Too much time on my hands

[two utes]

Due to the horrid Covid-19 crisis, we are in Stage 4 lockdown here in Melbourne Australia, and as a result l'm not allowed to leave home except for medical reasons, to go food shopping, one hour of exercise within 5km of my home, or to attend any urgent jobs in my line of work being property maintenance.
I decided to use the time at home to catch up on some much needed home maintenance, and painted the exterior of my house as well as the bathroom and laundry. I was missing not being able to go out on my boat for a fish, and came up with the idea of designing and making my very first whirligig.
For me to go to the effort and detail it had to be of me fishing on my boat. I decided to make it of my first marlin capture back in 1997 where i caught my first marlin in Bermagui N.S.W.
Luckily i have lots of tools to be able to complete the project, and made do with whatever materials i had at home. I used 1/8" brazing rod for pins, and an old paint stirrer for the 3/16 main shaft. I had some red western cedar which i cut the boat and marlin out of, and pulled apart an old picture frame that i had in my workshop which had some plywood for a backing.
I enjoyed this project but we still have another 3 weeks to go before this Stage 4 Lockdown is over, so ill have to thnik of what to do next....maybe some extra water changes ;)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5R211-O_os

[danotaylor]

Bloody fantastic mate! Way to stay productive :thumbsup:

[BrendanJ23]

Love it mate! Looks great.

[Iminit]

Looks great!! A great use of your time!

[discuspaul]

You're very talented, Joe - I'm not surprised !
Let us know when you decide on your next project.

[LizStreithorst]

I'm impressed. I wish I had your skills.

[Second Hand Pat]

Wow Joe, super nice project, execution and result. I love the way you presented it also. The fight which will last forever.
Pat

PS: Tom is looking for our first boat as a married couple. We both grew up with boats. :D

[Disgirl]

Wow Joe, very creative and beautifully made. You did a great job on the video too. Always wondered, what is a Ute??
Barb

[Willie]

This is outstanding. :thumbsup:

[two utes]

Bloody fantastic mate! Way to stay productive :thumbsup:

Thanks Dan. I had to do something or risk going crazy ;)


Love it mate! Looks great.

Thanks very much Brendan, l too like the way it turned out.


Looks great!! A great use of your time!

Thanks alot Tom. At least l'll be able to look back once this is all over and know that i used my time well.


You're very talented, Joe - I'm not surprised !
Let us know when you decide on your next project.

Hi Paul. You're too kind. I have actually started making one for my 5 year old grand daughter. She saw mine and asked if i could make one of a unicorn jumping over a rainbow. Not as much detail but im sure she will love the end result.


I'm impressed. I wish I had your skills.

Thanks very much Liz. I wish i had your skills too. Ive always been a 'hands on' type of person, and get alot of enjoyment out of being creative every once in a while.


Wow Joe, super nice project, execution and result. I love the way you presented it also. The fight which will last forever.
Pat

PS: Tom is looking for our first boat as a married couple. We both grew up with boats. :D

Thanks for your lovely comments Pat. I enjoyed making the video too...something else to remind me of being productive, and not wasting valuable time...we're here for a good time...not a long time ;)
That's great that Tom is looking for a boat. It sure brings lots of enjoyment, and adds another dimension to your outings. I'm sure it will be put to good use especially where you live. Wish him all the best from me.


This is outstanding. :thumbsup:

Thanks Willie. I'm glad you like it. Like i mentioned we still have another 3 weeks in lockdown, which could also be extended at short notice. I suppose its a small price to pay for staying safe. Maybe l'll design and make another Whirligig, still fish related..... a group of elegant discus moving together as one.

[two utes]

Wow Joe, very creative and beautifully made. You did a great job on the video too. Always wondered, what is a Ute??
Barb

Hi Barb. Thank you very much...... Just like some one else i know ;)
You reminded me of our first catch up at NADA, and i remember looking at all your beautiful creations. I feel lucky to have two of them here at home.

