups, hip-hop is like a recreational sport.

@TomStrasbourg If you get snuff into a rap song, I will buy my first rap CD since “Licensed to Ill” came out!

Refinishing a wooden stock on a Mosin nagant M44 rifle, attempting to trail break one of my horses, and making a hanging wood cabinet for all my snuff. Oh and trying to fit more snuff reviews into my busyness!!

I breed high end Boa constrictors and Ball Pythons so my hands are full with watching incubators and getting hatched or birthed baby snakes to eat. Right now I have 103 little mouths to feed and getting bit 10 times that in the process.

I’ve got a lighted wood/glass display case that I need to sand and refinish and replace some glass, add shelves, etc. Going to be used for my pipes, snuff boxes, and tobacco paraphernalia. Got a Hardcastle estate pipe on the way I’m gonna try my hand at restoring. About 2,000 sq ft of insulation in my basement that needs to be installed. Need to repaint my kitchen after a small(ish) grease fire… The list really is endless…

Need to trim the orchard, shrubs, plant garlic ,carrots,parsnips. separate and replant bulbs. and get rid of junk in the yard. put a chimney threw the roof ,hook up a wood burning stove. and that all on the list for this month. next month’s list is loaded also.Indoor stuff fresh paint ,hardwood floors. new tub and shower, tile. November get started remodeling a different part of the house; convert into an apartment for rent with separate utility’s and entrance. Will it all get done I doubt it but it a start.Oh the junk in the yard; a six wheeler I wanted to restore 20 years ago tra la la ladi la la 1 banana 2 banana 3 banana 4

5 Bananas make a bunch and so do many more

always something… today I’m cooking down a large batch of apple butter, getting familiar with my new android tablet, and sighting in a crossbow.

@BigDaddySnuff what Ball morphs do you breed?

@n9inchnails right now I’ve got killer bees, champagnes, mojaves,clowns, a clutch of caramel albinos, and your typical spiders, pastels, pinstripes, normals that are 66% hets and 100% hets. Have a gravid ghost (phantom) that I’m waiting on. Plus a really nice bloody salmon boa that I should get some super salmons from.

@BigDaddySnuff reminds me of the Far Side cartoon where Dave, the zoo’s reptile guy, finally succombs to a terminal case of the heebie-jeebies!

@Cros LOL…Snakes are great. I have been keeping reptiles for 30 years. It’s one of those passions that has a “creep” factor.

@BigDaddySnuff me and snakes have an agreement, I dont bother them in the wild and they don’t get their heads taken off with a shovel if they stay out of my garage.

@Cros That’s a good agreement. Most people don’t think twice about killing snakes. I ask them if they would rather have one snake or 100 mice in their house. If you have snakes around your house they are there for a reason and that reason is food.

@BigDaddySnuff did you babysit your kids by dumping a big bucket of snakes in the yard?

@Cros No I babysit my snakes by dumping a big bucket of kids in my yard. Kids are high in protein.

Just switched the broken alternator with a rebuilt . all shinny and new

I’m entering the Hawaii State Disc Golf Championships this weekend at Polipoli. I’ve been practicing all month so I hope not to come in last. I only started playing this year so I’ll learn a few things that will come in handy.

I have an 82 trans am I put a beefy 350 in now I just need to redo the interior.

@distaind i love Trans Ams! I am putting in a 1270cc engine in my mini, up from 998cc, when i get done we should race! I get to choose the course though! can you fit through a 5 foot wide alley?

@distaind can you fit through a 5 foot wide alley?

Must not make joke… resist… resist… : l

@TomStrasbourg just let it rip!

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!!! (There goes my mask of maturity)

@TomStrasbourg its so small, it can fit without touching the sides…um…its a grower not a show’er? not helping my Mini’s case at all, am I?

Lmao unless there is bushes in that alley I would probably have to bring some touch up paint. I didn’t go to crazy with the engine. I added a few high performance parts. I was going to bore it out to a 383 stroker but times got a little tough. she still needs some work but it runs. I should probably start a savings account just for the gas

i wish mine would still run, its been in pieces for 10 years, was a daily driver before that, i started taking it apart but got deployed, then money and/or time became tight

I’m a photographer, and develop my film (color and black and white) in my basement. I’m going to be assembling a full service darkroom to make prints, so I can stop scanning my film.

Haven’t touched my film cameras in years, still have a darkroom in the basement, I was a custom printer for Bachrach photographers in a former life and still miss the smell of the chemistry :-). Back in the day I would go through a 250 sheet box of Kodak Opal G 11x14 double weight paper in a couple of days, hands stained yellow from the developer, stoned out of my mind on hashish. Ah, the memories…

Just found an old camera among my deceased father’s things that had not been looked at many years. I was thrilled to find an unfinished roll of film in there. So I took the last few pics (camera still works fine) and ran the film down to the developer. I’m pretty sure the film is from our family trip to Ireland in 1988! Can’t wait to see what unfolds!

Very cool @Xander! I hope you get some great pictures from it. Regardless of what the pictures are that is a great find.

Film turn out blank

Two custom pantry cabinets -2ft deep 4ft wide and 90 +inch high with addition of kick plate takes them to the ceiling. Primed all parts before assembly 8 sheets of 1/2 birch plywood and 10 -1" x12" x8ft white pine.

