My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on January 29, 2023

Instead of painting the entire woodworking project that is currently underway in the workshop, I want at least to be able to naturally lacquer finish the frames of the Cornhole game. Partially it is to show off the miters and walnut splines in the frame corners and partially because I didn’t want to use any fasteners that could rust (unfortunately each corner has one brass screw to help with alignment). Still the 1/4” splines will do a great job in adding strength even though I used clear pine to reduce the weight (a couple “little” girls will hopefully be using these)? 

To help with the spline positioning, I made a jig that would clamp to each corner and repeat the exact same cut with my Makita router and 1/4” spiral bit. After a little experimented with scrap, it worked perfect. I cut walnut splines on the bandsaw sled (below) and new 45 degree miter gauge and used my portable belt sander to sand each spline flush. 

I’m so glad to have figured out the hole cutting and was thankful I had waterproof Titebond 3 glue and some stainless steel brads. 

Category: Personal, Photos, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: cornhole, granddaughters, jig, miter, project, router, spline, woodworking, workshop

Posted By RichC on January 28, 2023

This content is restricted.

Category: Gadget, Memories, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: Alexa, annalyn, echo, ellerie, family, granddaughters, katelyn, mp4, snow, snowday

Posted By RichC on January 27, 2023

As a boy growing up enamored with the NASA Apollo program and going to the moon in the 1960s, I’m still a little peeved at Pluto’s demotion from planet status. Nevertheless, I’m amazed at the New Horizon spaceship’s video flying over the mountains of Pluto. Amazing and a worthwhile Friday Filler.

Category: Science, Space, Video | No Comments »
Tags: apollo, friday filler, mp4, nasa, new horizons, pluto, probe, spaceship, video

Posted By RichC on January 26, 2023

Besides nursing duties and doctor visits with Brenda this past week, I’ve been working with a customer who would like to deploy a non-CMS website and completely forgot to post something on Thursday — making it up today. Although I’m partial to using an inexpensive Linux server with Apache and MySQL, he would like to use one of the lightweight static site generators. Since I’ve worked a little bit with Hugo in the past as a hobbyist, I demonstrated it and proceeded to head down a rabbit hole in trying to address the many limitations and how to still create a site that accomplished his goals (a learning curve was waste of several hours and an evening). 

Markdown is the preferred way to create content and once learned can be pretty powerful and quick. Unfortunately much of what we want to include nowadays bring in data that is easier to include as html. 

So I put together and reposted page from my WordPress blog on a Raspberry Pi running Linux and Hugo (the prior links may not remain alive all that long). 

Category: Blogs, Health, Medical, Productivity, Raspberry Pi, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: brenda, font, hip replacement, hugo, linux, raspberry pi, rdc personal font, static site, webserver

Posted By RichC on January 25, 2023

Over weekend of snowy Bengal – Bills playoff football, I was able to get down to the workshop and continue working on a joint granddaughters’ birthdays present. The project required larger holes than I have a hole saw for and cutting it with a jigsaw would have left an imperfect hole.

So … I used an odd baseplate from my Makita router and tapped a new “pivot” hole so that I could use my 1/4” spiral bit to gradually cut the circle. Since I only needed two equal holes, I just used the pivot point two times … but if I were going to do this again, I think cutting one in some 1/4” template material and using a bearing shanked bit would be preferred?

Anyway, the holes turned out great and I was even able to use the shopvac attached to the clear plastic chute to clear nearly all the dust and debris … something that never seems to go well for me (I usually make a mess).

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Category: How-To, Personal, Photos, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: cornhole, project, router, safety glasses, tips, woodworking, workshop

Posted By RichC on January 24, 2023

Just as the Cincinnati Bengals did last year in January 2022, they will be facing the Kansas City Chiefs again this year in the AFC Championship game after defeating the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday … impressively I might add.  Even though I was proudly wearing my Joe Burrows #9 jersey, the credit goes to every member of the Bengals. From coaching (Head Coach Zac Taylor above) to every player, they performed like a machine. Let’s just hope the Bengals can do the same as they have dial up a win against KC the last 3 times the teams have gone head to head.

One advantage the Bengals have over the Chiefs this year is that QB Patrick Mahomes suffered a “high ankle sprain” in the playoff game against the Jaguars … this could prevent him from scrambling and being so effective. 

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Category: Sports | No Comments »
Tags: afc, bengals, buffalo bills, chiefs, cincinnati, football, joe burrow, kansas city chiefs, nfl, patrick mahomes, zac taylor

Posted By RichC on January 23, 2023

Steven Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash in concert in 2012

A depressing Music Monday today as music lovers remembered and reflected on the January 18, 2023 passing of the talented singer, guitarist and songwriter David Crosby. He impacted literally millions with is wonderful harmonies from the day he joined the Byrds in 1964 to the forming of Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN) in 1968 and through the following decades.

Many of us were a bit too young in those early years, but definitely knew of and loved their music in the 1970s and later. Having Neil Young join the band (CSNY) and performing at Woodstock in the summer of 1969 cemented his legacy. A top ten list of folk-rock singers without David Crosby is rare as he collaborated with dozens of artists … including Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Phil Collins, Elton John and Carole King.

He also had six solo albums and “formed a jazz-influenced trio with his son James Raymond and guitarist Jeff Pevar” (CPR), although to my shame, did not know about.

I may be a generation behind David Crosby and his peers, but I definitely loved his music and am thankful for his legacy of music for us to enjoy. Above is a live 1982 performance of “Wasted On The Way” (my post from 2016) and for those wanted a little more, check out this YouTube video from 2012 singing CSN’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”

Category: Music, Obituary, Video | No Comments »
Tags: csn, csny, david crosby, folk-rock, legacy, mp4, music monday, musicmonday, youtube

Posted By RichC on January 22, 2023

Reading periodicals from the library on the computer is not really something I do … but last week while checking out a couple of ebooks (one avaiilable the other on a long hold),

I looked at the latest issue of the Woodworkers Journal magazine and realized just how much the iPad app for reading digital magazines has improved. I ended up reading it cover to cover and even “Smart Tagged” it to notify me when the next issue arrives. 

A few tidbits stood out and I decided to clip them and add them to MyDesultoryBlog more as a test of MarsEdit than anything else, but I did enjoy both the “sharp edge on a razor knife” tip and “tape trick” below. It was worth snipping as workshop advice. 

Category: How-To, Tidbits, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: journal, magazine, razor knife, woodworkers, workshop

Posted By RichC on January 21, 2023

There are two projects sitting semi-started in the workshop this winter (delayed with Brenda’s hip fracture), although I’m still struggling to accept the VERY HIGH lumber prices. To be fair, I’ve always complained about buying lumber as no matter where it is purchased, it always seems far to high. But nowadays with inflation raging, it has gone “out of sight” … to use a little American slang.

One of the projects entails a new banded or perhaps oak edged top to cover an existing set of metal filing cabinets in my home office; I’m planning a leather top similar to the corner desk. The other project will go “unmentioned” since Katelyn regularly reads my blog and I’d like to keep her and my granddaughters in the dark about it. Hopefully I can complete it before their birthdays?

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Category: Financial, Misc, Personal, Photos, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: corner desk, cornhole, expensive, home depot, inflation, leather, lumber, out of sight, project, projects, receipt, slang

Posted By RichC on January 20, 2023

This is a test only post from a new to me Mac app called MarsEdit. It is similar to my much loved Open Live Writer on Windows, but without a few of the features or ablity to preview the blog format while typing.

Still I’m going to give it a try and see if I can adjust to it. 

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Category: Apple, Blogs, Computer | No Comments »
Tags: blog, editor, marsedit, testing