Cutting Plexiglass For My Computer Table

I don't know exactly how you are supposed to do this, but I used some techniques I used when I cut stained glass to score and break the plastic sheet.

First I put a new blade in my utility knife and got out my metal square to use as a guide. I put a piece of thin wood under the plastic where I would be scoring.

I made my measurements and markings and drew a line where I wanted to break the plastic.


Then I made several scores on the line with the knife carefully holding my fingers out of the way in case the knife slipped and jumped over the metal guide and sliced my fingers.



When I was scoring glass, I would make several light passes with the knife to make a deep score instead of one heavy one so there was less chance of me losing control and doing myself damage or going off the line.




After I had the line scored, I aligned the plastic sheet so the scored line was just over the edge of the table. Then I leaned one arm down on the plastic on the table to hold it secure and I pushed down with my other hand on the piece hanging out until it broke along the line.

I guess I was lucky it broke cleanly. When cutting glass you tap along the scored line to make small fractures so when you break the glass it breaks along the line.







Doesn't that look nice and neat with the plastic under the keyboard and monitor.






Yikes! This is the stuff I moved that was behind the monitor and along the side counter. I'm going to empty the drawers and sort through all this stuff and hopefully get rid of most of it.





I painted most of another wall today. The upper reaches of the wall will have to wait until Sunday or Monday when I can get some help holding the ladder.

Peek at the Past

The waterer was leaking last year, but stopped.

(August 20, 2009)
I wonder if it would have stopped again this year

if I left it hooked up?

[5 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Painting And Watermelon For The Chickens

Today I painted the entry area under the stairs. I need to cut another piece of base board. I built a place for a twin bed behind this short wall. It needs a new mattress or foam cut like I have in the motor home.

Next I decided to paint the counter I built for the computer and printer.
Those are two bookcases I hooked together and put up on the counter. The bookcases reach up to the ceiling and since they fit so well (I didn't measure) I went ahead and put them up there. I took out the bottom shelves so the computer stuff fits.

I moved all the stuff that was cluttering up the area. Going through all  the accumulated paper and bits and pieces is going to be a job. I didn't want to  disconnect everything so I will have to move the  keyboard and other stuff to painted areas and finish painting tomorrow.

I stopped for a watermelon break which meant the chickens got the leavings for a treat. This winter I'm going to paint the little chairs some bright colors. The grandkids enjoyed being able to use the little table when they were visiting and I like the look of having it setting by the window.


Maybe I'll move my stuffed bear family out here eventually to sit around the table.

Peek at the Past

I'm way behind raking most of the paths this year.

(August 17, 2009)

[5 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Morgan likes to watch the hens eat their handful of scratch.  I gave the hens a little bit of cabbage earlier in the day.

This Light Brahma likes to get her drinks from the leak in the hose.

The hens like to get together before they go in the coop for the night. There are always a few hens who go in the pen earlier for a bedtime snack.

Train chickens to go in the coop when you want. My chickens go in their coop to roost when it starts getting dark. But sometimes I want them to go in the coop so I can lock them up.

I like to paint.

I got the second coat of paint

on the island

and painted some 

of the other cabinets.

I need to put on some painters caulk and then do some touch up paint work.

I still have lots more painting to do: the entry, walls, door, etc.

Peek at the Past

(July 21, 2009)

The comment box was neat

but it stopped working.

[6 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Good Morgan!

Here is a photo of Morgan at the back fence. Today she has been barking and then tearing off for the fence lines.

I always wonder if she is chasing  squirrels or a fox. When she runs to the fence I think it is perhaps a fox or other predator. I would love to see a California Native Red Fox.

When she runs to a tree, then I think she is herding squirrels from tree to tree. (or following the squirrels) The squirrels are very high up and hop from tree to tree. Morgan (or I) hardly ever see a squirrel on the ground.

While I was back by the fence I noticed a tree that had fallen and was hung up in neighboring tree branches. I don't want to walk under that tree.

On the way back to the house I stopped and watered the little green garden. It is so nice to have a little patch of green among all the dried up litter on the forest floor.

Later, when leaving the garden, I heard some clucking and turned to find I was being followed by the girls. The hens want to find out if I have treats. Sorry, chickies... no treats now.

I gave them cabbage later. I think some of the chickens might have figured out how to fly into the garden, because some of the rose bushes are eaten back.

I spent the day painting. Hard to believe it took me most of the day to get  the first coat of paint on the island.

I didn't have a coat of primer down first, so the paint didn't cover well and the sheet rock sucked the paint up. Tomorrow, the second coat of paint should go on much faster.

Tom's Mom fell and so far the hospital doesn't think she broke or fractured anything. There will be more tests tomorrow.

I'm so sleepy.
I'm having trouble staying awake and alert enough to type this post.

Peek at the Past

(July 20, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Stuff To Do

The chickens were helping me hang out the quilts, blankets, etc. I finally got all the wash done except for the sleeping bags. That will be for another day.

My cold and sore throat finally left, but I'm still tired. Kristine too. I need my strength and energy back. I guess I will just have to start slow and work up to speed.

I haven't posted in so long that it feels strange. I think I will go back to at least some words and a photo a day.

This buff is the hen the fox tried to eat. She has decided that she liked being a house chicken and she comes by to visit us during the day. In the winter the hens like to park here near the wood stove, but it is in the 90's. She just likes to visit.

This is the project I decided to start with. I did a bit of painting and put on the drawer pulls. Tomorrow I have some trim work to cut and attach and then more painting.

I found a neat garden planning page here. I used it to plan out one of my planter boxes. Fun!

Kristine said she would pick up some herbs for me to plant in the small planted box when she gets back from the convention.

I haven't started catching up on comments and reading blogs.

Peek at the Past

(July 10, 2009)

[5 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles