Mr. Skill Drill I Presume

For one reason or another I have not been able to use my wood shop for three years. My wood shop is in my garage and my garage has been stuffed with all kinds of family stuff. Earlier this year Dianne and Mark A. have been cleaning out the garage, rearranging, throwing stuff away and generally cleaning the area. Little by little, like water receding my work area has surfaced. Table saw, wood lathe, chisels and wood bench are now reachable by an old guy in a wheelchair.

Now, the wood working area is generally open, however, there are still pockets of in-access. I have a drill which I dearly love. The drill is a inexpensive Sears electric drill the kind you plug in. I have a number of battery operated drills I just do like to use them for my wood working projects. These drills just deplete their energy too quickly. This drill finally surfaced yesterday. Mark and Jasmine were over yesterday and we were poking round the garage and sure enough came across my canvas tool bag and there was my drill.

It’s funny how just a insignificant thing often blocks great works. I make hooks. I have mentioned my hooks a number of times in various posts but I cannot see that I have ever really explained what the hooks are and how I make them. My hooks are considered “low-tech” assistive technology. Low-tech usually means something inexpensive, non electrical and easily understood and used.

I first started making hooks when I had easy access to literally tons of oak scrap thrown away from a furniture mill not far my old office. This scrap consisted of the end cuts” pieces of wood one to two inches wide and anywhere from three to five fee long, usually tapering off as the miller “trued “ up the main piece. I found if I got the larger pieces of scrap I could usually get a one inch by one inch piece several feet long. I got a wood lather and turned the pieces to “rounds” an drilled a quarter inch hole in the center of the shaft and then twisted a bicycle hook into the shaft. I like using the oak much better then pine other lighter grained wood. My oak hooks break far less then the others.

The truth of the matter is hooks are the only things I can make, well hooks and firewood. Everything else I have tried has been disastrous. If all I can ever make are that is quite alright. I use my hooks everyday and I know others who totally believe in their hooks too. I use my hooks for everything from reaching my wheelchair when I am in the shower to getting clothes from out of the washing machine to pulling things off the top shelves at the market.

So, with finding my drill, I am back in the hook making business, I still cannot locate my ¼ inch spade but I can use just a regular drill bit until I can get to sears and pick up another spade. I still have other items I need t find in my garage like my orbiter hand sander but these will come. I still nee a 220 line ran out to the garage and a whole lot better lighting system. But for now I am happy to just have a garage with a wood shop to go too when I want to unwind.