# Todays little project!



## Chrispy (16 Oct 2015)

Well not just today I started this a week or two ago anyway here's a few bits made so far
so that's 240 of these





300 of these




43 of these




36 of these (yes there are more elsewhere)




Oh and 6 of these





There are more bits but that's all your getting for now! :wink:


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## John15 (16 Oct 2015)

What for?

John


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## Chrispy (16 Oct 2015)

What for! what for, I'll give you what for, for these holes

Really must get the pillar drill connected up to the extractor.


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## Bm101 (16 Oct 2015)

Huge wooden Meccano Death Robot with Lazer Eyes?!? Please let it be that.


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## mailee (16 Oct 2015)

20,0000 towel rails! :lol:


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## MusicMan (16 Oct 2015)

Balustrade.


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## griggs (16 Oct 2015)

Love the multiple stop jig


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## No skills (16 Oct 2015)

None of the above. Chris is now chief supplier for dowel enthusiast monthly.


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## mahomo59 (16 Oct 2015)

Id say some sort of seat?


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## Parquet Dave (16 Oct 2015)

Boot rack?


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## Zeddedhed (16 Oct 2015)

Bm101":15moilg8 said:


> Huge wooden Meccano Death Robot with Lazer Eyes?!? Please let it be that.



If it isn't the robot then I'm going to be very pineappled off!!


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## Eric The Viking (17 Oct 2015)

No skills":1jwgrw55 said:


> None of the above. Chris is now chief supplier for dowel enthusiast monthly.


That'll be one of those D'AgonyAunt "partworks":



> Collect a complete set of dowels over a mere 36 months, with one new length FREE with each issue. First month only 99p*.
> 
> _*Subsequent months 6.99, terms and conditions apply._



E.

PS: Chris, what ARE you making???


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## ColeyS1 (17 Oct 2015)

Nearly an abacus 

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## Chrispy (17 Oct 2015)

Sorry I'm off for the weekend, more updates on Monday. Good guessing though.


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## No skills (17 Oct 2015)

Very good Eric  =D>


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## devonwoody (18 Oct 2015)

Well I have not seen a knot in anyone of those pieces, please can I place my future timber requirements with you.

I think you need the weekend off after that order.


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## Chrispy (19 Oct 2015)

Have you all been eagerly waiting for today's update of befuddlement?
well the cutting list continues,

This is what's left after I used 108 of these to make...





These




Then I need 18 of these




Two torsion boxes




Two of these




24 of these




48 of these



and these




If you would like DW I will find some nice knots for you.


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## Eric The Viking (19 Oct 2015)

_*I KNOW! *_


Matthias Wandel has come up with an entirely wooden design of planer-thicknesser, and you're making one.


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## devonwoody (19 Oct 2015)

Crispy, if you had knots as well, now I will congratulate you on an onerous task


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## griggs (19 Oct 2015)

don't know what it is yet, but I hope you got paid up front ;-)


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## Chrispy (20 Oct 2015)

Well now the 12mm ply has arrived a bit more pressing, red laminate one side only I like to use Cascamite for this.





left over night and fresh out of the press this morning




Then on with notching this lot



With this jig and the over head pin router, I had a small brainwave here, I used to flush off the two reinforcing dowels first the rout the slot but realized with a small alteration to my jig I could do both operations at the same time




That's that bit done



Still plenty to do though, hope your not getting bored, there's a lot of that to do later!


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## Monkey Mark (20 Oct 2015)

Giant wooded mechano set!


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## Chrispy (20 Oct 2015)

griggs":t46kgjch said:


> don't know what it is yet, but I hope you got paid up front ;-)


 Not sure how to break this to you griggs but your paying for it, well as long as your a UK tax payer that is.


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## griggs (20 Oct 2015)

Chrispy":uemmyhrq said:


> griggs":uemmyhrq said:
> 
> 
> > don't know what it is yet, but I hope you got paid up front ;-)
> ...



Local authority commissioned, It's bound to be a waste of money then   :wink: 

I am intrigued though. I assume you Have bought the dowels in?


*Having just re read that, please take the joking humour on board*


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## devonwoody (20 Oct 2015)

Still no knots


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## Water-Mark (20 Oct 2015)

Bunk beds for the new MP accommodation as they cant be trusted with housing expenses?
Though more likely for the camp in Calis.


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## Chrispy (20 Oct 2015)

I am intrigued though. I assume you Have bought the dowels in?


No griggs I have machined them all (and there's more to do yet) all odd sizes 15mm 25mm 32mm 44mm and 100mm all in Tulip wood except the 15mm which is Beech.

And for once this may not be a total waste of our money!


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## Chrispy (20 Oct 2015)

devonwoody":x6xusafg said:


> Still no knots


Sorry DW I will try harder.


