Cork Coaster

What to do with all of those corks? Each cork's logo brings back a flash of memory that is tied to the event associated with the fine wine it protected. Here is something useful that can clear the drawer of those corks and continue to serve your memories.

One end of each outside cork was drilled with a 3/16" hole. Leather boot lacing is used to tie the rows together. The holes were positioned so the corks's logo would be best exposed. The corks are bound end-to-end with heavy duty wood glue. The three corks at each end are glued together after being pinned at the joints with finishing nails; the end rows are exposed to bumps that may break the glue joint.

The coaster can sit on the counter or table while it awaits its steaming hot customer.

Box Buddy - New & Improved

The original Box Buddy, see earlier post, works well. This version adds a bit of box weight and is adjustable re upward pressure.

Reader Buddy - New & Improved

Using the Reader Buddy on the tripod worked well, but positioning it was limited. This Buddy will clamp on just about anything and features full rotation and articulation. While I'm reading, I plug in my speakers and tune in my favorite Pandora station. The iPad multitasks beautifully.

Crack Corn feeder

Since our visit to Malheur Field Station I have been feeding birds cracked corn and wild bird seed each AM. I am going to Savannah to join Anne, Chris, and his family for Christmas. I didn’t want someone to have to come over to spread a glass full of cracked corn each morning. So, I went to the garage and thought about what I might create.

I settled on an electric motor which had been used as a bench grinder. I took the grinder off one end and made up a tin dish to go under a tin fan blade that, with a nut and washer, replaced the old grinder wheel. I made a motor holder with a 2x4 and screwed that to a piece of plywood for the base. I added a rain guard made from tin.

For the corn delivery, I had some ¾” id Pex pipe laying around. I attached a piece of pex to the motor stand, ground the delivery end of the pex to be parallel with the rotating fan, and then raised it off the fan ~1/4”, so corn could fall out once the blade started to rotate and remove what had fallen.

I then used a 1-gal can with the bottom cut out to hold the cracked corn. I attached the can upside down to the 2x4 with a couple of screws. The end of the pex pipe fills and blocks the can’s hole. I reamed the end of the pex so it exposed minimal edge surface to the corn. To add some more gravity muscle to the can full of corn, I put in a cardboard wedge so the corn wants to flow down the wedge towards the hole.

The fan blade has two natural bumps where the center end of the blade come towards flatness. I raised one of the snipped edges near the shaft hole high enough so that each time the blade turned, it wacked the end of the pex tube, thus giving the tube and its contents a bit of a shake. This shake prevents corn from sticking jammed in the pex. I put a large baggie over the top of the opened feeder can to keep the rain out.

At the hardware store I bought a Stanley brand repeat daily on/off timer (~$20). You can set six different on/off times on it. It is digital and very accurate. The timer has a backup battery. The minimum time you can set at each of the on/off periods is 1-minute. I thought 1-min may be too long for what I have been feeding the birds. It turns out that the pex tube delivers ~ 2-cups in the one minute on cycle. That’s just right for my flock. I am only using one of the six on/off repeat cycles. Mine comes on at 0800 and turns off at 0801. Naturally, the birds don’t like the noise intrusion when power switches on, but their reward is worth it. I have found that the 1-gallon can I am using on the top will last me about 5 days.

Reading Buddy

I received an IPad on Father's Day. What a wonderful gift. It has virtually replaced my use of the laptop in the office and it has almost completely eliminated my use of printed story books. I've found that reclining or lying down while reading with the IPad becomes tiring, because it needs to be held up. The solution: Reading Buddy.














The Reading Buddy was made to fit on top a a tripod and provide handsfree viewing. The tripod presents all of the adjustment flexibility I'm looking for.















Reading Buddy can also be used for other ereaders, Kindle, etc.

Box Buddy

This is an experience we have all gone through. The following episode, however, isn't a pre-destined fact of life.

You've been sleeping restlessly. The new season has brought with it your first cold. When you reach for the tissue box on the night stand you notice there is none protruding, ready for your easy grasp. The box wasn't empty yesterday, you recall. The chilly room air brings you shivers as you sit up to turn on the night light. Ah ha! The tissue has dropped down inside the box.

As you are carefully prying into the plastic window to try to retrieve the top tissue the box falls to the floor. This activity has awakened your spouse, or was it the not so subtle cursing you were doing under your breath. Fully out of bed by now you collect the box and shove you hand through the plastic gap expanding it non-retrievably into a hole which will no longer serve its intended design function.

Inside the box your finger tips probe for the leading edge of the top tissue. There has to be one but you can't sense it. You know its there so you grab a small quantity by dipping along side their edges. This process has netted you at least five tissues. There it is, right on the very edge of the small stack. With your index fingernail you pull off the top piece.

Nasally relieved, but wide awake, you set the unused tissues on the top of the mutilated box and reach up for the light switch. The covers feel toasty warm as you snuggle back into bed. Laying there waiting for drowziness to once again capture the waining hours of the night, you think - there has to be a better way.

There is. It's called the Box Buddy.



This one inch wide piece of thin gauge metal is formed so it will easily slip through a small slit made at the bottom edge of a freshly opened box of tissues. Once inside, and pushed to the far end of the box with the aid of a table knife, the Box Buddy will provide a continuous upward pressure on the stack of tissues. This will ensure there isn't a large enough gap at the top of the stack for first piece to want to fall back inside. The slit can be cello taped closed.

When the last tissue is withdrawn, retrieve the Box Buddy by shoving your hand through the plastic slit. This will create an unseemly gap at the top of the box, but you're going to throw it away, anyway. The Box Buddy is ready to insert into your fresh box.

Now, stay covered, leave the night light off, and have a good night's sleep. Cheers!

Leaf clean-up

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Except when the leaves need to be collected. Our garbage man will collect bagged leaves left on the curb. Getting the leaves into the bag has always been a chore. Until I came up with Bob's Bag Buddy.

Bob’s Bag Buddy
1.Begin with a strong cardboard box that is ~20” tall and has a perimeter of ~55”-60”. Cut off top and bottom of the box.
Use garbage bags with ties, Glad, e.g. Find a large plastic dust scoop and a leaf pile.















2.Fold box slightly and insert it into the bag.



3.Bag Buddy will rise as leaves are compacted around the inside edge.



4. When compacted leaves are at the top of the bag, remove Bag Buddy.



5.Result: fully stuffed and tied bag of leaves- ready for the curb.



6. Save Bag Buddy for next year’s use.

Enjoy a wonderful season of the year.