Waiting for wood

Well my wood for the blanket box arrived today, finally. It took them two day to deliver it. Problems with a lorry apparently.

Anyway, it rained a lot today, so I was worried that the wood would be ruined, but it was wrapped up, so I've put it in the garage on some blocks to settle and I'll probably start work on the box on Monday.

Meanwhile, to save me getting really frustrated, I busied myself sharpening a pair of garden shears and a couple of old cold chisels for the fun of it, and building a prototype for a router lift. The shears were inherited from Anne's grandmother many years ago and were covered in crud, preventing them from cutting cleaning and effectively. I cleaned of all the rust and accumulated plant debris, and then I put a fresh edge on the cutting blade.  To my surprise they worked really well when I tested them. It must be all the practice I've had sharpening chisels, my technique has obviously improved.

The prototype was fun to make. 

All the router lifts I've seen have been very expensive, although very elegant. I wanted something that would help, but wouldn't break the bank. I read somewhere that a car jack was quite commonly used for this purpose, but it seems a bit bulky and what if I forget to put it back in the car just when I need it? 

So I thought about making a simple scissor action  jack specifically for the router.

Here's what the prototype looks like:

Not very pretty, and quite a long way from finished, but with the addition of an M6 threaded rod, it might just work. I'll add two small platforms to spread the load, and see if it works. It might not, being made from pine, but it's worth a try. 

All I need now is someone who likes metal-work to make me one from a suitable metal, or teach me how!