Nice, basement_shaman. bet they were a bear to install in the room,or did you assemble them in place? I don’t see scuff marks on the ceiling,

Nice, basement_shaman. bet they were a bear to install in the room,or did you assemble them in place? I don’t see scuff marks on the ceiling,

I needed 4 1/4 inches to tilt into place the kick plate and bottom support was a 2 x4 that was ripped and shimmed and secured to the old floor for level ,the top molding took up the rest of the space less then 3/4 " ,the left cabinet I did have to beat into place. Because there was a dividing wall there at one time. It all has to do with the math,and the angle of the dandgill. no so much about the motion of the ocean. Thanks @Mouse Just one of many talents I have mastered over a life time.

@basement_shaman Nice cabinet, woodworking is a great skill to have. I worked in a cabinet shop for a few years before I got into the carpenters union and I really liked that work. Most days were making various sized boxes or laminate but once in a while I got to do some interesting stuff. Right now my side project is making the nastiest fuzz box I can out of a single opamp and as few parts as possible. Getting close but not quite there.

@Basement_Shaman have you ever made pipe/tobacco cabinets?

@Slide I can’t afford to hire myself .Custom work is time consuming. Quality materials are expensive. Money talks and you know the rest. I am sure if you buy top of the line dunhill pipes you could afford a custom made cabinets . Not much of a market for such work, at lease locally. I just use the buffet cabinet; the draws hold my tins and I display my pipes with antique pipe racks ,some round others square & rectangular shape. The cellar is where the long term tobacco stays and I add to it when possible. To answer your query NO, but it not out of the question If I get the time I have some 10 years old black walnut seasoning I cut myself ;I only have 20+ other projects I need to complete and they are slowly showing progress. You know the auto mechanic car is in the worst condition.That is just the way it goes.

I understand completely! If you ever get around to that be sure to share the pics!

Yesterday I built a fermenter and I’ll try to do a few bottles of mead… And helping a cousin to restore a 1980 Ford Corcel II.

Just found an old camera…

ive been finally going through old boxes from when i got out of the Navy, ive found 3 rolls of film so far, each over 10 years old, some great pics of Sicily, some of people i dont remember but must have been important, and one somewhat risque picture of my ex-wife!

after alot of multi-lingual swearing, experts called in and a broken needlenose, we finally got the engine out of the Mini, Sunday i hope to see the doors and the suspension off as well, hopefully thats not too big of an agenda for one evening. it did take about 14 hours to get the engine out without breaking anything!

Not even skin off the knuckles? I admire your patience.

@Juxtaposer not even that, we would have been done a lot quicker if we would have had an American translation to the Brittish manual! really, whats a bonnet or a tyre? use a what to remove the what?

@Cros Thats funny you say that. I have owned and restored several old Land Rovers when I was younger and had to learn to adapt to different car lingo. Propeller Shaft? This isn’t a boat! LOL.

I have been systamaticallly murdering fruit flys in my kitchen, the excitement of my life. I have a Balslamic Vinager bait, and spray bottle method, that is proveing quite fruitfull(Ha!).

@PotPoe every year it some plague or swarms, wrath from Odin. That is too funny, I have to vacuum catch stink bugs before my 16 yr old daughter comes over. She was traumatized at her mothers house. Ah the things we do for love.

stinkbugs go in the oblet! which are old snus tins. I hate them bugs so they get to die in used snuff tins.

Ooh! This post gave me a good idea - just started a new batch of wine on Sunday with some lovely Tuscan grape varietals and the fumes coming out of the fermenter are divine – why put those good smells to waste? I hooked a small hose from the airlock to a small baggie full of some plain snuff. By the time the primary fermentation is done, I may very well have a great grape scented snuff - who knows?

@PotPoe same here. Although about one month ago it was a million times worse. That was when I was harvesting peaches like mad; (they all get ripe at once!). They also loved the tomatoes, and as always my kitchen scrap bin (banana peels are their favorites). I’ve got one of those fruit fly traps with the stinky solution in it, but I think it only catches one in 20 flies. I also have fly paper hanging above the scrap bin. It gets a few more. Still that leaves about 85% of them untouched, but to be honest they don’t bother me much; they are pretty harmless. Mainly its the family that complains about them, and since I am in charge of fruit and fruit scraps, fruit flies are my jurisdiction. Stink bugs are coming on here too; their time of year. Mostly they are just seen clinging to screens. A flick on the screen sends them on their way. They don’t bother me much either unless one goes mad and gets in and starts bombarding heads and lightbulbs at night. Again, my jurisdiction since everyone thinks they are scary looking and won’t touch them. 8-|

don’t touch the stink bug with your snuff pinching hand.That stench isn’t easy to wash off, I used to use a paper towel and squish them, big mistake! washed and repeat then febreze wash again. then I could enjoy my snuff. They haven’t been as bad these past two years but if they have hatching cycles like cicadas. It will may get bad. In 2013 the cicadas will be out in massive numbers with the 17 year cycle hatching stretching from Delaware to Kansas.There are also 13 year and annuals broods. The Japanese beetle hasn’t showed up in awhile, And the banana bug that stank of bananas.Those pesky earwigs numbers are also down.And most unfortunate the bee population is at record lows without bees the entire ego system will collapse. Then the only food will be soylent green.

We gota eat all the old people ! Show em that ya love um ! Eat all the old people shove em in the oven .

Haha, @Kurtsnose, first time around I completely missed the soylent green remark in @basement_shaman 's post… I started to wonder if there was some other reason you were named kurtsnose - good, ol grampa kurt

@kurtsnose that a sharp mine for a garnish up geezer. No time for that! That Dr. really influenced this warped demented mind.

Can’t find the video { cartoon} It’s on some George Carlin page with No time .

A sandwich is a sandwich but your grandpa is a meal .

Did you mean this one?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnd0CAtl4\\_c&feature=player\\_detailpage

No it was on a web site called " Laugh.com " I think when George Carlin died so did laugh.com But we could go the other way @basement_shaman have you read “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathon Swift . A quick read check it out you can find it on the web.

Built a 42 inch wide screen door,ship lap corner joints glued and screwed.3/4 x 3/4 rabbit and cross rail.continuous bead of polyurathane glue ,solid 1/2 pressure treated plywood panel.1/2" hardware cloth screen. All that left is to apply the strap hindges and the thumb handle locking latch hardware,And hang it on the coup. Another side project this week 90% rebuild

I’m working on a couple of books at the moment - one is a memory-aid system I’ve devised for building vocabulary in foreign languages, the other is on home economics. Kindle publish any old rubbish, so I’m hoping to get them out as Ebooks soon! Also got a load of homemade wine on the go. I’m interested to see how the mini project develops. I had a 1982 mini mayfair years ago, but like most of its breed it succumbed to corrosion on the underside. Hope you’re good at spot welding!

@AustinAllegro putting in new floor pans and crossbars, the shell itself is still in really good shape

I’m writing a book and it’s bloody hard work.

Well I got to fix up my volkswagen jetta, i’m ordering parts and having a gear head buddy come over and help me fix everything up. I am also just abot fed up with all the different bosses I have, for fencing, carpentry, ect. I work for scraps while getting treated like a mutt. At the end of the day there are guys with 15+ years of expierence so they dont want to spend money on a laborer, no matter how hard I bust my ass, and believe me I bust my ass, I am very passionate about my pride in working hard. I havn’t worked in a while because my car is busted, and that just about made me decide its time to go to college, so now I got a big side project ahead of me, putting in as many applications to colleges as possible before the holidays. I am definantly fit for college, I got college credits while in public high school for enrolling in advanced classes, but at the same time I love the pride I get from busting my ass being a fencer or a carpenter, I get so strong and solid, my hands all calloused, and at the end of the day I can look around and see the results of all the hard work I put in, I ride home in my 5 speed jetta and blast Oi! music with a whole lot of Dragun up my nose. Ahh sorry for going off on a tangent, the point is I am gonna go to college and getting accepted visiting colleges to find out where I want to go is gonna be a project for me Oh I also have a cabinet I got at good will, its a small one with 3 shelves that I want to sand down and repaint or polyurethane, thats gonna be fun

@Vito445 go to school and be the boss. Best of luck

Well got the footer dug, forms are up and mixed concrete by hand.

@Vito445 go to school and be the boss. Best of luck

Agreed. Take that work ethic to you classes and you will do well.

I’m mixing a recording of a band I made about three weeks ago. It only needs some final mastering and will be shipped off to the press. We still make vinyl in Detroit. About to store the '65 190-Dc Benz. It needs some little things: clutch pedal adjustment, fuel injectors rebuilt, tank fuel filter replaced. It will live in the garage this winter, safe away from the salt.

processing black walnuts, dehulling, washing and now curing in the oven for a couple of days, heated by the pilot light. They’re labor-intensive to shell (you need a vise to crack them open) but the intense flavor is well worth it.

Brewing a bath or nut brown ale, creating a 12 x 38 inch stained glass panel, painting the outside of my house and replacing outside locks, canning the tomatoes and reading some good books.

I’am working on a horror short story. It’s a little creepy, you guys might wonder about me if I finish it and let you read it.

We often wonder about you @bob Stefan

that’s cause I’am probably the stupidest genius you’ll ever meet.

Damn right.

@bob I hope you will let us read it. I enjoy a good horror story.

@chris now I have to.

@chris same here. I think bob could come up with a damn good story, and I mean that sincerely, no sarcasm or irony involved. Stefan

did you read the one I shared on here a little bit ago?

did you read the one I shared on here a little bit ago?

Where was that?

@bob, I’d like to read it too. I’m working on a survival novel currently. Writing is hard!

@bob no but I’d like to. What thread is it on? Stefan

http://www.booksie.com/other/short\\_story/robert\\_owen/the-document There it is. It a slightily strange story more extestential horror then anything else.

Another side project done. Pressure treated framming and sheathing.except for side wall, ship lap rough cut fir. window covered with hardware cloth and closed for storm protection. new red roof.

Your new snuff warehouse?

@miamimark not big enough. It’s a chicken coupe. Raccoon and fox proof. even the sparrows can’t get in to eat the feed.

I’m not as busy as most of you- but there are a few things. Catching up on some reading, working on the creative process and must get at some creative projects: drawing, jewelry making, sculpting, maybe getting back into some pipe-carving and wood carving. Also to work on some essential oil blending- both to wear and to scent snuff. Some of these things require getting more supplies and ingredients, and to take some more silversmithing classes (maybe I could make some boxes eventually, but that must take some advanced skills)…

@Mr.O do you have the tools for working with silver? Just wondering how advanced you are in that skill. I am happy to share what I know if you get stuck on a project, been making jewelry for a few decades… Technically goldsmith=jewelry, either gold or silver, silversmith=vessels, cutlery, etc. Somewhat different skill set and tools.

