NATIONAL HOLE IN MY BUCKET DAY

On May 30th of each year, National Hole in My Bucket Day is observed. This wacky holiday is in honor of the fun children's song; There's a Hole in My Bucket.

From <https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-hole-in-my-bucket-day-may-30>

NATIONAL HOLE IN MY BUCKET DAY

On May 30th of each year, National Hole in My Bucket Day is observed. This wacky holiday is in honor of the fun children's song; There's a Hole in My Bucket.

The song which has its origins in 1700 Germany, is about a back and forth conversation between Henry and Liza.  Henry needs to fix his leaky bucket.  In each stanza, Henry asks Liza for advice. In the end, he needs a bucket to carry water to repair his bucket.

While this annual event was inspired by a song concerned with fixing a leaky bucket, there are other ways to celebrate this day. We all know it's a bit of a bummer when a once serviceable bucket gets a hole. But not all is lost. Holey buckets still serve a purpose. While they may no longer hold liquids (or hold them well), they do still maintain volumes of mass. Depending on where the hole is, it can do many jobs.

• Buckets of many sizes make excellent planters, especially for garden vegetables that sow deep roots.
• Fill it with concrete to hold a PVC pipe. Then you'll have a sturdy umbrella stand.
• Make a garden seat for weeding the flower beds, and you'll have storage for your tools, too. It doesn't take a lot of skill to make a padded covered seat out of the lid.
• Create a compost bin. Even with a hole in it, you'll be able to make terrific, nutrient-rich compost for your garden.
• Old galvanized buckets make excellent décor on the patio or in your home. Use them as light shades or side tables.
• Build a birdhouse, bird feeder, bird or butterfly bath.
• Storage, storage, storage. Buckets of all kinds can be dressed up and used to store tools, outdoor toys, and gear.

So sing the song while you repurpose your leaky bucket.

HOW TO OBSERVE HOLE IN MY BUCKET DAY

How many ways can you reuse a leaky bucket? 

 

1.  Show us how by using #HoleInMyBucketDay to post on social media. 

2.  Perhaps sing the song 

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole.

 

        Then mend it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        Then mend it, dear Henry, dear Henry, mend it.

 

With what shall I mend it, dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I mend it, dear Liza, with what?

 

        With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.

 

The straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,

The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long.

 

        Then cut it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        Then cut it, dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it.

 

With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, with what?

 

        With a knife, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        With a knife, dear Henry, dear Henry, a knife.

 

The knife is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,

The knife is too dull, dear Liza, too dull.

 

        Then sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        Then sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it.

 

With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, with what?

 

        With a stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        With a stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, a stone.

 

The stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,

The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.

 

        Then wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        Then wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it.

 

With what shall I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I wet it, dear Liza, with what?

 

        With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, with water.

 

In what shall I fetch it, dear Liza, dear Liza?

In what shall I fetch it, dear Liza, in what?

 

        In a bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

        In a bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, in a bucket.

 

But there's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole. 

 

Transferring Patterns to Wood

For pattern-transferring advice, we consulted professional decorative painter Jackie Shaw, whose methods you'll find easy to master. Use them and your painted pieces will win compliments as never before.

Patterns are key to painting success. Whether you're transferring the main outline of a design or adding intricate details, the pattern guides you to picture-perfect results. In her book, The Big Book of Decorative Painting (Watson-Guptill Publications, 1994), author Jackie Shaw includes a chapter with tips and techniques for copying patterns and transferring designs to base-coated projects.

We'll give you four foolproof methods for transferring patterns -- along with a few tips from Jackie. But first, before you transfer a pattern, copy the outlines of the design on tracing paper. Jackie encourages painters to take the liberty of re-creating the pattern while they copy it. "Move the tracing paper around the pattern so you can rearrange, add, or subtract elements as you go along," Jackie says. Next, using one of the four methods following below, transfer the design onto the base-coated wood. These techniques require simple tools like chalk, a No. 2 pencil, tracing paper, and commercial transfer paper.
 

