CJ's Wooden Wavy Flag 4H project

[Jonathan Shively]

Calves are starting to come around as individuals and listening to the kids. So CJ and I broke away and I taught him how to use the sliding compound miter saw. He cut 15 2x4's to 41". I did not get any photos of that. Then my saw stop saw isn't here so to keep going I set up the planer and CJ, Jon and I created a flow of work and ran the 2x4's through until the radiused corners were removed. Then we got it clamped and they learned how to square up a rectangle. It is in the garage at the moment on sawhorses. Tomorrow we have 3 calves heads to shave and then doc should be here around noon or one o'clock. So we put it away for now and I am going to put a carving wheel on the 4" grinder and we are going to practice learning how to use it correctly. Will keep this updated with photos and storyline. CJ's birthday is July 3, so he has really become aware of Americana and it is a theme he has used through his wood working projects.

CJ learning how the planer works.

CJ feeding the planer, Jon catching the boards, me handing to CJ
CJ, now taller than Lou Ann, has a higher vertical reach than me. Growing to be a fine young man.

My paw after Jon and I traded places.

 

[Jonathan Shively]

More photos of today's work.
CJ and Jon laying the boards out correctly.

How many hands does it take to operate a pipe clamp? 6 today!

Clamped up and edges ragged.
Dead blow hammer and tapping the edges smooth.

 

[Jonathan Shively]

Last group for tonight.
Tapping the edges straight. Look at the concentration on his face!

Learning how to cross measure to square it up.

We got it. It is now clamped tight and in the garage. Waiting on his next visit.


Before you comment on those two ragged sawhorses, my maternal Grandfather helped me build those for my dad for a Father's Day Gift back in 1972!! My dad took a lot better care of them than I have. Someday may rebuild them, I don't know.

 

[Darren Wright]

Looking forward to following along. This is the reason this forum exists, nice work Jonathan, CJ, & Jon.

 

[Tom Niemi]

And a new generation woodworker is born! Teach him well Jon

 

[Bob Gibson]

What a great family !!

 

[Mike Stafford]

Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[David Johnson]

Whatb a great time. The boys will remember these times, and so will you.
David

 

[Jonathan Shively]

Looking forward to following along. This is the reason this forum exists, nice work Jonathan, CJ, & Jon.

CJ had an appointment at Riley's today. They are changing his meds (he has epilepsy). He will be here tomorrow afternoon through the rest of the week. He is always excited about his projects but this one is his largest yet.

And a new generation woodworker is born! Teach him well Jon

All 5 of the grands do woodworking. So I do enjoy them and their projects especially when we aren't under a time crunch.

What a great family !!

We are okay. Don't know about great, but we do have a good time when we get together!!!!!!!

Can't wait to see the finished product!

You and me both!! Not that I want it done, I just want to absorb it all! We are going to make an easel for it so it can be "displayed" at the fair and not laid on a shelf somewhere.

Whatb a great time. The boys will remember these times, and so will you.
David

I do remember fondly my grandfathers, I do hope they remember me with fondness. Being a grandparent sure is fun 99% of the time!

 

[Mike Stafford]

"We are going to make an easel for it so it can be "displayed" at the fair and not laid on a shelf somewhere."

Can you make it so it can be hung on the wall? That would be my favorite way to display it.

 

[Jonathan Shively]

"We are going to make an easel for it so it can be "displayed" at the fair and not laid on a shelf somewhere."

Can you make it so it can be hung on the wall? That would be my favorite way to display it.

Yes it is intended to be hung on a wall, but the fairgrounds is hit or miss if they hang something. So to prevent it from being laid down and not being a visual impact, we are going to hedge our bet and build an easel. One of those, if we don't build the easel it will lay on a shelf the whole week, if we take the easel and they say they will hang it, that will be a win win and I will gladly take the easel home.

 

[Paul Douglass]

If there were more things going on like parent/grandparent 4H support the country would be a better place. My kids loved it, I love being involved with them in it. And I can see rewards of it in their adult lives. You are doing great things, they will benefit and never forget... God Bless.

 

[Mike Stafford]

Paul, you are so right. There is nothing better than seeing kids involved with their parents and grandparents. We are losing that intergenerational connection.

 

[Darren Wright]

I was really hoping to have the grandkids for a month or so this summer, but between summer school and other things planned, that wasn't going to happen this year. My granddaughter grew up during covid and has spent the majority of her childhood at home. She'll be starting kindergarten this year, but my daughter thought she might do better starting with the pre-school session they have this month. Turns out she is loving it and taken to school like a pig to mud. She also signed the grandson up, which he's been walking his sister to her class and showing her the ropes.

Anyway, I was hoping to get them involved with the local 4H program here over the summer. I grew up participating in one and helping my siblings with their projects, and really thought they would enjoy the experience(s).

 

[Don Baer]

I do hope they remember me with fondness.

They most certainly will, you are helping them build the memories, keep up the good work Grampa

 

[Jonathan Shively]

I didn't realize I hadn't updated since squaring it up! I am sorry!



Just a random design. No drawings or plans, just watched a YouTube video many times.



I bought a set of four wood rasp grinding discs. No numbers or instructions with them. Best I could decide, there are two different grits. Started with the most aggressive grit of course. Had CJ practice on an old 4x4 to learn the direction and action of the grinder.



Grinding, grinding and more grinding. When I saw him stop and stretch his fingers I had him take a break and we discussed stopping before he tires to the point of losing strength and the grinder getting out of his control. Safety glasses, face shield and a fan blowing at his back.

 

[Jonathan Shively]

Grinding the waves took some time even with the rasp wheels. They were aggressive but not so aggressive they kicked back easily.



He was a little tentative at first. He thought this was deep.



He then got concerned he ground off the black line. Shaded areas represented the top of the waves. I told him, we just drew random lines to make the waves. No one will know you ground off that line. Each flag waves differently based on the wind, direction and a whole host of factors. Teaching him to color outside of the lines!



First day of carving/grinding completed. His hands were tired!

 

[Jonathan Shively]

CJ eventually got it deep enough and we changed him to the second wheel. It "smoothed" out his deep grinds well.



This is still the first wheel, I eventually ground a groove/ditch/depth gauge for CJ to work towards. It helped as he didn't know it needed to be that deep.



Those that think bandsaw boxes should be renamed sanding boxes haven't done a wavy flag! Once he reached depth and ground rasp marks smooth with the second wheel we went to the DA sander and 40 grit paper. He thought it was smooth after the second wheel. Then after the 40 grit he thought it really smooth.



Sanding and sweeping off dust. This went on for a couple of days. After 40 we went to 120 grit and then he was really impressed with its smoothness!

 

[Jonathan Shively]

Now we are getting somewhere!



He now knows the different grits mean different levels of smooth!! He stays focused on the task at hand for sure. Can now see the waves really taking shape.



This was the 220 grit and final grit. He couldn't keep his hands off of it as well as the grin on his face each time he rubbed it he would say, "as smooth as a baby's butt!!!"





Yesterday we numbered it and took it out of the clamps. This is a shot of him priming the boards individually. I had him primer the tops and top edges only.

 

[Jonathan Shively]

Kept fans on it yesterday and we started right after chores so after lunch when we checked, no flies and dry. So time to put some color on.



He had a tough time with the primer running on him, with and without the trigger handle on the can. The actual paint went on very well for him. I carried boards for him so we didn't mix them up or get them turned around. Don't know How I didn't get any pictures of the red boards, but it happened.

Here it is painted and still blown apart.



CJ and Lou, what a masterpiece!