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## griggs (20 Oct 2015)

How do you go about machining that volume of dowels and keeping them all the same?

Thanks


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## devonwoody (21 Oct 2015)

New immigration fence ordered by Mr. Cameron.


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## Chrispy (21 Oct 2015)

Just for you DW a small scrapbook of knots.
















This one went in the bin.





And this is this mornings progress at glueing up.





griggs to make nice round dowels I like to machine the stock up square first and then spindle mould the corners off one at a time.
I used to do this with half round cutters and run them in just two goes but the top and bottom of the knives are mainly scraping and blunt very quickly and spoil the cut so now I use a radius cutter and cant the spindle over to 45d rather than a round over at 90d if you see what I mean.


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## devonwoody (21 Oct 2015)

I'm back, so what timber are you using? It seems to have no colour variation.


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## Chrispy (21 Oct 2015)

devonwoody":1unrkr40 said:


> I'm back, so what timber are you using? It seems to have no colour variation.



It's all Tulip wood or to be more precise North American Yellow Poplar and of coarse Birch plywood


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## Chrispy (22 Oct 2015)

First off a picture for griggs I found while having a tidy up a test piece from setting up the spindle moulder for the 32mm dowel, kind of shows how it goes.




Anyway back to today, a bit of gluing up of some of yesterdays production.





And then on to a different part of the project using 9mm birch plywood, some square holes cut on the router using a template.












a look at the underside of the jig.




Then some round holes 26mm on the pillar drill








Followed by rebates on the router again.





I hope to glue this lot up later today.


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## Bm101 (22 Oct 2015)

Have to say I'm very intrigued by this.


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## griggs (22 Oct 2015)

Thanks for the piccy Chris, makes perfect sense seeing that. What sort of length of timber are you running through? You have certainly got a good few hours invested in it, still haven't a clue what it is yet 

Your workshop seems to be fairly industrial, is that an overhead router your using in the latest pics?

Thanks


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## Fatboy (23 Oct 2015)

Bespoke adjustable desk/table design?


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## Chrispy (23 Oct 2015)

You know what, I'm really surprised that no one has got this yet, I've been making these for at least 13 years OK not many per year but neither was I the first to make them.


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## AndyT (23 Oct 2015)

I'm really enjoying this, and I'm entirely baffled by it.

What do we know so far?

- Chris has been making them for years and was not the first so it's presumably not his design.
- We've only seen one size of dowel and two sizes of holes but they run from 15mm through to 100mm.
- It's nicely finished as if it was going to be on show.
- The long notched pieces have cross dowels to reinforce the ends, implying that the notches will hook over suitably sized dowels, suggesting that all the bits will fit to together to make something big.
- It all looks like something which could be easily assembled without tools, so maybe it's for temporary use in a one-off event and then gets stored away.
- It's public sector funded.
- Chris is not far from Oxford.

_Could it be some sort of demountable staging kit? Used for May Balls, graduations or some other sort of big, smart shindig at the university?_


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## Fatboy (23 Oct 2015)

AndyT":1bcnqvo8 said:


> I'm really enjoying this, and I'm entirely baffled by it.
> 
> What do we know so far?
> 
> ...



And the large dowels are table legs according to Chris's website (I know, its cheating!)


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## Chrispy (23 Oct 2015)

Well tried Andy but no biscuit sorry. btw Andy in my first post there is 15mm + 25mm + 32mm dowel

Yesterdays glue up went OK, glued pinned and pressed.









Then out of the press so that I could fill the pin holes so that this morning I could clean them up using the belt/stroke sander.




then a quick wiz round with a round over in a palm router to finish.





Also this morning I got this lot out about 150m of 50 x 50 Poplar to plane up after lunch.


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## Chrispy (23 Oct 2015)

And the large dowels are table legs according to Chris's website (I know, its cheating!)[/quote]

Nope not this time  , and they are not on my website or face book either :twisted:


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## Fatboy (23 Oct 2015)

Chrispy":mp908b44 said:


> And the large dowels are table legs according to Chris's website (I know, its cheating!)



Nope not this time  , and they are not on my website or face book either :twisted:[/quote]

I stand corrected  . Thats the problem when looking ay pc before the wine last night has worn off and the caffeine this morning had kicked in! :roll:


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## Chrispy (23 Oct 2015)

Press pressing two bits into one for the 100mm dowel





Thicknessing





Still not finished but I am.





I,m not even emptying this tonight.


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## kostello (23 Oct 2015)

Oh I know.... 

You've got the contract to rebuild Britain's prisons....

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## DiscoStu (24 Oct 2015)

Making drum sticks for Animal (From the muppets) next tour?


