Zen and the Art of Tractor Maintenance: July 2011

Routing About

I have been using my Festool OF 1400 for the last couple weeks. I kinda wish I had gotten an OF 2200 Instead for running 1/2inch bits. I find it a bit heavy for running small round overs and ogee's. I like the lighter weight of my OF 1010. It is pretty much a clone of the 1400 with the ability to use 1/2inch bits. If you only had one router I think it would be a good choice. I really like the edge guide it was well worth the 70 bucks.

More to come

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Green Beans

Well I broke down at started selling green beans this year. I hate picking the bloody things but they just sell so well...this year. Last year they were selling for $1.30 to $1.50 a lb and well I just don't think its worth picking them for that. This year I didn't plant that many rows of beans because the price was so low last year and guess what the price this year is running $2.50 to $3.50 a lb. I still hate picking them but for a 3 bucks a lb I will pick what plants I have. Live and learn I guess, so next year I will plant and if the price sucks just plow them under.

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Produce Boxing

I got tired of having produce in plastic trays and boxes that looked like crap. I think it was cutting into my sales at the farmers market and i have been looking at ways to improve our branding. I really needed a way to set my produce apart from the other venders. I got a banner from vistaprint.com which helped but I still wanted to spiff up my farm stand. So this week I spent a day in the shop building some boxes. They are cheap pine and only cost me about ten bucks each to build. I am really happy with the way they turned out. My CNC router can crank them out really fast, the 3d ones take about an hour the text only ones take about 10 min. I used a half inch 90 degree v bit for the text and a corbox for the chalk board border. I love the chalkboard paint in the foux raised panel, better place for pricing than taping on paper signs that always seem to blow away.