Thank’s for asking! So far just a few of the basics as far as tools. My work so far has been limited to making wax models(is there a better term?) for casting and some whaddaya callit “cold fabricating”? Like a bracelet, a pendant type deal, an earring and just some experimenting with other stuff. I have an interest in quite a few precious and semi-precious stones, which I’ve used in a thing or two, I especially like the Tiger’s Eye’s, Opals, Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eyes, and various cold colored stones. I’ve got to get back on the horse, and any advice would be appreciated!

I don’t do any casting so you’re on your own there Basically, the sky’s the limit but each tool you acquire expands the horizon greatly. Initially I would suggest an air/acetylene torch (safer and hotter than propane), soldering block, a soldering pick. These few items open up the vast area of fabricating–you’ll be able to bezel set cabochon stones for one thing, join wire to sheet, fabricate boxes, etc. Buy the best quality tools you can afford, a $30 pair of needle-nose pliers is worth infinitely more than a $4 pair in terms of precision and frustration reduction. You’ll find a need for other pliers quickly. A 3" vise with leather glued to the jaws is handy, parallel smooth jaw pliers, a pair of bench shears, a polishing booth or at least a flex-shaft or Dremel which will also allow precision grinding and drilling. $5 or $6 hundred dollars I’d guess will have you equipped to do most basic work. I mix Borax from the supermarket with water for flux, and make my own firestain preventive spray. Swimming pool ph down is a good pickle for soldered work. Tim McCreight’s jewelry making book is almost a must for basic technique and ideas. Finding and befriending a pipe-smoking goldsmith in your area would be a terrific asset… Oh, and a polished steel bench block, 4x6" and a polished faced hammer or two…the list keeps expanding, lol. PM me with questions so we don’t bore everyone

Thank’s much Mouse! I’ll PM ya soonly!

A few days ago I finally finished the compost bin I’ve been putting off. I’m not good at building things, like basement shaman’s awesome projects, so this is something of a significant accomplishment for me.

@AustinAllegro putting in new floor pans and crossbars, the shell itself is still in really good shape

Lord I miss that car. I loved the sound it made when changing down gear, a sort of whiny whirring noise. It could turn on a sixpence - I even got pulled over once by a WPC who claimed I nearly hit a roundabout - silly woman didn’t understand that the mini can do things ordinary cars can’t - that’s why they made ‘The Italian Job’!

I love driving it, its like a go-kart, got to drive it for 2 years in Sicily where i could take advantage of driving conditions.

No project yet, just some stink bug target practice with the blow guns. I will have to get the spackel out and patch the dozens of holes,but I got it! Going to paint soon so no big deal. Upper left hand corner, it was walking while we shot at it ,range 15 feet.

Basement_shaman that’s horrible!!! A quick death is too good for stink bugs. I capture them and put them in the Oubliette (old snus tins).

@Basement_Shaman you love blowguns too? So do I. I have three 50cal CT blowguns and a small group that gets together once a month for target practice. Great shot on that stink bug!

@TobaccyLassy this was just 40 cal but still plenty of fun. I have a collection of other blowguns. amongst other deadly weapons I use for fun.

@Basement_Shaman I remember reading in another thread (the anachronism thread I think) that you like slingshots too… High five!

Learning ASL (American Sign Language.) Networking for ASL within the OCA (Orthodox Church in America.) Eventually I hope to know ASL well enough to become certified with RID (Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf.) As you can see… I LOVE my TLA (Three Letter Acronyms.)

@lunecat want to come over and help me with my mini? all the snuff you can sniff while doing it

Probably be working on some new glass etching designs. Here is a sample…

Here is what I did this morning and please understand that I do not sell, buy or do drugs. I get paid to blast art and stain it

Nice work MattheFox!

Hot off the press for my grandson. 2 are exact trademarks and 2 are recreations

So my wife had to work this Christmas eve and left a sink full of dishes. I told her not to think about it, that I would make the kitchen bright & shiny. She laughed heading for the door saying that since I din’t have a projects that I would probably take a nap, have some drinks & chat with friends. I proved her wrong and replaced the kitchen light fixture that was damaged in the last storm but I got it done to quickly and still had to do the dishes

spent the day paying bills, updating my linux box, and doing end-of-the-year bookkeeping. Thankfully there’s snuff to enjoy…random selection: WoS Ice Licorice.

I’ve got a long Christmas break from college (kicked ass in class) so now I can really work on my tunes. Hope to have a few full songs finished by the end of break.

So I am up at 4:00am this morning and don’t know why but decide to start preparing when I notice I have no water. I don’t know if any of you folks have well water or have a shallow well where you have a pump house or in my case your pump is in a craw space under the house. I had to get dressed & go out in the rain, climb under the house with the cricket spiders dancing on the plastic liner to reach the pump. I take off the cover to test the pump and just as I lightly touched it, the damned thing started working. I will be blowing out the contacter this weekend and making sure the cricket spiders didn’t decide to build a home in it

What a way to start the day!

