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.