My Latest: Deer, Crayons, and Sandpaper

a write-up of crayon wands and other crayon crafts

a tutorial for field-casting animal tracks

and a review of my ultimate power tool, the palm sander

Okay, maybe it's not the "ultimate" power tool, but I sure as hell have spent a ton of time with it this weekend! Matt and his dad dragged out the two most beautiful storage shelves from the old general store; they're both filthy, but one of the shelves still has labels penciled on from the period that it was used as a store display--screw sizes, mostly--and so I just hosed that one off and will seal it as-is, ground-in dirt and all. The other shelf, however, only has one handwritten label that I needed to leave intact, so the palm sander and I spent hours of quality time together yesterday as I sanded off 80+ years of grime. I'll be putting a clear polyurethane-esque sealant on both of the shelves, to strengthen and preserve them and maintain the details involved in their original creation and usage. 

Remind me that when I have more time I need to edit my CAGW post to add that you probably want a breathing mask while you sand, or at least a bandanna tied over your mouth and nose like a bandit. This was also the first time that I sanded for such a long time without stopping (seriously, like hours) that when I finally did stop my entire right arm tingled uncomfortably.

Probably not much nerve damage, though...