Hoping my bees make it through the winter!! Got a non-profit bee project going on - just waiting for the official sign off - should be any day now…

Good amount of hives, Ubert! This is the first year I wrapped my hives in roofing tarpaper over Winter, something I saw in some Bee Culture mags I have from the 1920’s. I hope to have a good survival rate come Spring as well. Thinking on adding some Bruton to their sugarwater in the Spring to stimulate a revival. Truthfully, dusting with snuff may help deter the mites?

Hi Bart - this is just one of the sites I have but probably my favourite. I have never used tar paper and I typically have a good survival rate. I use an empty top box system - if you are interested I can explain how it works, it has certain advantages. This year winter has been long and hard with a mixture of wet and cold - not ideal for bees. I don’t know what Bruton is - I just put in some candy at the end of February to keep 'em going til the main nectar flow comes on. Have you tried dusting with snuff? I have heard of dusting with powdered sugar but never tried it. I didn’t think nicotine was good for bee health - was reading about these nicotinoid based pesticides which are pretty controversial and already banned in some places. You got a lot of hives yourself? Would be interested to share a few tips and techniques especially where mites are concerned.

I dust with powdered sugar and always have a screen bottom. I’ve stayed away from use of any chemicals thus far. Beetles were a problem last year and I made a trap out of a cd case with maple syrup in it that seemed to attract the little critters and kill them. In my old magazines, there is talk of smoking the bees with tobacco but I believe it is frowned upon nowadays. It is a nice feeling to go to bed at night or leave the house knowing you have thousands of “employees” that are working hard for you at that very moment. However, having more than 50 employees, I find out I may need to offer them Health Care now…a fella just can’t win. $-)

Toliet Wine! (not prepared in a toliet)

I know bees like sweet mystery x pipe tobacco they follow me if I smoke it in spring or summer. so who knows.

I just got finished the 2013 Elks artwork and created a sample. What do you think?

just stay away from frantic city http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSDjRWXZcxo

@lunecat Thats one of the best fields to be in right now

Sort of a hooby ATM, but I’m planning on going self-employed as a process-control systems developer within the next year and these projects will be useful for my work.

I haven’t enough courage to do something similar, because I have to feed a six-member family… it would be too risky. Can’t escape from the treadwheel. *sigh*

I wish you good luck, @lunecat

I presented the Elks with the sample shirt on Saturday and they ordered 39 on Sunday. The material just showed up yesterday and they need it by Saturday eve. A lot of computer work to do to get it laid out right

A second version of Cerise and a one off snuff made from traditional carotte, maybe around summer for the release. Neither will be repeated as I just had the tobacco for these two in store for along while, just looking for the right project.

@abraxas keep em coming! Looking forward to trying anything and everything else you throw at us.

Thanks mate, as soon as I get some spare time I will get Cerise blend 2 on sale - it’s ready just waiting for me to get round to getting the labels etc. The carotte one has been maturing for three years and, again, it’s just about finding the time. But I will get them out this year. I don’t plan on any permanent additions to the line up but I want to bring out one offs for the fun of it. My wife’s decided I am making a strawberries and cream snuff for Wimbledon as well.

I am so looking forward to those, especially the carotte, and I do hope the strawberries and cream snuff is for us a well as Wimbledon…

My nose is running just thinking about those

@Mouse - whenever I make a snuff I’m mentally making it for the Snuffhouse crowd - so it is most definitely for you. @distaind - watch this space;)

@Abraxas The carotte one I will buy by the bucket full!!

Aah, I’m afraid you will need a very small bucket as it’s going to be a 3kg batch and then gone forever. Some of the ingredients are just irreplaceable even if I wanted to make more.

drool

cerise one is awesome. It has been my snuff of the day today.

It a nice lazy Sunday a great day to do some long put off tobacco pipe cleaning. :-??

Pruning the grape vines and apple tree on this fine Sunday morning.

It is now Monday @basement_shaman, but I did the same thing on Sunday. Now at least a couple dozen of my pipes are looking pretty good. Now for the rest…

Hand carved Saguaro skeleton wall art. “Shaman” Sold.

Hand carved dug out w/ spoon. Desert Mesquite, stained cherry, satin finish. In the pic, A good heap of Creme De Figue breathing before enjoyment.

Hand carved, Mesquite snuff spoons

Two, free standing mesquite tobacco pipes under construction, looking for stems? @basement_shaman, might you know of any good places to find replacement stems?

@noworry http://www.smokingpipes.com/accessories/pipe-supplies/index.cfm?finish=0&shape=0&price=0&tag=0&page=2 replacement stem Pipe Tools & Supplies Amber Bent Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0068 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Amber Bent Non-Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0072 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Amber Straight Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0067 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Amber Straight Non-Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0071 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Black Bent Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0070 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Black Bent Non-Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0074 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Black Straight Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0069 Your Price: $0.64 Pipe Tools & Supplies Black Straight Non-Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum) SKU: 001-545-0073 Your Price: $0.64

Pruning the grape vines and apple tree on this fine Sunday morning.

Wow I also have grape vines & an orchard of apples/plums & pear trees. But I’m no gardender and have been remiss when it comes to pruning, and as a consequence the fruit yeild has fallen over the years I have been here. I prefer computers & cars to gardening as a hobby.

I’d work for food, snuff and a warm room. Have no clue about grapes, unfortunately and you’d have to live with my dog extinguishing the local wildlife by causing the beasts heart attacks.

Two, free standing mesquite tobacco pipes under construction, looking for stems? @basement_shaman, might you know of any good places to find replacement stems?

