Let There Be This light

A philosophy of wood working I subscribe to is that of "cutting from large piece/s into as small dimensions as possible and putting them back together and hope one ends up with a working finished project". Okay, I made that up to explain why most of my projects are that way as readers of this blog will readily observe from many of my projects.  Actually, it probably makes more work.  However, if you plan it right, basic parts are easier and safer to work with, including during the sanding and finishing phase of the project.

Here, this grow light fixture can be put together with two knurled knobs at the top ends without tools. (Except, of course where screws were used to fasten the feet to the uprights initially). With the bottom "T" in place at each leg, this fixture can be assembled and disassembled by hand.

The special light spectrum put out by the grow light is needed for indoor growing, even including normally outdoor plants, such as papaya and tamarind.  Both these plants (grown from seeds) will be transplanted next spring. Meanwhile, they serve as indoor CO2/oxygen exchangers. One tamarind tree outside made it through last winter and it is four feet tall now.  Papayas don't do too well in winter. A warm winter one year gave our papayas a two year growing season.

This is the latest of 5 pieces now around the house that have sort of a similar theme in their design.  Let me explain: 

(1) It started with the mantle above the fireplace that came with the house (photo below)

(2) The top ledge of the TV cabinet which I did years ago took that same round-over shape as in the mantle.

(3) The light fixture shown here that has a grow light for the in-ground house plants below it was fashioned the same way.  I almost made it look exactly like the mantle.

(4)  I replaced the original light fixture (top of photo, below) again with the same theme.

The compulsion to stick to the "theme" is indeed a woodworker's compulsion (on my part). One  may stand from one point in the family room and see all five of these "themed" pieces, including the light fixture that is by the hallway next to the front door in the living room. It is true  woodworkers do have their idiosyncrasies.  (Enlarge the photo to see why). Guilty as charged. And any future similarly themed project will have to be viewable from the same single location. Idiosyncrasy, what else is there to say.

One more tip: Notice the round planter on a white pedestal (photo below)? It rotates on ball bearings.  See next photos farther down.

I designed this rotatable pedestal with a pivot rod and globe ball bearings for easy access during watering (the glass non-draining planter is heavy, a standard Lazy Susan hardware may not hold up over time) and for even exposure to the light source. I or my wife will just have to from to time manually rotate the planter.

The Orchid Plant Stands

The story about the latest in orchid horticulture - that of acclimating these epiphytic plants to survive in water - is something I explained in my blog - https://abreloth.blogspot.com/ - as a way of introducing this new system of caring for orchids that I learned from various internet sites like Pinterest and Youtube. But,  of course, as always I somehow managed to get a woodworking project out of it. 

I used scrap wood. Most importantly was to use the least amount of material possible, yet finish with a robust structure, using glue only. As always the photos are self explanatory.

The next photos show a taller set of legs to elevate the clear container above the enclosure.

Using 3/4 inch scrap plywood, the next stand is far stronger.  Though not necessarily more superior to support the planter, it is just another method worth looking into if the material is available.

The stands, while not necessary to the proper functioning of the clear plastic container, they provide a bit of elegance to the display, akin to the settings for a gem stone.

Rummikub

I was introduced to this board game not too long ago. Purchased online, the set included four black plastic racks on which to set the tiles that are the objects of the game.

The  woodworking challenge is to construct a three level "terrace" with the appropriate grooves where to set the tiles so the player has a good view of them. I think the photos are self explanatory, for the most part. The base is 1/2 inch plywood.  The "terraces" are 1/4 plywood and the racks are from scrap mahogany.

The top "terrace" is 1-1/2 inch wide; the middle "terrace" level is 2-5/8 inch wide and the base is 4 inches - all tapered with a 20 degree slant.

1/4 inch terraces cut to width and length

The racks are first dimensioned to 3/4 by 3/4 inch and a 1/4 inch grooved dado along the entire length. The table saw blade was set to 20 degrees incline.

Always a woodworking truism, one cannot have too many clamps.