Method 1
Retrace the pattern lines or rub the back of the pattern with chalk. Turn the traced pattern face down, and retrace the lines with a chalk pencil or rub the back with chalk. Then position the pattern, chalk side down, on the base-coated surface. Using a stylus, retrace the lines. Apply very little pressure, or you'll make grooves on the wood surface. "Chalk is my personal choice for transferring patterns because it's easy to remove, and it allows for creativity and alterations without ever leaving behind a 'ghost' of the pattern," Jackie says.

Method 2
Rub the back of the pattern with a No. 2 pencil. With the traced pattern face down, hold the pencil horizontally on the paper while applying the graphite. Lightly wipe off the excess graphite dust. Then place the pattern, treated side down, on the base-coated surface and retrace the lines with a stylus.
 

Method 3
Apply the pattern with commercial transfer paper. Check at local crafts stores or art-supply stores for special artist's transfer paper -- several brands are available. Slide the sheet of transfer paper, treated side down, between the pattern and the base-coated surface, and trace over the lines as directed above. Although it might be tempting to substitute carbon paper for the transfer paper, "it's best not to use it because over time it will bleed through paint," Jackie says.
 

Method 4
Make your own transfer paper. You'll need tracing paper and several pieces of chalk, both white and colored. To make light sheets of transfer paper (to use on medium- and dark-colored surfaces), rub one www.MyShedPlans.com side of each piece of tracing paper completely with a piece of cheap white chalk. (Do not use artist's pastel chalk because its wax base can mar your painting.) Rub the chalk into the paper with your fingers. Then shake off any excess chalk. For dark sheets of transfer paper, use colored chalk or a pencil. Shake off any excess chalk or graphite. Store the sheets by folding the treated sides together.
 

Transferring Tips

• When transferring a pattern, place a sheet of waxed paper on top of it to help you keep track of lines already traced. The stylus will etch the wax paper as you work, showing clearly where you've traced.
• To remove chalk or transfer-paper pattern lines after painting, rub off marks with a soft cloth dampened with clean water. Graphite or other commercial transfer papers may require mineral spirits.
• Transfer as little of the design as possible to the wood. This will allow you to be more creative with painting.

Pilot Hole Sizes For Wood Screws

 

Pilot Hole Sizes For Wood Screws
Screw   Gauge #	Shank   Hole	Pilot   Soft Wood	Pilot   Hard Wood
0	1/16	1/64	1/32
1	5/64	1/32	1/32
2	3/32	1/32	3/64
3	7/64	3/64	1/16
4	7/64	3/64	1/16
5	1/8	1/16	5/64
6	9/64	1/16	5/64
7	5/32	1/16	3/32
8	11/64	5/64	3/32
9	3/16	5/64	7/64
10	3/16	3/32	7/64
11	13/64	3/32	1/8
12	7/32	7/64	1/8
14	1/4	7/64	9/64
16	17/64	9/64	5/32
18	19/64	9/64	3/16
20	21/64	11/64	13/64

Measurements for US Flag

 

Common Board Sizes

 

Crafting a Turning Saw (Bow Saw)

Fabricating the Frame

A turning saw, often likened to a miniature bow saw, shares similarities with a coping saw but boasts a larger frame typically around 12 inches in size. Tools for Working Wood offers a turning saw of exceptional quality for approximately $180, slightly beyond my intended budget. However, they generously furnish both the components and comprehensive blueprints for constructing one's own saw, a project well-suited for most woodworking enthusiasts. Accompanying the parts and plans is a detailed set of construction notes, facilitating the process significantly.

 

To commence the project, I procured a set of pins and three blades from TFWW, intending to fashion my own handles owing to the presence of a lathe in my workshop. The plans, when printed on legal-size paper with scaling disabled, yield accurately dimensioned templates. These templates, including those for the cheeks and stretcher, necessitate adherence to straight-grained stock due to the substantial stress these components endure. Once the templates are affixed to the chosen stock using an Elmer's glue stick, they serve as guides for cutting. Any residual adhesive can be easily eliminated with a wipe of mineral spirits, especially since sanding the wood is a subsequent step in the finishing process.