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## griggs (24 Oct 2015)

download/file.php?id=40560&mode=view

Is that your own shop built press ? How does it work?

Thanks


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## Chrispy (24 Oct 2015)

griggs":2eorv0nc said:


> https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/download/file.php?id=40560&mode=view
> 
> Is that your own shop built press ? How does it work?
> 
> Thanks



Yes griggs home made air powered, it has a 12" dia air ram at the bottom making it an upstroke press ie with no power it will open so you can get your hand out


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## Chrispy (24 Oct 2015)

Today's job was to finish thicknessing which took 4 hours and 6 bags of shavings (bet your glad you don't live next door to me)
and then to make the 100mm dowel, because the cutters I have will only do part of the cut I made the blank into an octagon first and then cut eight times to create the full circle.

















That done I cut it up into 75mm lengths and sanded the ends.
for the observant among you there are more here as I had some left over from the last batch I made. 





Then rounded off the edges on the spindle moulder with a bearing guide.









Then drilled a 25mm hole in each end.





took off the sharp edge again.









Now was it fatboy who thought that the "Large" dowels were lesgs as on my website well these are the "Large" dowels now, and they are legs too so you weren't so wrong really. :lol: 

Also on that note between you all you have nearly solved it, it just needs the right bits putting together (with a lot of filler maybe) :twisted:


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## beganasatree (25 Oct 2015)

WHEN IS THE NEXT INSTALLMENT?????????????


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## Fatboy (25 Oct 2015)

Looking at all the components I can't get away from thinking its some sort of adjustable furniture; bed, cot but I just can't place the box component within that


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## kostello (25 Oct 2015)

Is it a giant beaded seat cover? 

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## Chrispy (25 Oct 2015)

After being let out of the house for the morning I thought of you lot and made some more progress.

Six of these cut to 2300 x 44 x 40mm





A quick dab on sander with the ends





then drill a 25mm blind hole near each end.





To give me this.





Then set up the spindle moulder with a 22mm round over and take the edges off. 










Lower the block 4mm and run twice more





Giving me this now.





Reset the moulder with a 6mm round over and flush bearing to round over the ends, note the spindle is running clockwise here to put the cutter under the work piece so thing may seem back to front.





To give this





And now my leave is over so Ta Ta for now.


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## Adam9453 (25 Oct 2015)

Staircase??


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## Sheffield Tony (25 Oct 2015)

Looks a bit like some kind of childrens' play equipment ? Those look like handrails.


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## devonwoody (26 Oct 2015)

Power press for you local tech college


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## deserter (26 Oct 2015)

As you said it's paid for by the tax payer, is it anew pig pen for Downing Street.


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## Chrispy (26 Oct 2015)

Sheffield Tony":cmeejqij said:


> Looks a bit like some kind of childrens' play equipment ? Those look like handrails.


Absolutely, hit the nail squarely on the head. (hammer) (hammer) Well done.
It's for the Sure Start children's centers program, helps with the development of balance, co-ordination, agility and confidence etc in the very young.
Very similar to the Tumble Tots franchise.

Any how back to work,finish of as Tony spotted the handrails.





This is what my large drying rack now looks like.





Now to cut to length with angled ends the rest of the pile, 96 pieces.





round off all the corners as before.





And just as a reminder as to the cost of timber production this is the view on my way home this weekend.









Sorry about the poor pictures it's not fog but smoke.
A small stand of Poplar trees on the edge of the business park that has been cleared and looks like will be going for fire wood very soon.


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## Ian down london way (26 Oct 2015)

Some kind of large kinetic sculpture?

(Doh - must read the last page before posting)


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## Chrispy (27 Oct 2015)

If any one is still looking in here's my update, 
456 holes drilled and eased, luckily I have on long term loan a dowel boring machine that that does this easily.








Then drill a blind clearance hole for a 5mm screw with countersink in each end of each piece





After a lot of filling and sanding.





And that is that, just the coloring and polishing and a bit more drilling and assembly to do now.


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## Woodmonkey (27 Oct 2015)

Wow, interested to see how it all goes together...


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## Bm101 (27 Oct 2015)

Looking forward to seeing it all finished. Must admit I _am_ slightly disappointed it's not the giant robot though.


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## Chrispy (28 Oct 2015)

I do like the idea BM but it's the eyes, where do you get lazer eyes? I can't find them anywhere.


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## Monkey Mark (28 Oct 2015)

Chrispy":2me75rc2 said:


> griggs":2me75rc2 said:
> 
> 
> > https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/download/file.php?id=40560&mode=view
> ...


A little off topic, but any more information on your press? 

I considered making a small one a while back but didn't have a piston large enough (plenty of small ones though).


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## Chrispy (28 Oct 2015)

What do you want to know MM?


