Little League 2014
Easterday Construction has always sponsored a Little League team. We always ask for Easterday Green shirts and they try and accommodate us. The team is pictured to the right. I hit the organizers up about including names with the plaque. Some of those kids may work here someday and it would be fun to see the tie-in. Ha!
Constitution Day 2014
I’ve yet to hear mention on the news today that today is Constitution Day, otherwise known as Citizenship Day. Hopefully it is still discussed in our schools.
Our Constitution remains one of the most succinct documents of its type and despite being written centuries ago, it continues to hold the guiding principles that have made the United States great. That’s why it is disheartening when our leaders, those sworn to uphold it, disparage it. The most notable case of this that jumps to mind is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg‘s comment during the reorganization of Egypt that, “I would not look to the US constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012.”
Take a moment today to remember the 39 brave men who signed that document in 1787. Their courage and commitment should be celebrated.
If you are interested in additional links and comments I’ve made on Constitution Day, use the search bar to the right.
Heartland Artists Easel
You never know what kind of call you will get around here. Diane Osborn called around the first of August and asked if we could build a 12′ tall artist easel for Heartland Artists to use for sign displays during the Blueberry Festival. That’s not exactly something we get asked every day… We did a little research to try and determine what standard dimensions for an artist easel are. It didn’t take too long to figure out that there aren’t really any standards. We eventually found one that we liked and we went about modifying it to increase dimensions and make it collapsable.
We started with three 12′ 2 x 4’s for legs, joined at the top with bolts and nuts. The front legs are the outer legs and these were beveled to allow them to come in against the back leg when spread. A fourth 12′ 2 x 4 was cut in half for two 6′ lengths. One of those pieces was ripped in half again. One of the ripped pieces was joined to the full piece in an “L” shape to create the tray to hold the display. This would be where the canvas would sit on a normal easel.
We loosely bolted the “L” piece to one front leg. At the other front leg, we placed the bolt through and inch lower, leaving it stick out slightly longer. We then notched the “L” to rest on this bolt and lock it in place. This allowed the whole thing to fold up as one linear stack when not in use and without disassembling the parts. When completed, we had things set up so that it could be assembled without tools and could stand with the nuts and bolts just finger tight. We considered adding chains from the front legs to the back leg to set the open distance, but decided this would limit the flexibility of use and would impede how it folded up.
Easel in use at the 2014 Blueberry Festival
The final touch was to drill holes in the bottoms of the legs for anchoring. These were drilled horizontally through the legs to allow attachment to stakes if the placement was on earth or other mechanical fasteners if the placement was on pavement. At 12′ high with the potential for more than 32 square feet of signage, we were concerned that it would become a big sail and blow over in the wind. (Live & Learn. This was a problem with the film reel we made several years ago and that was a lot heavier and less top heavy!)
Thanks to Bob Cooper and Mugurel Stefan here at Easterday Construction for finding the parts from stock and assembling the structure. Shelley Heiden with Heartland Artists sent us the pictures which are greatly appreciated. Best wishes to Heartland Artists for many years of use.
Vote for YOU!
We’re entering the silly season of politics again. Does it ever strike you how many politicians say, “Vote for ME” when they meet you? I understand name recognition and why putting that name out there is necessary. But in the constant litany of “Vote for ME”, some of them never get around to what they will do for YOU. They’ll talk about their platform if you ask them, but generally you don’t get much opportunity. They’ll badmouth their opponent WITHOUT you asking, but that’s not much better than hearsay at that point.
Next time a politician says, “Vote for me”, put them on the spot and tell them, “No, if I go to the polls, I’m voting for me. Now tell me why it’s worthwhile for me to spend that time and invest my vote in you.” Voting is important. Be an educated voter and make sure you’re voting for the right person for you. Not for the flashy ad or for the party that your parents voted for… Vote for YOU!
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Paint Cans
A common problem with paint cans is the build up of paint in the lid groove. This can cause spills outside the can and the inability to close the can properly. To reduce this issue, take a 6 penny nail and puncture the can in the groove. These holes allow the paint to drain back into the can. They don’t affect the seal on the can as they are below where the lid friction fits when reinstalled.
Another suggestion is to use a pour spout. This is a flexible plastic piece that fits in the inner groove of the can and form a spout to pour from without drips running down the side of the can. I’ve used these with good success, though there is till some dripping to watch for. It is undoubtedly better than just pouring from the can lip itself. They are fairly inexpensive and reusable.
Picture Source: Amazon.com
