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🛠️ Long Workbench

🛠️ Long Workbench

After building storage shelves towards the end of the year, I turned my eyes to the other side of that area and decided to build a workbench there. The idea being that it would house my new 3D printer, and also have room for other projects that I didn’t want to do in the dusty environment of the woodworking area. I drew up a rough plan on a photo and it came to 12 feet by 2 feet.

A workshop wall with a pegboard holding tools on the left. Centered is a computer setup with cables and networking equipment mounted on wooden panels. Overlaid on the image is a green and black sketch of a structure.

Its frame would be made of 2x4 lumber held together with pocket screws (a first for me, so I went and bought a jig!). The top would have two layers of 3/4" plywood. It didn’t need to be fancy, so I decided to use more of the same birch plywood I’d used for the storage shelves.

A woodworking setup featuring a Kreg pocket hole jig with a piece of wood clamped in place, showing two drilled pocket holes. A Makita cordless drill with a drill bit is nearby, along with a tool bag containing various tools.

Installing the frame was a little bit tricky but I managed to do it by myself by stacking some boxes for support, and attached it to the bare studs with lag screws.

A wooden frame structure, possibly a tabletop or workbench, is mounted on a wall. It is supported by storage boxes with yellow lids. A level tool rests on the frame.

Then it was time to make the front legs. The floor in the basement is not only not level but also has lumpy concrete in some spots. So each leg had to be constructed by trial and error for the place it would stand.

A wooden workbench situated against a pegboard wall in a garage or workshop.

Now I was ready to build the surface which had a base, and a top. The base went on pretty quickly. I screwed down from the top to attach it to the frame. The top was made of the same plywood but I finished it with two coats of polyurethane using a spray. Spray was a bad idea, but more on that later. I installed the top by screwing up from underneath the base.

After a week I started to build the other half. It was the same process but due to issues with the studs, I had to cut a couple of dados.

A close-up of a woodworking joint showing two intersecting wooden beams, with precise markings and measurements on the wood.

The rest of it went smoothly, and I lined it up as best as I could with the first half.

A wooden workbench frame inside a workshop or garage. It is constructed with natural wood and secured with screws. The wall has pegboard and exposed studs.

Next I fastened 2x2 boards all along the edges, and mounted a strip of the same plywood along the back, and with that, it was completed.

Workshop setup with a wooden workbench, a fabric enclosure labeled “TOPCUBE,” with a 3D printer inside, and a network rack with cables on the wall. Yellow-lidded storage bins are underneath the bench.

So far I don’t feel the need for all the legs I had in the sketch, but I can add more if needed.

Lessons were (hopefully) learned. Mainly to not use spray poly to finish a large flat surface, and also not to do it in the house, even if it was in the rough basement. I finished the second one in the shed.

A monochrome photo depicting a cozy living room scene. A person covered with a blanket is sitting on a couch. A cat is perched on the back of the couch, looking towards the person. Sunlight creates patterns on the wall.

Good morning. 6th January, 2025.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Cinestill Double-X (ISO 200)

A black and white photo of a fallen, decaying tree trunk in a forest. The textured bark and exposed wood are prominently visible, surrounded by leaf litter and foliage. Trees can be seen in the blurred background.

Laurelhurst Park, Portland, Oregon. 9th November, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Cinestill Double-X (ISO 200)

Black and white diptych of a park scene. The left side features a large, gnarled tree trunk with branches extending outward, surrounded by other trees and fallen leaves on the ground. The right side shows a tree with dense foliage, fallen leaves revealing a pattern of concentric curves.

Laurelhurst Park, Portland, Oregon. 9th November, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Cinestill Double-X (ISO 200)

A black and white image showing the corner of an old building with large windows. The building’s surface is weathered with visible textures and shadows. On the left, leafless tree branches extend into the sky, creating a stark contrast with the structure.

Black and white image of Ankeny Square featuring an elaborate archway with three arches. The scene is framed by bare trees, casting intricate shadows. A skateboarder is silhouetted, partially visible near the arch.

A black and white image of a city street with leafless trees and a building in the background. A person is walking on the sidewalk. Street signs and lampposts are also visible.

Trees and nearby structures were catching my eye on a little afternoon walk in downtown. Portland, Oregon. 25th January, 2025.

A colorful RV with vibrant graffiti-style artwork is parked on a street. Behind it, a building with red walls features large windows and graffiti art, including the word “LORDS” and other abstract designs. A smaller car is parked nearby. The scene is lit by the warm glow of the morning sun.

A street corner with a blue building featuring a yellow door and several windows. A vintage pickup truck is parked nearby. Visible signs advertise ice cream. Power lines cross the sky, and a pedestrian crosswalk with traffic lights is in the foreground. The scene is lit by the warm glow of the morning sun.

A bagel sandwich with egg, sausage, cheese, tomato, and other fillings is placed on a table in a lined basket. Beside it is a blue plastic cup and a napkin holder. A small potted plant is in the background. The sandwich is lit by the warm glow of the morning sun.

Morning walk on Foster Road to get a bagel sandwich. Portland, Oregon. 18th January, 2025.

A cat in a harness sits on a porch railing, looking up at a hummingbird near a red feeder. The porch has a hanging bell and decorative elements, with a background of a yard, trees, and a neighboring house.

Friends.

A black and white landscape photo of tall trees silhouetted against a cloudy sky. Below the trees is a view of a town with rooftops and more trees stretching into the distance. The sky is mostly cloudy with some brighter patches and dramatic cloud formations.

Mt. Tabor Park. Portland, Oregon. 12th January, 2025.

A new version of Mimi Uploader is out with even more support for Photo Collections 🎉

A new version of Mimi Uploader is out with even more support for Photo Collections 🎉

The previous release had the ability to see your list of collections. This new one adds the following features:

I’m finding this way of managing my collections to be great. Hope you like it too!

You can get Mimi Uploader for free from the App Store.

As discussed in a previous post, the Photo Collections feature is only available to Supporter. You can become a Supporter using the sliding scale in the app.

I enjoy podcasts but I got the feeling I was listening to a lot of tech. In 2024, I reduced the time to about 50%. In 2023 they were close to 65%.

The image shows a 2024 summary of top nine podcasts listened to in Overcast, with a total of 288 hours spent, 156 of which were in tech podcasts.

Maybe I can get it down to 40% this year.

I’m listening to several at 1.5x speed now. I was very averse to that a few years ago.