Shady's Latest Dumbassary

[ShadyStump]

Last thing I need is to encourage my 3yo to draw on things. Already had purple paint splattered across the walls of my living room from arts and crafts 2 weeks ago.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Last thing I need is to encourage my 3yo to draw on things. Already had purple paint splattered across the walls of my living room from arts and crafts 2 weeks ago.

Live in a 100 year old house lots of wood trim cracks and gaps . Had a jewelry making birthday party for her when she was 5 or 6 we were finding glitter and little coloured balls for 2 years

 

[ShadyStump]

Live in a 100 year old house lots of wood trim cracks and gaps . Had a jewelry making birthday party for her when she was 5 or 6 we were finding glitter and little coloured balls for 2 years

Only 2? We had to move to get the glitter back under control.

 

[ShadyStump]

The aloe vera is not dead. Not quite so alive, but not dead, at least not all of it.

I've come to the conclusion that this is a cultivar intended as an indoor houseplant. If I let my potted stuff get direct sunlight outside it gets sunburned, but so long as it's indirect light outside it does great. This stuff has barely moved since spring, but comparing this pic to the 1st one, it has grown, and for some of these actually looks better than when it was planted.

 

[ShadyStump]

And now for the day's real dumbassery, behold my new bench.

"But it's wood", you say, "so why isn't it in the stumps thread?"
Well, friends, that's because this bench is EXACTLY as sketchy as it looks.

See, a section of my back fence blew down in a windstorm last fall, and I never got around to hauling all the debris away. It was 6 foot privacy fence, the slats being that bark-on rough cut pine. I looked at a couple pieces and thought that it might make a nice rustic looking bench.

So this morning I got to work. Spent the first two hours pulling old rusty nails, and discovering that the fence blew down because most of this stuff was just that rotten. But I had begun the project, and there was no better wood on hand, so I pushed ahead. After chosing a 2x4 for the inner braces that would hold the shelves to ensure some sort of actual strength, I selected some of the rough cut for the legs and assembled these frames. 4.5 feet for the back and 2.5 for the front. I wanted it tall so I'd have the option to put things out of reach of the kids.

I then I attached the two sections at the bottom with some roughly 2 foot rough cut, and then angles from the top to the bottom.

Here I got stumped. I was assembling the shelves, but the frame wasn't particularly stable. Front to back it was strong, but side to side it was just waiting for a stiff breeze to fold it over.
It was pushing 100F with no breeze, and I was getting sunburned and hungry, so I took a break to think it through. I was out of lumber long enough and strong enough to build any cross members. What could I do to reinforce it?
While snaking on crackers and goat cheese, I began to think back to when I thought raising goats might be fun, but if you're ever going to try you'd better build a hell of a fence.


I busted out my fence mending skills and the bailing wire. A couple long strands looped between the top and bottom corners, and twisted tight to create lateral tension is a common practice in building H-braces for pasture fencing.



At first I thought that having the bark up on the shelves would look really interesting, then realized that pots with tall trees on an uneven surface was courting disaster. So i flipped them over and again realized that mounting an uneven surface to rotting 2x4s was also courting disaster.
I scrounged the wood to weak to hold itself up and found some things chunks to act as shims to level out shelves, and nailed the shelves through them and occasionally into the braces, but in many spots there was just more wood than nail. So the shelves are in effect nailed to rotten shims that are nailed to to rotten 2x4s that are nailed to rotten bark.

Seriously, this thing is competing for the sketchiest thing I've ever been possessed to complete.
Maybe more bailing wire would help?

 

[Carol 83]

Last thing I need is to encourage my 3yo to draw on things. Already had purple paint splattered across the walls of my living room from arts and crafts 2 weeks ago.

Nothing wrong with purple paint.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

And now for the day's real dumbassery, behold my new bench.
View attachment 448233
"But it's wood", you say, "so why isn't it in the stumps thread?"
Well, friends, that's because this bench is EXACTLY as sketchy as it looks.

