lon the end table
Lon's final form has been realized: after finishing the record cabinet yesterday, I found that I wanted an end table next to Orangina the chair and lo, Lon has become that end table. He can literally hold my beer. And not fall over. Victory - especially as this marks my first functional piece of metalwork.
record cabinet
After a colossal failure a few weeks ago in vinyl storage / record cabinet construction, I used the remnants of that monstrosity to make one that I'm rather proud of today. Had the idea this morning, spent the day building and painting, listened to great music at the end (Nik Bartsch's Ronin's SPIRAL). Along the way, figured out Lon's final evolution which, should weather cooperate, I'll shepherd him tomorrow. Yep, I’m proud of this one (as, it seems, is John Mastodon).
me v sink, finale
Where once was a sink, a wall.
As for the kitchen faucet: it's replaced but still no hot water. However, the auxiliary faucet now spews forth glorious hot water and works in concert with the chill of the new faucet. Have a feeling that K’s grandfather rigged up some sort of byzantine plumbing to get hot water to his sink in The Paintshop that I undid but am, at present, unwilling to deal with re-doing. Considering this phase of the project complete. On to cleaning and the grand pool table rebuild.
me v sink(s), day three
The Paintshop sink and cabinet are now both out. Finished up the cabinet extraction (far easier than sink removal) around lunch and, after another trip to the local hardware store, Derbz in tow, managed to get all of the piping cut, the drainpipe sealed, and the piping wall holes filled and ready for painting. Final room clean up with ensue the rest of the week and then maybe just maybe I can get the pool table inside and begin reassembly.
Also got the kitchen faucet running at full pressure again (oh, the joy of cutting galvanized steel and the subsequent dislodging of rusties) but only the cold water. Hot seems to have fallen victim to aforementioned rusties. Yes, I made a word. Given that the younger and dumber me installed a faucet that didnt give me access to the lines inside the faucet itself ten years ago, it'll be easier to install a new faucet. If that doesn't do it, there's always C4, I guess. 🤷
me v sink, day two
Considering it a victory: the sink is out, I wasn’t covered in frigid, 30-year-old water, and beyond smashing my finger, didn’t do any bodily harm to myself removing the massive sink from its home of the last 70+ years. The sink’s next home will be as a plant basin outside K’s shed.
The cabinet is the next to go out, then paint patching, clearing, and pool table rebuilding and installation. And probably more shelves. Because shelves.
nightshed
Exhausting day involving lots of water spraying everywhere - Paintshop sink removal project has begun - but at least I got to see The Shed at night with the lights on because I forgot to turn them off and ohmyfuck I’m so tired but hey we have water again thank you emergency plumber.
current status of various projects in various stages of yaaaay or fuckit
Writing this more for myself than for anything/one to give myself a lay of the land splayed out ahead that I can ignore as needed as I traipse about to wherever it is I'm going.
Writing: abandoned anything and everything that I'd consider aspirational, as in: anything that I hope leads to something else or a "writing career." Working solely on things that I either want to write simply because I want to write them (two short fictions) or that I'm writing for others (a short comic that could become more and a concept album) the latter of which came after I said I was considering being done with writing (cue Michael Corleone, GODFATHER: CODA). Nearing the end of one but have to dive back in on the other: been too long since I've looked at it and don't want to lose the feel for it as much as I'm fearing that I'm losing the feel for it.
Talking to others: my MacroParentheticals newsletter is dead; long live the titularly-challenged "whenever I finish something / feel like it" dispatch. I did the magazine model for more than a decade and I'm worn out. Sticking with this space as my main vessel for comms, as it has been for many years now. Haven't gotten sick of it yet, so I'll take that as a good sign.
Metalwork: I had a lot more fun tearing apart a glockenspiel than I ever had playing it. As for what it becomes, your guess is as good as mine, though pieces of its frame have already shown up. Toying around with some ideas for the keys. I also have a torn-down lawnchair waiting to become something, and a burnt-out recliner frame which has a design for its next life, though I have to bring its metal carcass here first.
Also have a portable welding table to assemble because now people are asking me to come weld things for them.
Cartooning / comics: Informalties - now borderless! – continue, as ever. Want to do another A.A. VOID. Starting to miss the little guy.
Painting: had fun – 15 minutes, to be exact – plan to have more fun. Best guess is that it might become a useful brain-unsticking exercise (15 minute / 30 minute time limit) than a full-throated vehicle of expression.
The Paintshop: The Collection's home and the workout area are complete. Unwanted / needed books delivered to the used bookshop, trash and other detritus either disassembled for metalwork or placed at the end of the driveway as an offering to the belching truck. All that remains is the ripping out of a sink and final clean-up before pool table reassembly and placement. And moving slate. Once that's in, I'll figure out how many more shelves to build.
And a next project. Probably another shelf for K's Botanical Garden set.
(A bit of) The Collection, currently
Been awhile since I’ve shared anything from The Collection, but now that Paintshop reconstruction is nearing its end, several pieces have found their new shelf-home. So…
Another wall of bookshelves built and brimming.
