Now that its winter!

[Local Edge Lawn Care]

SO now that the lawn care and landscaping season is over what is everyone diong? We should all find a community landscaping poker game or something?

__________________
Justin

http://www.localedgelawncare.com

[picframer]

Lawn care business tips

I seem to jump from one fire to another, at the moment I am going out straight in my shop, www.picframer.ca however next week I have to build a rock wall as we still do not have snow and nothing is frozen.

__________________
Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[xpertlawnman]

I plan on recovering from a couple of injuries. I won't be doing much until after the holidays. Honestly, I don't even feel like cleaning up my mowers or winterizing my equipment. I feel like just throwing everything in my shed and not looking at it until spring. I will get around to it next week, after one small leaf clean up. A couple of soda pops and a poker game sounds good though.

[Local Edge Lawn Care]

Were planning on doing a ton of snow removal here for three days straight.. A big change from lawn care and landscaping.. But im down with some online poker with some fellows

[Steve]

I have to build a rock wall as we still do not have snow and nothing is frozen.

I'd love to see some pictures of that! Are you looking forwards to that job? Such jobs seem to be a chance to really challenge your mind.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

I'd love to see some pictures of that! Are you looking forwards to that job? Such jobs seem to be a chance to really challenge your mind.

I love building rock walls, excavator is heated, wicked sound system (Bang & Olufsen) and I find it relaxing. It's the only time the stero get's used as there isn't really anything to listen for, you are just placing rock.

So to me, this job is my Christmas bonus, assuming the snow holds and it doesn't freeze too hard I am good to go. Moving the excavator there tomorrow and yes I will take before and after pictures. Very big money in rock walls, basically $124. an hour and they can take a long time depending on the size and how fussy the customer is on rock placement.

[Steve]

Can you build the wall without a spotter to help you and even try to manually jog some of the stones into place or is this all done with the excavator and thats it?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Can you build the wall without a spotter to help you and even try to manually jog some of the stones into place or is this all done with the excavator and thats it?

No need for a spotter, the rocks I am placing will go 2,000 to 7,000 pounds each, you simply place them and you can tell from the seat if they are placed properly, the first few I did, I had to get on and off the excavator to ensure everything was straight and looked good, I have done so many of these I just sit there, think about whatever, listen to easy listening music and simply "Get er Done"

I did a craft show again yesterday 7am to 4 pm, OMG was it busy. As a personal challenge last week I wanted to see if I could make a 7 drawer, natural edge, bandsaw box as I call them from a piece of Indian Rosewood I had. Turned out perfect and was gone by 8 am, will have to make more, I sold 11 smaller ones from 1 to 5 drawer. It was an amazing day sales wise for November, we generally do not see these big days until we get into December.

The items around this Jewelry Box are other items I turned on the lathe, pretty much everything I had sold. This rock wall will cut back on my ability to make inventory as the staff I have trained to do this are back in school or headed west for the winter to work.

[Steve]

OMG that is amazing! How much did that weigh? How long did it take to make?

The finish on it is amazing.

I was thinking as I looked at that finish, I have been in restaurants before where the table is made out of wood but it appears to have 1/4 of an inch or so of this clear sealer that is not glass.

Do you have any idea what that is and how they do that?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

OMG that is amazing! How much did that weigh? How long did it take to make?

The finish on it is amazing.

I was thinking as I looked at that finish, I have been in restaurants before where the table is made out of wood but it appears to have 1/4 of an inch or so of this clear sealer that is not glass.

Do you have any idea what that is and how they do that?

The weight I would guess 8 to 10 pounds, Rosewood is very dense and heavy.

I worked away at it over three days, with a piece like this you HAVE to take your time, the design is in my head, driven by the shape of the block of wood so I go slow. This is a case where you can't afford any mistakes or you are out, in this case $94.00 just for the piece of wood.

The finish is water based laquer, it's fast, very light sanding between coats, and you simply build it up with multiple sprays until you have the look you want. You can go up to 1/4" thick on the finish if you wanted to.

I am making more today as this piece on display attracted a lot of inquiries and orders, the client that bought it left it with me until about noon as they didn't want to carry it around, I was very thankful for this.

Woodworking is really no different than the yard care business, I set the bar high to weed out the crafters working with woods that everyone else is. If anyone even comes close to a design I am selling a lot of, I will simply raise the bar by adding jointery that is very, very difficult to do, I have been at this 34 years as a hobby/profession so it just comes second nature.

My son who is in University shocks me with what he comes up with, he worked in the shop yesterday as I sold so much of his stuff Saturday, we will never make it to Christmas, at least I don't think I will as I start this rock wall Thursday.