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Maine Bound!

That’s a long span with no middle support on that bench.
I know. I mentioned a few posts back that I’m kind of torn about that. I’m not 100% sure it needs a center leg because it’s not my typical workbench where I will be beating and hammering on heavy stuff on it. I really am digging the open look too. But part of me really wants to add one for support and strength too.
 
Love the look of the stain, it really spruces that bench up. I've been wondering for a while now, how does one become Chief of the VFD?
 
I know. I mentioned a few posts back that I’m kind of torn about that. I’m not 100% sure it needs a center leg because it’s not my typical workbench where I will be beating and hammering on heavy stuff on it. I really am digging the open look too. But part of me really wants to add one for support and strength too.

If it’s 12’ to 16’ the weight of anything above it will probably sag it over time.
 
Love the look of the stain, it really spruces that bench up. I've been wondering for a while now, how does one become Chief of the VFD?
so the first weekly meeting of the year is our annual business meeting. We go over our various finances, projects, records and accomplishments from the prior year, goals for the new year, and we hold Officer elections at that time. The meeting this year was a change up as our chief of the last 20 years or so decided to step down. So the assistant chief was voted up to chief, and some of the younger guys that have been around a while were moved up in rank.

and yeah I agree, the stain really made it pop.

If it’s 12’ to 16’ the weight of anything above it will probably sag it over time.
Yeah it’s a 16’ stretch.
 
2-3 shelf support brackets underneath should be just about invisible and make a huge difference: https://www.amazon.com/Countertop-Support-Brackets-Shelving-Cabinetry/dp/B09135FSTS/
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We have some brackets similar to this (might be a little longer) underneath a 3-ft x 6 ft butcher block counter at work that is supported by walls on the back and right sides, it has one of those at the left end. I'm not sure I would want to jump on it, but it doesn't flex at all.

Aaron Z
 
Around here, you get elected by the active members of the VFD.

Aaron Z
That's what most of the old time departments do until they get a bad chief that wins popularity contests. A lot of those towns originally had fire departments that were set up by an association long ago and not totally under the thumb of the town. A lot of the towns in the western part of the state have been converting to making the Chief the head of a municipal department, appointed or hired by the selectmen so they end up with somebody qualified or capable. Of course that backfires when they hire somebody from the outside that everybody hates and then a whole dept. quits. I've noticed differing strategies on the other officers. Some are voted on, some appointed by the chief, other by selectmen.
 
That's what most of the old time departments do until they get a bad chief that wins popularity contests. A lot of those towns originally had fire departments that were set up by an association long ago and not totally under the thumb of the town. A lot of the towns in the western part of the state have been converting to making the Chief the head of a municipal department, appointed or hired by the selectmen so they end up with somebody qualified or capable. Of course that backfires when they hire somebody from the outside that everybody hates and then a whole dept. quits. I've noticed differing strategies on the other officers. Some are voted on, some appointed by the chief, other by selectmen.
That’s basically how ours is. We are not under direct control of either town. We are set up as a non profit. Both towns contribute an equal sum of money each year to our operating funds. But we don’t answer to them. We also happen to have a selectman as one of our officers.
 
at least you didn't do it when it was easy and fully exposed, and waited until you shoved a big ass workbench in front of it :flipoff2:


fifteenthed on the center support. nothing more annoying than a workbench that sags/bounces/things all roll away on
I was burned out on painting by then. Was really hoping it wouldn’t be so obvious. All well. It’s not the end of the world.

and I actually have an idea on a center support. I put my paper printer right in the middle there on the bottom shelf, but I also need a spot for my shipping label printer. So I was kind of thinking about building a box over the paper printer so I can put my label printer above it. Could probably work a center support into that design as well. Hell, maybe do two uprights on either side of the paper printer to box it in then build a shelf off of them for the label printer.
 
Back in the studio today with the kids. Doing some organizing. Started with my shelves. The first two on the left are all laser engraving materials and supplies. Next one over will be all 3D printing stuff. Next one over is all shipping materials. Last one I don’t know yet. I’ll have to see when I get my decor up.
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Also working on organizing and setting up my pegboard.
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And the kids are with me today. So of course they are making a giant mess of all the empty boxes and packing materials

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Starting to move stuff from the home office out to the studio today. I’ve moved all four 3D printers out and put them roughly where I want them on the work station
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Also went to Home Depot and found some 8” wide shiplap which is just about perfect to cover the gap up top.

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And I emptied the parts drawers from the old print bench and organized everything in my new drawer units on the work station.

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Kind of a mess right now as I decide where to put everything. But gives you the gist. Left side up top is the laser. CR-10S is next. The computer station in the center. Ender 6 on the right. Far right will be my post processing station for cleaning up prints and such.

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Ok. Decided to do a few more things as it’s still kind of early. Went ahead and punched the hole and mounted up the indoor unit for the Mr. Cool mini split. Then hung up my dry erase and cork boards.
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Sitting here looking around and winding down I decided the walls are looking pretty barren. So I spent a few minutes putting up some decor.

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And ignore the wires. Trying to get everything where I want it then I will clean up and hide them all as best I can. No way am I leaving wires looking like this.

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All that time sppent, still no a/c installed, and still bare OSB under the bench :lmao: :flipoff2:




Also, shipping on one of the fangers to 73049
I hung the indoor part of the split today. Gonna do the outdoor unit and the lines next day I get a chance to work out here. Would have been nice to have ac today for sure.

and yeah, I’ll start working on modeling up the flipoff2 for printing. Once I get it done and slice it for printing I’ll be able to figure out pricing. Gonna need some more of that lime green filament too.
 
Bit of a personal victory for me today. Kissed this old Armana piece of junk fridge goodbye today. We’ve suffered with it for over a year now and it was time to go. Apart from not matching the rest of the appliances, we never did come up with a good arrangement to organize this thing. The shelf layout options sucked, it’s also seen better days. The veggie drawers fell out of their tracks all the time, the damn freezer drawer handle came off in my hands at least once a week, the way the ice bin worked just made a huge mess, etc.


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so yeah. Time for it to go. Happily turned out LG is doing a deal where if you buy a fridge, you can get a small stand up freezer or mini fridge for free. So I jumped on that. Got this 4 door LG with the smidge free stainless steel, on door ice/water dispenser, etc etc etc.

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And it came with this small stand up style freezer which is now down in the basement utility room with the old fridge/freezer that was already down there when we bought the house. This will be great to stock up for winter time.

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Have you seen/heard of this?

I haven’t no. But just one more thing to make me happy about putting in the pellet boiler. They are plentiful and inexpensive. I noticed the Home Depot in Ellsworth has their pallets of them out again for $299 a ton. The place I ordered my first three tons from was cheaper though at $249 a ton delivered right into my garage. Guess I’ll go fill up my gas cans and diesel jugs though.
 
I haven’t no. But just one more thing to make me happy about putting in the pellet boiler. They are plentiful and inexpensive.
How I feel with the firewood. I don't know how much wood I'm sitting on, and I'm getting another truck load today after work. I've got coworkers paying $6/gallon for heating oil. Outside of cleaning the chimney, I'm all set for this winter for heat. kind of awesome. was looking at one of those woodfired cook stoves, but those aren't good for heating.
 
First day of third grade for my daughter today so obligatory first day of school picture.

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Couple hours later we took all our trucks out to old route 9 for our annual hose testing and certification

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Then I came home and started actually working IN the studio instead of on it. Even though I’ve still got a fair bit of stuff to do, I had an order to fulfill for the graduating class of the fire academy. They bought a cutting board they wanted me to engrave. Haven’t really done one before so I did a practice piece to check layout and such.

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Made a few adjustments and ran the board.

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Waiting for a coat of polyurethane to dry before I add a second. This will be a wall hanger.
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And I started modeling a little desktop flipoff2 in Tinkercad

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oil is why I'm seriously looking @ upgrading the wood stove in the basement. Pellet might win for simplicity, but wood is free in the backyard and coal burns hot as heck. Not sure yet
Yeah. Wood itself may be free, but it’s a crap ton of work for it. Dragging it out of the woods, cutting it, splitting it, stacking it, moving it and restocking it, feeding the wood stove, cleaning the wood stove, rinse and repeat daily all winter long. So far I’m digging the pellet boiler. I’ve been throwing a few bags into the hopper at a time until it’s full. During heating season I’m only going to have to empty the ash can like once a week. Shouldn’t really be much labor or work involved with it at all. And yeah, with todays oil prices, this thing will pay for itself in two winters.
 
Yeah. Wood itself may be free, but it’s a crap ton of work for it. Dragging it out of the woods, cutting it, splitting it, stacking it, moving it and restocking it, feeding the wood stove, cleaning the wood stove, rinse and repeat daily all winter long.
con-fucking-firmed

I'd, uh, go out on a limb and say tree work is probably one of the most physically demanding jobs out there. I'm working on some form of firewood at least once a week. I've got a truck load there right now. Its 96º out. I think I'm going to wait to unload it.
 
con-fucking-firmed

I'd, uh, go out on a limb and say tree work is probably one of the most physically demanding jobs out there. I'm working on some form of firewood at least once a week. I've got a truck load there right now. Its 96º out. I think I'm going to wait to unload it.
Yup. I did that dance last year. I’m stacking up some for this winter, but nowhere near as much as last year. This year I’m only gonna run the wood stove for ambiance or a REALLY cold day. It’s too much damn work To do all day every day.
 
i'm kind of hoping I can shove a pellet stove in the upstairs fireplace and leave the small wood stove downstairs. But the upstairs fireplace is a V shape with a post at the point and an angled backside, don't think anything would fit insert wise. and freestanding might be too ugly for the space
 
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