 

Minor deviations in the cutouts, as encountered in my own work, need not cause undue concern given the forgiving nature of the design. While alignment of the pinholes is desirable, the overall precision required is minimal, given the primary function of the saw—to provide blade tension and support during cutting operations. Any discrepancies can be remedied through carving or sanding adjustments during subsequent stages of assembly.

In the next phase, these roughed-out components will be transformed into finished parts, including the creation of knobs and a winding toggle.

 

• Free Plans:  https://toolsforworkingwood.com/extra/images/bowsaw/Gramercy_bows_full_8x14.pdf
• Notes:  https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/more/bowsawplans.html
• Parts: https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/GT-BOWS.XX

 

Assembling the Turning Saw: Completing the Construction

Following the shaping of the frame components, attention turned to the fabrication of the handles and the winding toggle, depicted in the accompanying image. Regrettably, photographing the process while utilizing power tools, including the lathe, proved cumbersome, necessitating a descriptive narrative in lieu of visual documentation.

 

The toggle begins as a ½” diameter cylinder, easily fashioned from offcuts derived from the saw material. After rounding the ends and forming a cove near one extremity to accommodate the tensioning strings and allow for pivoting under tension, the toggle is completed by flattening the opposite end into a paddle shape. Multiple methods exist for achieving this, but I opted for expediency, utilizing a stationary belt sander for a swift process lasting a mere 60 seconds.

 

Similarly, the handles, fashioned from walnut for their durability, were swiftly fashioned on the lathe. A ¼” hole bored into one end accommodates the blade pin, while the handle's simplistic form lends itself to a straightforward turning exercise, with precision being of secondary importance. After the completion of both handles, the blade pins are securely affixed in place using a slow-setting epoxy, ensuring a robust bond. Any excess epoxy is carefully managed, as the pins are pressed into position, exploiting the grooved design to facilitate adhesion.

For the finishing touch, a diluted boiled linseed oil is applied in two coats, providing both protection and aesthetic enhancement. With the components prepared, final assembly entails inserting the stretcher into the mortises and affixing the blade to the pins, akin to a coping saw. Following the recommended stringing method—utilizing 20lb (or stronger) braided fishing line—the toggle is employed to tension the blade, with personal discretion guiding the extent of tension applied.  The string/line is also available on the parts link above, but I had a fishing rod that used the braided line.

 

Acknowledging the subjective nature of tension requirements, experimentation and familiarity with the saw's nuances are recommended. As I acquaint myself with its operation, I intend to refine my understanding of optimal tension levels and share insights gained from practical experience. In conclusion, embarking on this endeavor proves to be both enjoyable and rewarding, offering a cost-effective solution to one's sawing needs.

 

Timber Intolerable?

Manning, S. F.- New England masts and the King's Broad Arrow

Greenwich, London: Trustees of the National Maritime Museum. (1979)

Agents Marking Trees with the King’s Broad Arrow

 Although this is not very much discussed when studying the "Intolerable Acts" leading up to the American Revolution, one cannot but wonder why this is so overlooked.  The biggest and most powerful navy in the world certainly needs ship masts.

England awoke to a timber crisis after commercial competition with the Dutch came to a breaking point. The Navigation Acts of 1651 had greatly limited imports into England, prompting Denmark to prey upon British ships as they sailed to and from the Baltic Sea transporting their timber cargo. It was at this time, on the eve of the first Anglo-Dutch War (1652–1654) that the Admiralty considered a plan to develop a North American source of timber and masts, and forgo possible crisis as a result of impending lengthy repair of battle-shattered masts.

North European fir had been the Admiralty's timber of choice for its mast construction. However, finding its supply chain obstructed, the Admiralty's second choice was the North American white pine. A shipload had been received from Jamestown in 1609 and another in 1634 from Penobscot Bay, both of which were found to be agreeable .[35] There is disagreement amongst scholars about which variety was the strongest, however the North American white pine was considered more resilient, one fourth lighter in weight, and exponentially larger; reaching a height of 250 feet, several feet in diameter at the base, and weighing in as much as 15 to 20 tons.  Accordingly, the Admiralty sent a fleet of mast ships in 1652 and thus began Britain's steady importation New England masts . 