See, a section of my back fence blew down in a windstorm last fall, and I never got around to hauling all the debris away. It was 6 foot privacy fence, the slats being that bark-on rough cut pine. I looked at a couple pieces and thought that it might make a nice rustic looking bench.
View attachment 448243
So this morning I got to work. Spent the first two hours pulling old rusty nails, and discovering that the fence blew down because most of this stuff was just that rotten. But I had begun the project, and there was no better wood on hand, so I pushed ahead. After chosing a 2x4 for the inner braces that would hold the shelves to ensure some sort of actual strength, I selected some of the rough cut for the legs and assembled these frames. 4.5 feet for the back and 2.5 for the front. I wanted it tall so I'd have the option to put things out of reach of the kids.
View attachment 448237
I then I attached the two sections at the bottom with some roughly 2 foot rough cut, and then angles from the top to the bottom.
View attachment 448244
Here I got stumped. I was assembling the shelves, but the frame wasn't particularly stable. Front to back it was strong, but side to side it was just waiting for a stiff breeze to fold it over.
It was pushing 100F with no breeze, and I was getting sunburned and hungry, so I took a break to think it through. I was out of lumber long enough and strong enough to build any cross members. What could I do to reinforce it?
While snaking on crackers and goat cheese, I began to think back to when I thought raising goats might be fun, but if you're ever going to try you'd better build a hell of a fence.


I busted out my fence mending skills and the bailing wire. A couple long strands looped between the top and bottom corners, and twisted tight to create lateral tension is a common practice in building H-braces for pasture fencing.
View attachment 448245
View attachment 448246

At first I thought that having the bark up on the shelves would look really interesting, then realized that pots with tall trees on an uneven surface was courting disaster. So i flipped them over and again realized that mounting an uneven surface to rotting 2x4s was also courting disaster.
I scrounged the wood to weak to hold itself up and found some things chunks to act as shims to level out shelves, and nailed the shelves through them and occasionally into the braces, but in many spots there was just more wood than nail. So the shelves are in effect nailed to rotten shims that are nailed to to rotten 2x4s that are nailed to rotten bark.

Seriously, this thing is competing for the sketchiest thing I've ever been possessed to complete.
Maybe more bailing wire would help?

I think it turned out pretty good for what you had . I really like portable benches that way can chase the sun as needed

 

[Flowerhouse]

Maybe more bailing wire would help?

"More baling wire" is usually a good plan, unless its a situation that calls for more duct tape

 

[Colorado]

Looking good!

 

[ShadyStump]

My 6 year old found some random seeds yesterday. She lovingly put them in a plastic storage bowl full of water over night to wash them off.
Today she decided they were clean enough, and wondered what they came from. I had her take me to see where she found them: under the honey locust tree down the block.

She decided she wanted to plant them, so here they are all set for cold stratification.


No clue what these need. No other treatments applied. Dates marked on the calendar the next 2 months to check on them.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

My 6 year old found some random seeds yesterday. She lovingly put them in a plastic storage bowl full of water over night to wash them off.
Today she decided they were clean enough, and wondered what they came from. I had her take me to see where she found them: under the honey locust tree down the block.

She decided she wanted to plant them, so here they are all set for cold stratification.
View attachment 453412

No clue what these need. No other treatments applied. Dates marked on the calendar the next 2 months to check on them.

She looks happy about it . Great to get kids interested in growing stuff . there is a bunch of honey locust planted in downtown Ottawa some in large containers . I’ve always assumed for there cold hardiness and and ability to withstand adverse conditions like pollution . Nice looking kid is that from her mother

 

[Frozentreehugger]

My 6 year old found some random seeds yesterday. She lovingly put them in a plastic storage bowl full of water over night to wash them off.
Today she decided they were clean enough, and wondered what they came from. I had her take me to see where she found them: under the honey locust tree down the block.

She decided she wanted to plant them, so here they are all set for cold stratification.
View attachment 453412

No clue what these need. No other treatments applied. Dates marked on the calendar the next 2 months to check on them.

Dirr states scarify fresh seed in concentrated sulphuric acid and sow Most nursery trees propagated from cuttings

 

[19Mateo83]

I have had 100% success with by sanding the point of the seed on some 120 grit sandpaper. They take about two months to come up. Hope this helps

 

[ShadyStump]

Nice looking kid is that from her mother

Actually, yes! She's a dead ringer, in both looks and personality.
Having her around is what reminds me not to take my ex's antics personally.

Thanks for the info, both of you! I'll try to get her to sit still for two minutes and help with the sandpaper.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I have had 100% success with by sanding the point of the seed on some 120 grit sandpaper. They take about two months to come up. Hope this helps

Is there anything you don’t grow I’ll take some Japanese white pine

 

[19Mateo83]

Is there anything you don’t grow I’ll take some Japanese white pine

That I actually don’t grow

 

[ShadyStump]

So, for those of you who haven't heard, I recently lost my job. Best job I've every had, by a VERY wide margin, but I got caught up in the workplace politics. Since then I've been quite depressed of course, and really hating the entire idea of going looking for another run of the mill, miserable, bill payer after having had such an incredible experience the past few years. I finally pulled myself out of it the other day when I told myself, "if you're going to be home all day moping and brooding, why don't you just make yourself useful around the house while you're at it." Next thing I know all the laundry and dishes are caught up, the garden is harvested, I'm working on homework and with my 13 year old, and making cinnamon rolls from scratch. I instantly turned into the best stay at home mom any man could be, and felt like a million bucks.

Then I got to thinking, if this is what I've always loved doing the most, and I'm never happy working for others, why shouldn't I look at ways to make it work for me.
That's a scary proposition, and had me anxious at the very thought of it.
Well tonight at my recovery meeting, one of the guys, who does odd jobs and handyman work for a living, asked if anyone needed any copper. Just giving it away. Apparently today's job was cleaning out a rental after the tenant got busted for an illegal cannabis grow op, and now this guy has TRUCK LOADS of growing supplies and miscellaneous related equipment.

I took this off his hands tonight, and there's plenty more where that came from.

About 35lbs of #2 and #6 copper wire, and...


Several sets of shelves, and ferts and other chems by the gallon.

And that's just the stuff I could make immediate use of. There's ventilation blowers, propane heaters, he says like 50 more jugs of ferts and chems, all sorts of stuff. Free.

If there's a God, and if God gives us signs...

I am SERIOUSLY considering the greatest act of dumbassery I've ever contemplated; jumping both feet into trying to make a living off a backyard nursery.
Thoughts?

 

[Carol 83]

So, for those of you who haven't heard, I recently lost my job. Best job I've every had, by a VERY wide margin, but I got caught up in the workplace politics. Since then I've been quite depressed of course, and really hating the entire idea of going looking for another run of the mill, miserable, bill payer after having had such an incredible experience the past few years. I finally pulled myself out of it the other day when I told myself, "if you're going to be home all day moping and brooding, why don't you just make yourself useful around the house while you're at it." Next thing I know all the laundry and dishes are caught up, the garden is harvested, I'm working on homework and with my 13 year old, and making cinnamon rolls from scratch. I instantly turned into the best stay at home mom any man could be, and felt like a million bucks.

Then I got to thinking, if this is what I've always loved doing the most, and I'm never happy working for others, why shouldn't I look at ways to make it work for me.
That's a scary proposition, and had me anxious at the very thought of it.
Well tonight at my recovery meeting, one of the guys, who does odd jobs and handyman work for a living, asked if anyone needed any copper. Just giving it away. Apparently today's job was cleaning out a rental after the tenant got busted for an illegal cannabis grow op, and now this guy has TRUCK LOADS of growing supplies and miscellaneous related equipment.

I took this off his hands tonight, and there's plenty more where that came from.
View attachment 456806
About 35lbs of #2 and #6 copper wire, and...

View attachment 456807
Several sets of shelves, and ferts and other chems by the gallon.

And that's just the stuff I could make immediate use of. There's ventilation blowers, propane heaters, he says like 50 more jugs of ferts and chems, all sorts of stuff. Free.

If there's a God, and if God gives us signs...

I am SERIOUSLY considering the greatest act of dumbassery I've ever contemplated; jumping both feet into trying to make a living off a backyard nursery.
Thoughts?

Maybe it's a sign, wishing you the best.

 

[It's Kev]

can we draw attention back to your aloe? do you juts have it? or do you have extensive knowledge about aloes?

 

[ShadyStump]

can we draw attention back to your aloe? do you juts have it? or do you have extensive knowledge about aloes?

Just have it. No great experience as yet, sorry.