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## Monkey Mark (28 Oct 2015)

Chrispy":3evuiaxh said:


> What do you want to know MM?


Hmmm, good question. 
Mainly the bore/stroke of the ram your using and the pressure it's able to exert if you know it? And if you bought the ram, where you got it from.


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## Chrispy (28 Oct 2015)

I see, well I'm sure it's 12" dia with a working stroke of 6" which seems OK for me, the platterns are 4'x2' and works well for most jobs including veneering, I vary the air pressure depending on the area of work piece, with a maximum of 100 psi air pressure multiply by the surface area of the piston to give you your force you then need to divide this by the surface area of your work piece to give psi on your work. This piston I found advertised in a local paper over 30 years ago just a bit of luck really.


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## Monkey Mark (29 Oct 2015)

Chrispy":2l33y35n said:


> I see, well I'm sure it's 12" dia with a working stroke of 6" which seems OK for me, the platterns are 4'x2' and works well for most jobs including veneering, I vary the air pressure depending on the area of work piece, with a maximum of 100 psi air pressure multiply by the surface area of the piston to give you your force you then need to divide this by the surface area of your work piece to give psi on your work. This piston I found advertised in a local paper over 30 years ago just a bit of luck really.


That's great thanks. Seems you got a bargain with that piston!


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## Chrispy (29 Oct 2015)

Yesterday I started the coloring, yellow and orange, today I found some more that should be orange so did those and then went on to red








My camera seems to not like red








Any one guess what the next color is? :lol:

Sorry forgot the pictures now fixed.


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## griggs (29 Oct 2015)

Got to be blue or green


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## Wildman (30 Oct 2015)

yellow


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## Chrispy (30 Oct 2015)

Oh dear!


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## Chrispy (30 Oct 2015)

Purple or violet, comes between red and blue.


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## vanitycat (31 Oct 2015)

I had a feeling that it was some kid of child playing equipment when I first started reading. But what are the open boxes for? Part of the governments scheme to get children off the streets and into boxes? ;-)


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## Chrispy (31 Oct 2015)

vanitycat":ifrvw4p1 said:


> I had a feeling that it was some kid of child playing equipment when I first started reading. But what are the open boxes for? Part of the governments scheme to get children off the streets and into boxes? ;-)


It's quite difficult to explain quickly so I think when it's finished I'll assemble it and try to show how it is meant to work.

BTW I'm still on green today!


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## Chrispy (31 Oct 2015)

Well I have now finished the blue and green so that's the coloring done.





So that's red and orange and yellow,green and blue and violet too, yes I've been spraying a rainbow!





Unfortunately the spray booth is now very brown and my finger nails multi colored, and we're going out for a posh meal tonight Oh well.


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## Chrispy (2 Nov 2015)

Now that everything is colored some of it needs gluing together before it gets lacquered, so a bit more pressing.




Don't worry about the black bits that's another job altogether.


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## Chrispy (10 Nov 2015)

Time for an update I think, after spending a very long time spraying lacquer and de-nibing and more spraying it's now back to boring.





And here's a few random shots of some of the smaller parts that are now finished.
Fence/gate/step over etc




corner post/tree/flag pole etc




sorting block thingy




Wobbly boards for balance 




Target board/shape sorter 





As for all the wild suggestions of what this could be that I'm making I have realized that actually you are all correct (including the robot with lazer eyes) as not only is the equipment designed to exercise the body but help the imagination as well! so it is what ever you think it is.


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## Chrispy (11 Nov 2015)

Some more.
Flip boards, stand on one leg and stamp on board then catch the ball/bean bag if you can.




Sticks for attacking your friends with! (hammer) 




Slide/bridge/ramp ect




Ladder




Short ladder




Ladder with stands for crawl through/ goal etc




Another two ways of using the ladder target or step through








And a frame for jumping /stepping over etc.


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## AndyT (11 Nov 2015)

Now it all makes sense at last.

You do cover an impressively wide range of jobs!


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## Chrispy (12 Nov 2015)

A bit more progress, gluing up the "A" frames for this I made up a make shift cramping jig to help speed things up.





And you can see the pile in the back ground.




Then hinge them into pairs.




Fit the top platforms




And this is kind of how they work with the other bits.












But there is loads of different ways they can go together to make up what is really an assault course for pre-school kids.


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## griggs (12 Nov 2015)

So what is it? :wink:


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## Chrispy (12 Nov 2015)

griggs":2pw3qfht said:


> So what is it? :wink:


Wot is it, Wot is it I'll tell you Wot it is its all wrapped up and ready to go that's Wot it is :roll:


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## Chrispy (13 Nov 2015)

There you go all wrapped up and now on it's way.












And the moneys in the back already!


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