Following the development of New England's shipbuilding industry, it became common for the British to retail New England ships due to significantly lower production costs. The abundance of naval stores and good timber enabled colonists to produce ships thirty percent cheaper than the English, making it the most profitable manufactured export during the colonial period.

The Admiralty's venture to get mast logs out of the New England forest, in turn, produced a labor force that with it developed into a booming domestic lumber industry. Since ninety-plus percent of New England pines harvested were unsuitable for masts, an important building and commodities lumber market emerged converting rejected masts into merchantable boards, joists and other structural lumber. Such was the success of the colonial entrepreneurs that the Crown became concerned that its newfound resource of dependable naval stores and masts would quickly dwindle.

In response, King William III enacted a new charter in October 1691 governing the Massachusetts Bay Colony, reserving for the King “all Trees of the Diameter of Twenty Four Inches and upwards” that were not previously granted to private persons. The portion of the charter quickly became known as the King's Broad Arrow. All timber consigned under the charter were marked with three strikes of an ax resembling an upside down arrow. The importance of the policy only increased with the onset of The Great Northern War (1700–1721), which all but halted Baltic exports to England. Consequently, British Parliament began passing a series of acts regulating imports from the Baltic and promoting imports from New England.

The Act of 1704 encouraged the import of naval stores form New England, offering £4 per ton of tar or pitch, £3 per ton of resin of turpentine, and £1 per ton of masts and bowsprits (40 cubic feet). The Act of 1705 forbade the cutting of unfenced or small pitch pine and tar trees with a diameter less than twelve inches. The Act of 1711 gave the Survey General of the King's Forests authority over all colonies from New Jersey to Maine. Lastly, the Act of 1721 extended dominion of the King's Forests to any trees not found within a township or its boundaries, and officially recognized the American word ‘lumber’ for the first time.
 
However, the acts and policy proved virtually impossible to enforce. A survey in 1700 documented more than fifteen thousand logs that violated the twenty-four-inch restriction.[40] Attempts to curb illegal lumbering continued under the appointment of John Bridger as survey general in 1705. His task was to survey and protect His Majesty's Woods, duties of which he performed with great enthusiasm. Bridger conducted extensive mast surveys, confiscated illegal timber, and prosecuted violators, to no avail. Colonists didn't care, and often disregarded the Broad Arrow mark. It became virtually impossible for a single surveyor with a few deputies to police the entire expanse of New England's forests. After much pleading on behalf of Bridger for more resources and authority, the Parliamentary Acts (1704–1729) slowly eased the burden of his charge. Ironically, in 1718 Bridger was removed for corruption and his predecessor, Colonel David Dunbar, treated the post with indifference.

The effects of the policy on the American economy remains unclear. Without the Admiralty's quest for choice timber, the American lumber industry may not have developed as quickly. Certainly, the policy ensured a steady, reliable source of mast timber during England's ascension to naval dominance, but at a price. Perceived violations of property rights on New England colonists served only to stoke the embers of rebellion. Shipments of New England timber continued unabated until the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. The last supply of New England masts reached the home country on July 31, 1775, after more than 4500 white pines had been sent under the Broad Arrow policy.

The American industrial revolution caused the national demand for timber to spike. Prior to the Civil War, more than ninety percent of the nation's energy came from wood, fueling the great transportation vehicles of the era. As Americans settled the timber-starved Great Plains, they needed material from the lumber-rich parts of the nation with which to build their cities. The burgeoning railroad industry accounted for a fourth of the national lumber demand and required the product to build rail cars and stations, fashion ties, and power trains. Even as the coal began to replace wood as an energy source, the coal mining industry itself needed lumber to support its mining structures and create its own rail beds. Technological development helped the industry meet the soaring demand. New methods of transporting lumber, like the steam engine, provided the means to log further inland and away from water. New machines such as the circular saw and the band saw allowed forests to be felled with significantly improved efficiency. The resulting increased timber production saw New England forests become rapidly depleted, and American loggers began methodically cutting their way south and west in search of new forests. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_lumber_industry_in_the_United_States#