Here’s a good source of pipe-making supplies: “http://www.pimopipecraft.com/” and pre-finished Walker Briar Works ‘Forever’ stems here: walkerbriarworks.com

Side project of the weekend is learning to make a knife, from laser cut blank to finished functional knife. I just got back fro day 1 of the workshop, and will hopefully post photos of my finished project tomorrow.

I’m taking down a mulberry tree along my fence line because it’s choking out a pine. I’m doing this by hand since I don’t own a chainsaw and would like to keep all of my fingers. I’m going to feel it tomorrow :((

@crullers don’t forget to drill holes in the stump and use a stump remover [Potassium Nitrate] or the damm thing will come back.

This afternoon I made a snuff spoon out of a piece of branch that broke off the black walnut tree in the back yard.

@crullers don’t forget to drill holes in the stump and use a stump remover [Potassium Nitrate] or the damm thing will come back.

Thanks for the tip. I definitely don’t want it coming back, it’s like a weed. Plus, the birds eat the berries when they are out and make a mess of my car!

@mouse, very nice work on the spoon, black walnut is one of my favorites to work with.

Thanks @noworry. It took about an hour. Finished with carnauba wax and a buffer.

@Mouse, That’s a beautiful spoon!!!

Done with my beginners knife making workshop. I had such a fun time learning the tip of the iceberg about knife making. I now want to save up my $$ to take more classes! Here’s my completed knife…

@Mouse…also admiring your work… Awesome spoon

http://www.pipetobacco.com/ check it out :-B

Black Walnut spiral spoon, hand carved, not quite finished yet, but a great start. The first one broke, but this one came out much nicer.

Oh, that’s beautiful, @noworry. What wood are you carving?

Oh, that’s beautiful, @noworry. What wood are you carving?

spiral spoon would be Arizona Black Walnut, I also work with Desert Mesquite, Cactus varities and other hardwoods. Made two little double ended spoons from the broken spiral #1. When something breaks, it might not be a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. I admire your skills as well, @Mouse.

Cool–serpent spoons! I’ve been cutting dragon bracelets out of silver all day and have been thinking about the symbolism–eden, kundalini, Chinese myth, oroboris, etc.

Cholla (CHO_Y_A) cactus skeleton spoons, just started, going to make a bunch!

First attempt at container gardening this year. I only have a small back garden and never attempted growing anything before, but I’m being quite ambitious with it (as much for a learning curve as anything else). Here’s what I’m trying for in modest quantities: Sweetcorn, carrots, parsnips, onions, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, kale, spinach, sprouts, mini bell peppers, salad leaves, butternut squash, pumpkin, kiwi fruit, cherries, apples, plums, figs, blueberries, a few herbs and a large sunflower. The space I’m trying to grow it all in (that catches enough sun) is only about 2m x 4m, so the butternut squash and pumpkin are a bit of a gamble as they’re liable to take over if I’m not careful. I might need to sacrifice one or both before harvest if they get too big, but it will still be a worthwhile experience for me. There is a bit more space I can use, just not with optimum sun and I’ll struggle to put my washing out

Learning Linux

Proxxon micro lathe on the way! soon I’ll be turning out some wonderful snuff spoons, pipe stems and other accessories, other idea’s?

Yo aprendiendo a hablar español, en colegio y durante el verano.

Yo aprendiendo a hablar español, en colegio y durante el verano.

mi español es lo suficientemente bueno para obtener direcciones, o en problemas.

Proxxon micro lathe on the way! soon I’ll be turning out some wonderful snuff spoons, pipe stems and other accessories, other idea’s?

@noworry is that the 3x10" DB250? if wood lathes are anything like metal lathes, the cost of accessories quickly exceeds the cost of the machine,

Proxxon micro lathe on the way! soon I’ll be turning out some wonderful snuff spoons, pipe stems and other accessories, other idea’s?

@noworry is that the 3x10" DB250? if wood lathes are anything like metal lathes, the cost of accessories quickly exceeds the cost of the machine,

That’s the one. And right you are @Mouse, the hand tools alone are more than the lathe. Making beautiful art though, priceless. I’ll be launching a vendor page this fall, if all goes accordingly. $-)

Dug up the front yard, plan on planting sun flowers and gourds and possibly pop corn

Here’s what I’m trying for in modest quantities: Sweetcorn, carrots, parsnips, onions, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, kale, spinach, sprouts, mini bell peppers, salad leaves, butternut squash, pumpkin, kiwi fruit , cherries, apples, plums, figs, blueberries, a few herbs and a large sunflower.

Kiwis in England? Yes pumpkin and squash like a lot of spreading out space. You might not have enough room.

Here’s what I’m trying for in modest quantities: Sweetcorn, carrots, parsnips, onions, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, kale, spinach, sprouts, mini bell peppers, salad leaves, butternut squash, pumpkin, kiwi fruit , cherries, apples, plums, figs, blueberries, a few herbs and a large sunflower.

Kiwis in England? Yes pumpkin and squash like a lot of spreading out space. You might not have enough room.

In the North too The Kiwi variety is “Jenny” which is supposedly hardy and self-fertile, though I’ll just be happy it it gets established this year, never mind fruits. Hopefully I’ll be getting the pumpkin and squash planted out this weekend, so I’ll be trying to arrange all the containers to give those two as much of a play area as possible. I’ve got parangs, machetes and axes if they get out of control

Serviced my oil burner, new filter,new screen filter,new nozzle . don’t matter how careful your are you smell like heating oil.

