Sienna Scott

Tina Wolf wrote:Hi Sienna,

The idea of foldable items is so helpful!  There is a lot of space saving furniture like tables, chairs, murphy beds, tool benches, drying racks, etc. out there.  However, the fact that you are doing it yourself, and coming up with new items to make foldable is awe inspiring!  Excellent topic!  

Those stairs are, in my opinion, incredible.  I'll be making them in my future...I just know it.

I absolutely want to make one of those folding stairs for a workshop/garage one day!

Found out while volunteering last week, that my county sometimes just burns brush that's too small for sawyers. We cut back some pretty nice black walnut and bitternut hickory and I could not just let them go to waste. Some I'm going to use on spoons hopefully, but decided I would make a mallet from one of the black walnut logs

Made a lovely nettle infusion with some of the last nettles of the season- this was started at the same time as my tea bb, hence some of the same pictures.

I chose to use canola as my oil, as I ran out of sunflower oil, it is exclusively fresh nettle and canola oil

Needed a nice way of storing all my couch blankets because my blanket ladder is full and frankly the blanket tower I have is just asking to be knocked asunder by my unruly cats.

This wood is untreated pine, it's made from one 1x12"x8' The final box size is 12"x12"x24"
In total, I cut it into 2 of 1x12"x48" (to fit in my small car), then 4 of 1x12"x24"(to get the longest side walls) and then ended with 2 of 12"x12" and 3 of  1x12"x24" with nominal cuts to make the bottom fit inside of the perimeter the others made.

Next project (ongoing) is a folding bike cover/welding shield. My husband has been asking for something to protect our neighbors from the light of his welding. We don't have a garage, and I'm cheap....we also have the issue of me having to move my custom e-cargo bike into the basement in the winter and that's a pain and a half.

This is both a proof of concept, and a working solution for the bike issue. but imagine that coat...hanger thingy but 4ft tall and 6ft long....and also twice as wide, like a folding stair case.


I've made one half- I failed to account for the total wood I'd need, so I'll get some more tomorrow...I also learned I didn't have any more long bolts or locking nuts, so I need to top up on those too- hence why this is held together with string and thus so unstable....Still not totally sure how I want to do snow sloughing- ideally with one side being taller than the other, but unsure how that could factor into the foldability of things. We'll see I guess. worst case scenario, I take it all apart and turn it into a box or something c:

My house is small, not quite tiny house small, but close enough that I think moving into one is pretty doable- as long as it's well designed- but that's not what I'm here for today. This is kind of a rant about a project- or series of projects I'm working on.

Basically, a big issue I run into(and have decided is just forever part of my life) is having a need for a tool, but not all the time. IE a drying rack, or a shelf for jars, or a rack for culled livestock.
Stuff that's bulky, and needed, but only part of the year, or at random intervals. Usually I get by just having the tool in question shoved against a wall, in the basement, or under the couch, but after taking down my drying rack (unstable, space inefficient, hard to move). I decided to give folding structures a try- particularly inspired by those scissoring coat racks(what are those even called?)

First on the chopping block is my drying rack. I was fortunate enough to find a folding metal clothing drying rack at my local thrift store, so I replaced the old DIY'd one at home. Instead, I wanted to use it as a bleeding/skinning rack for rabbits since I guess I'll be raising them for food from now on.

This rack had a few requirements:
1. It needed to fit over the sink sturdily,
2. It needed to maximize the height it sits over the sink
3. Had to be strong enough to hold 2 rabbits
4. Needed to be adjustable
5. Needed to fold small enough to fit between my fridge and the wall- a perfect space that won't be missed

First version kinda did all of this- except fit over the sink- I forgot to measure that- and conveniently I had no scrap wood that was just the right size- so I used pvc T joints as feet for that last inch.

But I was unsatisfied with the workmanship, so came back the next day and took them off.

V2 I made some changes, I replaced the 2x4 top bars with round dowels- and swapped the legs so that it closed perfectly...except the dowels were the same size, so the legs bent weirdly and didn't close as small as possible...but! it did fit over the sink.

I slept on it, but was still unsatisfied. So I went by the hardware store. I needed wood for some other projects and my local pallet spots were dry.
I cut up one of my furring strips to allow it to close to the minimum size.
Also now, I had a new shoe rack (it's a whole story) and the old one had these slats that would be almost  perfect as a top bar for holding the actual culled animal.
So I took that apart and added it to the rack, with a hinge so that the slats could also be folded down too- v3 was born and I was satisfied- the only thing I could want to improve on would be my screw hole filled legs, but those I'll replace if the stand gives out.

And so ends the first part of my folding extravaganza...

Fixed and printed in white- ah but my PLA was old, so not perfect, but since these are just for me....well that's fine.
Link to model on printables.com

I'll stop hijacking the thread now c:

Wanted to give this a try- I brought the original acorn model last year and it's been a great way to carry medication or salves around town- I have a printer and make a bunch of models myself.
I have to edit the screw angle, but what's your thoughts on this? (also I already have the thimble, and spool. it's just a matter of printing them for the sheep.
(also if anyone wants me to print them something, let me know. I can print a few things with the pla I have, or I can paint the final result to the desired color.) I'll upload the final product to thingiverse & printables)

Formally requesting the foraging sand badge!

Fresh Harvest: Black Cap Raspberries

Dry Harvest: Mushroom extravaganza

Tea List: Nettle Tea

Dish List: Dryad's Saddle Potato Soup

Make 4lbs of Seed Balls

Complete 2 of:

Catch and Prepare a wild squirrel

Do 2 more items from the dry list:

Dry List: Chicken of the woods

Dry List: Puffballs

Wanted to give squirrel a try (and wanted some fur for a paintbrush), so I went out to a wildlife area where I'd spotted a few out and went hunting. It didn't take long before I shot this one- it seems to be a good squirrel year in my area. Not my proudest shot, I didn't account for the strong wind that day, but it got the job done.

Took the squirrel home and skinned it there (the park was really close and didn't feel like field dressing there)

I saved the meat in the freezer for a few days because I was super busy but ultimately ended up using it in a roast. My husband ate the flaps and started into the back legs before I got to take a pic- (not very photogenic- the half eaten plate of squirrel, but he liked it at least) and the ribcage/spine will be going into a stock.

Roast recipe was pretty off the cuff, squirrel was coated in melted butter, sprinkled in salt, black pepper, sage and cayenne. 1 garlic clove was broken up and scattered around it and a whole onion was chopped up and sprinkled over it.
Then I wrapped everything in aluminum foil and put in the oven @325F for ~120 minutes. I put it in a bit longer than I meant to because I lost track of time, but it came out great- delicious, savory & fall off the bones soft. I enjoyed the flavor a good bit, but I'm apparently quite a fan of gamey meats.