Lessons from Today

What I learned today...
Not only is going for a run good for your health, it is also a great way to find other people's garage cast offs.

The sign read "Everything is FREE, except the fence."  Which meant that after I returned home and showered, we took the van and picked up two rusted cast iron chairs, a new bike for S1, a new bike for Z/D (it's pink, but it fits D, and there is the "Gender Dilemna." ;p ) and a big wheel for whomever would like to use it.

A lesson learned later in the day: Probably shouldn't wear flip flops when spray painting...

 

So, today's weather was great painting weather.  And who knows how many more days we'll have like that?  Or how many days I've got $7 cash in my wallet, that aren't allocated for something particular? (Looks like I'll be waiting just a little bit longer for that mandolin.)

No, I did not read the directions.  No, I didn't even Google a how to.  No, Mom, I didn't sand off the rust.  So the success of this project is immediately and dramatically decreasing since I didn't even follow the directions on the can and brush off the rust.  But after all, this is the "cheap and easy" way of doing things.  So I'm crossing my fingers that it works. And I'm committed to sanding and re-spraying next summer if they rust out. Third lesson, at this point, sand off that rust before painting.

As you can see, I bought Rust-Oleum Gloss Protective Enamel, in blue.  (There weren't a lot of choices but O2 and I figured this color would match some of our adirondack chairs best.)  I also got a $2.50 spray gun, since I didn't see latex gloves (that idea is from my cousin, because I would just get paint all over my hands and think nothing of it).  The Lowe's guy told me it would keep my fingers clean. 

 Here's my makeshift spray paint tent I made with boxes the kids have been playing with in the driveway.  My cousin clued me in on this little idea.  I'm sure her spray paint tents look way more professional.

Anyhow, the spray gun quit working about five minutes into the project.  I grabbed a rag towel and wrapped it around the spray can and my arm.  It mostly worked.  I only got a little paint on my hands.  I ended up getting more on my feet. 

 

And the fourth lesson I learned is that spray painting is wicked FUN.  

I also have to admire and sort of hate the women who are blogging, and taking care of kids, and taking really awesome pictures with their super nice cameras.  You know what though?  This is the professed cheap and easy way because I've gotta take care of those kids!

I can't move them until they've "dried" a little more.  (Since they're enamel I think they technically have to "cure.")  Wait for pretty pictures later?  Not promising though.

Table Time

I know you think I've abandoned this blog, but I haven't.  I am doing something.  It's just that I'm doing it very slowly, relative to all the other things I'm doing. 

The current project, which is taking about four weeks longer than it was supposed to, is to transform this beat up, non-solid wood, 10-seat, $20 Goodwill table, by freshening it up with some paint.  (It's a really cruddy table.  The veneer has buckled all over it, there are tons of gauges in the surface, it wobbles a lot, and it was covered in some glue-like and still-sticky substance.  But it seats 10.  And I know my friends who've shared squished meals with us can really appreciate the increase in real estate.) 

Did I really not take any before pictures??  Well, here it is when I started the project, over a month ago.

Painted the top with Bin (shellac-based) primer, at the suggestion of two Lowe's employees.

Since the surface is not solid wood and has a veneer top, the guys at Lowe's suggested that I paint it with BIN primer, sans sanding, since veneer is so very thin.  They said the primer would stick to anything.  After painting the top, knowing that it's cured for four weeks, and finding that I can scrape it off, I'm not convinced.  I still went ahead and painted the bottom with BIN today.  It might work.

I'm thinking that after painting the top my color of choice and then putting a sealer over it (and I'm thinking of using oil based products for this), it won't scrape off.  Hopefully. 

Jonathan's not going to like that this is still going to take more time to finish.  I think I told him it'd take about three days to do...