Planted two apple trees, a Fuji and an Empire.

This weekend I built an arch (for peas to grow one side and raspberries the other), suspended a hanging basket with tomatoes from the centre, and fitted a trellis to the back for the kiwi to spread out on inside. I also planted up my sunflower, pumpkin, peppers, raspberries, tomatoes and strawberries along with a load of companion plants (geraniums and petunias, and sowed some nasturtium). Unfortunately I had to remove my plum tree as bacterial canker had set in, and it made more sense to get rid quick to protect other stuff than try to fight it. Oh, and I also fitted an outside tap on the house too. Busy weekend!

planted Romano beans, arugula, Japanese cucumbers, and celery, cut a replacement pane of glass, made a few dragon bracelets, and spread lawn fertilizer.

Planting today, and then covering with straw to keep the weeds down and the soil from drying out too fast. Made the mistake last year of spreading 50lbs of orchard grass and the bird came and ate it. Yesterday I pull up a large wheel barrel of buttercup weeds still have 5 barrels to go

New lathe works great. Cherry, Italian Cypress, African Mahogany and Wenge wood spoons, off to sand and finish.

I ordered 5 Physalis (Cape Gooseberry) plants yesterday for growing on my windowsill. Now I’m trying to identify good companion plants for them so the trough planter doesn’t look desolate over winter

Planting today, and then covering with straw to keep the weeds down and the soil from drying out too fast. Made the mistake last year of spreading 50lbs of orchard grass and the bird came and ate it. Yesterday I pull up a large wheel barrel of buttercup weeds still have 5 barrels to go

Have you read Ruth Stout’s book “How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back”? It’s a classic. I met her and toured her garden back in the '50s and even as a 8-year-old I was impressed.

Have you read Ruth Stout’s book “How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back”? It’s a classic. I met her and toured her garden back in the '50s and even as a 8-year-old I was impressed.

i can feel another molestation allegation from the past rising here. are you sure there was nothing sinister? plenty of money in it for you if you win the case! no repercussions if you lose it! (you may not get the reference if not from UK). anyway, im putting together a racing RC truck. surprisingly satisfying (and pricey) to just drive the car im putting together and it work, i cant imagine how good itll feel when i finally get to race it and maybe win with it. sounds like a bit of a sad hobby i guess, but hey, im enjoying it. just received a delivery of heavy duty grease to waterproof bits, some velcro to stick the electronics down rather than using a glued homemade double sided duct tape, and a new spur gear since i trashed the last one (got it too hot because slipper clutch needed pads rejuvenating and tightening- the pinion gear sliced through it like butter).

I cut the first healthy batch of asparagus this year. just steamed it and it is great

Well this isn’t really a side project but…this is some bullshit! It was like 20C out all week and as soon as my plum tree flowers it gets balls freezingly cold out, like WTF! If the weather doesn’t warm right up soon I ain’t getting any plums this year, AGAIN! Mother Nature you’ve screwed me again

Well this isn’t really a side project but…this is some bullshit! It was like 20C out all week and as soon as my plum tree flowers it gets balls freezingly cold out, like WTF! If the weather doesn’t warm right up soon I ain’t getting any plums this year, AGAIN! Mother Nature you’ve screwed me again

I feel your pain. Apart from a few bumblebees, no pollinators hereabouts; I fear for the humble honey bee. You growing Asian or English plums? The latter are self-fertile… Some growers have resorted to buying pollen and doing the job themselves

I’m working on a story that must be told completely in sign language (ASL.) It’s worth 30% of my grade in ASL-1.

I’m working on a story that must be told completely in sign language (ASL.) It’s worth 30% of my grade in ASL-1.

Excellent! I took a BSL (British Sign Language) course many years ago. It was only Stage 1 at evening classes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Back on the gardening theme, I didn’t get much done this weekend due to weather. All I really accomplished was getting my 5 physalis plants potted up and sited on my lounge windowsill, verified I’ll not be getting any crops on my fruit trees this year, ordered some books on herbs (culinary, tea making, and medicinal) so I can decide what I want to cultivate, and pondered about (whilst knocking back a few real ales) reshuffling/repotting a few of the plants before they get too large. It’s a bloody steep learning curve this gardening lark

I maintain blog about history of the city I live in. And I’m gonna make a birdhouse in my allotment garden. And a wooden snuffbox. And I’m about writing a novel, but I have not enough free time. Not so ambitious projects as yours but I enjoy them.

Moving into a different apartment.

Busy building a pony shelter out of old pheasent pens for my girlfriend who runs a pony rescue centre will post some pics when its finished if it looks good that is!!

Doing some late tree pruning.over shadowing my garden. need more sunlight

I’ll be inheriting a knitting loom in the near future, who needs a magic flying carpet?, genie lamp not included. While the wood working is at a pause due to desert heat and my intolerance for the heat, the apparel side will be up and running again, with a new loom, quality and volume of product shall see improvements. Hoping to open vendor site, before the holidays. *-

Writing a short story.

