My workshop has been sweltering hot in the summer, Southern California weather being what it is. But now I’ve got air conditioning! Coming soon: roof insulation.
Author Archives: John Edgar Park
Air!
Standing Desk Build
I designed and built this lovely standing desk a few months ago — these are the build photos.
My materials of choice were galvanized pipe, SpeedRail and Kee Klamp connectors, four heavy-duty locking casters, and a maple butcher block top.
I use it for my computer workstation in my workshop — it’s nice to be able to roll it around when needed. It would also make for a very nice workbench or kitchen prep table.
The top is 48″ x 30″ x 1-3/4″ thick. The legs are 34-1/2″ tall, so including casters and butcher block top, it stands at 38″ high.
Making Handbalancing Canes
Here’s a quick DIY for making handbalancing canes. My daughter and I built these in an afternoon. They’re great for working on handstands, press-ups, L-sits, dips, and handbalancing tricks. We use them during aerial straps classes at Cirque School LA, so I thought it would be fun to make a set at home.
Parts:
-One 2’x’2′ piece of 3/4″ plywood (we started with pine, but that was too soft) cut down to three sections
-Two 4″ lengths of 2×4 for hand blocks (I used some scrap framing pulled from our 1939 house during a renovation)
-Four 3/4″ floor flanges
-Two 18″ sections of threaded 3/4″ black pipe (you can choose 12″ for a shorter stand, and can always swap them out later)
-Twelve #10 1-1/2″ screws
-Sixteen #10 3/4″ screws
CNC Circuit Playground Holder
I decided I needed a Circuit Playground and Circuit Playground Express render farm. Here’s the stand I made on the CNC machine.
I designed it in Fusion 360 and then milled it with the Othermill Pro. First, I ran a pocket clearing pass.
Next, I ran a pencil pass to clear out the scooped out slots for the curvature of the boards.
These rough passes left behind a bit of material, as you can see here.
The final cleanup was a parallel pass with a fairly tight stepover, I ran it at 90 degrees from the stock, so it followed the grooves and had longer runs.
Here it is with a Circuit Playground Express nestled in it lovingly.
Here you’ll see some purple prototype boards, and the new red Circuit Playground Classic Digi-Key will be selling as part of the “buy one , give one” donation program for Girls Who Code
Here’s the full set, ready for various tutorials I’m working on with MakeCode, Arduino, and Circuit Python!
CNC bench on wheels
Estate Sale pan and knife
Hit a semi-disappointing sale this morning. Not too much of interest, or as pickers say, nothing had any age on it.
The two finds I did get: a great little Griswold no. 3 cast iron pan for $5. Nicely seasoned, probably perfect for a grilled cheese sandwich I’ll be making for lunch…
The other thing I picked up is this kooky Keen Kutter pocket knife. It’s a bone handled Barlow model, made from 1940-1960. Blade marked “K288 1/2”.
I call it kooky due to the tip. Looks like the previous owner snapped it off and then did a nice job cleaning it up into a concave dip. I probably paid too much at $10, but I like its apparent history.
I can tell from the other knives at the estate that the previous owner really had a problem with using knives as screwdrivers/pry bars. At least this one has a nifty attempt at saving it.
Coffee & Tool & Coffee Tool of the Day
Today I’m featuring an electrician’s Leatherman, the E4 Squirt, and a Modern Times (beer brewer/coffee roaster from San Diego) Black House coffee brewed in a Bialetti moka pot my mom gave me. (I think it was from my Zia Wanda’s kitchen in Cassino, Italy.)
I really like the E4 because it’s got a good set of wire strippers/cutters on it, and the Philips screwdriver is a pretty nice one. I keep it in my jeans coin pocket.