I wanted to answer your question about what is a Ute, and also show you some pictures of the two i had.
A Ute is a car and abbreviated for Utility. As you may have noticed we shorten everything here. Right Dan? ;)
A Ute is alot like your pick up trucks, but lots smaller.
I had one which i used to help me buy materials for the house I'm living in and built, and soon after i purchased a second Ute of the same model, with the intention of building one really good one to keep out of the two. In the meantime i purchase a 4X4 Toyota Hilux, which meant i had no use for the smaller Ute. Rather than sell the Ute how it was, and scrap the second Ute i had, i decided to give them both a makeover, and use the money from them to purchase my first boat. I did that and called my boat 'TWO UTES' as it was because of the Utes that i was able to finally buy it. You have no idea how many times i get asked what 'Two Utes' means, and it also gets mistaken for 'Two Youths' from my cousin Vinnie.

So there you have it, and thanks for asking. Hope you are keeping safe and well :)

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[CliffsDiscus]

Joe,
I'm very impressed, your a "Jack Of All Trades".

Cheers!
Cliff

[two utes]

Joe,
I'm very impressed, your a "Jack Of All Trades".

Cheers!
Cliff

Thanks Cliff :thumbsup:

[LizStreithorst]

So what's your next project?

[two utes]

You're very talented, Joe - I'm not surprised !
Let us know when you decide on your next project.


So what's your next project?

As I mentioned to Paul, my five year old grand daughter Sophie saw my Whirligig and asked if i could also make her one. When i asked her what she wanted, i wasn't surprised that she asked for a unicorn jumping over a rainbow...Unicorns are her thing at the moment.

With the idea of how they work in my mind, it wasn't difficult to put one together for her. I also got her to work, with the painting of the rainbow which she absolutely loved. I hope that it may be something that she takes into her adult life as a keep sake.

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[danotaylor]

Aww mate, that's bloody ripper...look at her face, so happy to be involved in the build with you...what does she call you? Love to see a short vid of how the unicorn rides the rainbow! Cheers mate :thumbsup:

[Willie]

These are memories that she will cherish, Willie

[LizStreithorst]

How lovely.

[two utes]

Aww mate, that's bloody ripper...look at her face, so happy to be involved in the build with you...what does she call you? Love to see a short vid of how the unicorn rides the rainbow! Cheers mate :thumbsup:

Thanks Dan. She did a great job painting, and hardly went over the lines. Being Maltese she calls me nannu



These are memories that she will cherish, Willie

I hope so Willie. I have fond memories doing things with my grandfather, especial fishing, keeping fish, and birds....maybe that's why i eventually got into those hobbies



How lovely.

Thanks Liz :)

[danotaylor]

Nannu, bewdy mate!

[pastry]

Joe, loving it. I know you have more stuff! Keep posting!

Very Similar to the variety of projects I nerd out on (e.g., paintings, wood carvings, refurbishing boat & motor, wood work, etc.). Would love to see more

[two utes]

Joe, loving it. I know you have more stuff! Keep posting!

Very Similar to the variety of projects I nerd out on (e.g., paintings, wood carvings, refurbishing boat & motor, wood work, etc.). Would love to see more

Thanks Elliot....i think i've nerded off enough for awhile

You refurbished a boat and motor? That i have to see... Or at least fess up some more information.

[pastry]

Lol... it's still in "ugly phase" but operational! I'll post pics later. Here are some of my other guilty pleasures...

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Puppy jigsaw silhouettes for neighbor with new pups

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Abstract painting

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Deceased close friend

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Toy cabinet from scrap

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Quick farm table out of scrap

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Xmas painting for in-laws with their lake house

[two utes]

Lol... it's still in "ugly phase" but operational! I'll post pics later. Here are some of my other guilty pleasures...



Thanks for sharing Elliot...I can certainly see some talent there, but one thing for sure, you're a bigger nerd than i am ;)

Stay safe my friend.

[Second Hand Pat]

Elliot, you may be a nerd like Joe suggests (ok, you are a nerd) but what a talented nerd you are and quite a decent artist :D I started out as an art student and later majored in computer science so I could make a living.
Pat

[Disgirl]

Very nice works Joe and Elliot! You are both talented guys for sure. Nerds do good work!
Barb

[pastry]

LMAO Joe! Agree :block: now imagine someone who is not a discus hobbyist. When they look at me, and discover all my nerdy guilty pleasures, I am a super nerd!

PAT! You never told me you had been an art student? I knew about computer science -- but any art to contribute to Joe's thread?

THANKS BARB! And you're quite the artist as well! I always look at your cones. If my wife would let me do more than 1 discus tank then I'll be harassing you! (...and we're looking for a bigger house soooo... I'm thinking soon!)