I M xperimenting grinding pipe tobacco into snuff…very good results… Dunhill 965 & Pirate Kake & Turkish Izmir all winners with a little spicing added to some…

Motorcycle tins just got back from paint, got some odds and ends parts to source then it is time to get the hog back on the road. Ken

I’ve still got an apartment full of BOXES from when I moved.

studying to get my lapsed merchant marine license back :-<

Now the leaves are falling, got the chain saw out to do some long neglected tree limb trimming. I love cutting but picking up all the pieces and stacking into some organized pile is the back breaking part. With all the city slicker moving to the sticks giant burn piles are a thing of the past.But I still can burn, one day I may have to rent a chipper for all my cuttings. Also making a batch of Jalapeno Jelly,From the last harvest of the season.

Cleaning and re-lubricating the fine mechanics of my old rangefinder cameras. This is my old russian-made FED-2, manufactured in 1959 - still in daily use with black-and-white films:

We are currently working (wife and I) on illustrations and text for a small children’s magazine in Nigeria (and England) and very well pleased with the pay and the work itself. We are also working on the book for all of you of course (great!!!) and 3 large stained glass windows for our own home— one of L’empereur of course (very large 4ft x 6ft), the REAL General Desaix his own self (not me, the REAL one, ha), and of classic Millwall players (Harry, Harry, break us a leg!) – wanted to do up our own home because we’ve done so many pieces for others’ homes and neglected our own

Nothing much fun here, got a few consulting gigs lined up for next week’s vacation. A laptop cleanup/reload, a new Windows 7 machine with transfer of data from an old XP machine and an XP to Win 7 migration. The rest of vacation will likely be spent snow blowing, drinking, smoking and snuffing. If I get really motivated, I might work on refurbing some of my pipes.

Finishing my homemade Home Depot inspired Electric Ukulele.

Dealing with the aftermath of frozen pipes… Keeping out of mischief!

my sympathy, @stogie; been there and found out I could never be a plumber, something always went wrong and I didn’t have replacement parts or I was digging my way through the mud in a crawlspace.

Aaahhh plumbing…such wonderful fun.Every time I have ever tried fixing even the seemingly easiest of plumbing issues it has ended in catastrophe. I always wind up breaking more than was broken in the first place and get myself in a pickle where I wind up having to call in a professional anyways.

Writing and drawing an illustrated novel. I suppose that’s more of a main job now >_>

Thanks for your condolences @Mouse. Wound up only having to replace the faucet and sprayed in kitchen, drain in bath and hot water feed from hot water tank. Kind of weird though that it affected the hot water feed line… HMMMM). Then replaced shower head, installed hollow wall anchors in a few spots and hung a couple wall hooks for robes and such. Now trying to keep up with 4 year old grandson who came to stay for the week. Best be looking for s good snuff to up my energy level…

Hot water feeds always freeze first. I think it has something to do with the amount of dissolved gasses they contain. Anyone know? Sounds like you had a good day’s work there, @stogie.

Thanks for the insight @Mouse. You learn new things every day. Me, I learned it is a very good thing to keep the heat to a good level when the weather man says it will be -30 degrees or so… Oh well, live and learn…

Been working on my GIMP skills, mostly wallpapers, here’s one for example, I’ll also take requests to help me practice if anyone’s interested… -Kidnapper Edit: Trying to get the image to work… I’ll just leave a link… http://postimg.org/image/uksbqztfr/

Learning the ukulele. Fun just strumming and trying to get the fingering right (there’s a joke in there somewhere). Also, finishing up the restoration of a Victrola VV-IX (I collect old phonographs. And typewriters.)

On (unpaid) vacation this week, still have some consulting gigs left to finish up, a client moving from an old Dell XP machine to a new Win 7 machine (not bad) and another client wanting to do an in-place upgrade from XP to 7 (more of a PITA). Did a spyware/virus cleanup and have a laptop repair yet to do (at least got the data off the HD, viability of laptop is still in question). Also setting up a Lenovo tower for dual displays. For fun, I have some pipes I should work on–mostly stem rehabilitation. I always have big plans for vacation, but somehow the time just evaporates (pipes, snuff and whiskey don’t help).

Estate sale find. Was a tan wood 90s style silverware box. Gutted , painted, and relined upholstery, now an exceptional snuff box. In my opinion.

Had silver knobs and blue faded linen inside with pale red silverware holders.

Other than being a good husband and father I am working on a photo montage of my travels that I would like to one day roll into a guide book of sorts. Most days I can catch a good photo or two and every few weeks I pen a few passages- but this is a side/second seat project as I find most of my days quite buys.

To any beekeepers out there - I would be keen to hear how your colonies faired over this winter. I live in Luxembourg and spring is already on the way so I am giving candy to get 'em through. One or two weak hives but just gotta wait and see now…always a worrying time.

Initial phases of serious cleanup after a difficult winter. Spent way too much time inside and now perhaps have way too ambitious plans for summer gardening…

that’s my plan for the day, too, (to the extent my sore back allows); my lawn looks more like a brush heap with all the branches that came down in the winter storms.

Ah yes spring cleanup… just in the house taking a quick break from that myself. We had a very tough winter here in Pennsylvania. Going to take quite a while to get things in tip top shape. I have several other projects coming up with some of the off road vehicles. The worst of which is a total tear down and rebuild on the yz 400. My kid had a little mishap and dumped it…In water of all places. It has not been able to start since. Pretty sure it stalled and took in a nice big gulp of water through the exhaust.

Currently taking apart the front wheel of my Felt Z95 road bike to see what’s making it constantly rattle. Confused doesn’t quite describe it…