WiP Wednesday- Cotton Bale Table and Ducky Scarf

When I went to Olton in February, Uncle Doc hunted down an awesome 5 lb cotton bale! After I looked at it for a while I realized there was no way I could break it open. Rather, I concluded it should be a table. When conferencing with my friends regarding the matter, this is what I came up with.
I decided that this would be my birthday project.
I picked up an 18 inch wide board (and asked them to cut it in 18 inch pieces) some threaded rod (two 36" pieces cut in half), 4 carriage bolts, 4 cap nuts, 8 washers, 8 coarse thread hex nuts, 4 coupling nuts.
Once home, Luke drilled four holes two inches in from each corner.
I assembled the hardware first to make sure everything would work before putting the finishes on the wood and metal.  Starting from the top, I put the carriage bolts through the board and tightened them each in place with a hex nut and a washer.

 The carriage bolts are square on the top making them snug in the holes. Luke used a hammer to make it snug with the wood. This gave it a nesting place so that any time I put the table together or take it apart things will fit right.

Then join the carriage bolts with the threaded rods using the coupling bolts.

 Then I put the cotton bale in between the rods upside down. Place the next board on the rods and use the last four washers and hex nuts to secure it.

 Cap nuts go on the end of the threaded rods acting as feet for the table. 

 Here it is all together. 

Here you can see how it's raised from the ground. 

Today's adventure was aging the metal. I wanted the metal to be dark like the wrapping of the bale.  After surfing the web for metal aging and darkening techniques I finally came across the idea of using Gun Blue which I understand is used to maintain or darken the finish on guns. After an adventure to a local gun store I came home with greaser (to prep the metal) and Super Blue a cold Gun Blue (in contrast to those that require torching.)

A good coat of de-greaser and the metal responded to the blue in milliseconds!

Here's the before and after! Way cool huh?!

On the knitting needles right now is my third attempt at this Oregon Ducks, Linen Stitch, Scarf.

I'm linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced and WiP Wednesday!

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A Swap!

So I've known Derek for a long time! Approximately since this picture was taken! 

 We're both on the bottom row. I'm the second in from the left and he's the third in.
Derek recently posted some sports logo metal work that he had done and of course my initial thought was "AH! Maybe he could make me an 'N'!" Well not only did he make me one...he made 4!!!

I never would have even thought of the relief, but I really like what it's going to add to my N wall! Well I was  so excited for the N's I thought I need to make something for him! So I made this rugged squishy hat that to me just seemed to fit with Derek's active lifestyle! (And short hair cut!)

 As soon as I finished it, I had to put it right in the envelope because I was tempted to keep it!

 Just look how squishy it is! I think I will most definitely be making this hat again and I hope Derek likes it!

Here is my N wall! I'm loving it! I'm also living that more than half of the N's now have stories!