Retractable Party Barn Chandelier - pt. 4/4 Rainfall Projects 2018-04-12 | After getting the reel and frame up in to the loft area, which was no easy feat, I get to work installing the reel. I have to remove some of the wall framing to make a spot for it, and then drill bolt holes in the large support beams that the reel frame will bolt to. Once I have the reel mounted, I move on to building another hanger and pulley for the peak of the barn, which will guide the cable back down towards the reel . This pulley needs to be angled slightly, which is a bit more challenging. After installing this pulley, it's the fun part of running the cable through both pulleys and down to the reel, where I wind it up. Then, I cut the cable on the other end to length, reattach it to the chandelier, and attempt to raise it for the first time...
Making a Set of Wood Rings and Mounting Brackets Rainfall Projects 2023-01-06 | Adding a wood ring set to the home gym.
Turning the Garage into a Home Gym Rainfall Projects 2023-01-03 | Converting the garage into a home gym.
Gloomhaven Element Tracker and Deluxe Tokens Rainfall Projects 2022-12-02 | Etsy Link: etsy.com/RainfallMetalworks/listing/1354091007/gloomhaven-element-tracker-and-deluxe?utm_source=Copy&utm_medium=ListingManager&utm_campaign=Share&utm_term=so.lmsm&share_time=1669855713350
Building a Fireproof Safe Rainfall Projects 2021-12-06 | This video was sponsored by Ariat• Save 10% off your first Ariat order - bit.ly/3p8K7rn • JD’s Favorites - bit.ly/3957NHBIn this video I build a double walled fire proof safe with a four pin locking mechanism.
Hoist for the CNC Table Rainfall Projects 2021-10-24 | Click here http://ritual.com/RAINFALL10 and use code RAINFALL10 to get 30% off your first month with Ritual. #ritualpartner* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseaseTo help move heavy objects onto the CNC routing table, I want to build a hoist tied into the ceiling joists above the table.
Aluminum Poop Tank for the Camper Van Rainfall Projects 2021-09-29 | Save 10% off your first Ariat order - bit.ly/3ixALmH JD’s Favorite Ariat Items - bit.ly/395snHXAlthough the camper van project got put on the back burner during the busy summer here on the farm, I still found a little time to work on it here and there. I installed new windows using trim lock gaskets. I made a new vent cover for the heater. I installed sound deadening mats in the driver area on the floor, before covering it with the new carpet. And I welded an aluminum waste tank for the toilet.
Making a Kettlebell Set Rainfall Projects 2021-09-16 | For your chance to win the Sprinter® Van and support a great cause, enter at http://omaze.com/rainfallprojectsOne thing I've been wanting to add to my home gym setup is a kettlebell set. I modeled the kettlebells on the computer and sliced them into 1/4" thick layers. I cut the slices on the CNC plasma table and then stacked and welded them together. After everything was welded, I spent a lot of time grinding them smooth and blending all the layers together.
Wood and Metal Coffee Table with Epoxy Inlay Rainfall Projects 2021-06-30 | Save 10% off your first order from Ariat: bit.ly/3ixALmHA list of some of my favorite Ariat Items: bit.ly/395snHXI'm building a coffee table just from the materials I have on hand, which means barn boards and square tubing. I surfaced the rough 2x12s with the CNC router, ripped them down to size on the table saw, and ran them through the jointer. I used biscuit joints to add a little strength and help keep them lined up while they were glued. After the glue had dried, I surfaced the top down and used a 60 degree vbit to inlay a floral design Kelly drew on the ipad. I mixed the 2 part epoxy together with some black dye and poured it over the table top. Once it had dried, I surface the whole table top again, revealing the inlaid design underneath. To finish the top, I stained the wood with special cherry and applied 4 coats of polyurethane. Switching to the metal legs and base, I cut some tabs on the CNC plasma cutting table and welded them to the base frame. I used 1 1/2" square tubing for the legs, which I welded to the base and capped the bottoms of. I also added another support piece towards the bottom of the legs. To finish everything off, I set the metal legs on the wood table top and tightened down some screws to hold everything together.
The Barn Rebuild Story and a Shop Tour Rainfall Projects 2021-05-16 | Click here ritual.com/RAINFALL and use code RAINFALL to get 10% off your first three months with Ritual. #ritualpartnerI've been wanting to tell the story about remodeling the barn into my workshop. The barn was originally used to milk cows and with a wooden floor and a low loft ceiling, and couldn't be used for much more than storage. I tore out the floor and ceiling to make way for a concrete slab. I rebuilt the loft and built new wide stairs going up to it. In the loft area, there is another set of stairs going up to the deck area. I enclosed the back area of the barn where I do most of my welding and metal working. I also give a shop tour in this video, talking about how I use the space now. I've spent many years getting the barn to where it is today and it's been such a big passion project of mine!
Powder Coating At Home Rainfall Projects 2021-04-04 | Sign up for your FREE trial to The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/Q3Jy30qZrHdI've always been really interested in powder coating and decided to get set up to be able to powder coat small parts here in my barn. I bought a powder coating gun and a sample pack of different powder colors. The biggest hurdle to get into powder coating is the parts have to be baked after the powder is applied. I had a used kitchen oven I was ready to dedicate to this. I cut a heavy duty rack on the cnc plasma cutting table that I could hang parts on. I also set up a sand blasting cabinet, which is important for fully cleaning parts before the powder is applied. With everything set up, I cut some test pieces and applied all the different colors. I think powder coating is going to be very handy with small metal parts I make in the barn, since clean up is so easy and powder coating has a really high durability as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Cantilever Metal and Wood Rack Rainfall Projects 2021-03-18 | The first 1000 people to use the link will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership: https://skl.sh/rainfallprojects02211I've been trying to get more organized in the barn and something I've really been missing is a big rack to store all my wood and metal on. I bought some 4" x 8" H-Beams and set them up in the CNC plasma cutting table to cut all the holes on the face, which the arms bolt to. I set up a jig to weld all the arms, which I made from 2x4" rectangular tubing. To weld the cross bracing, I clamped two of the uprights down to the table and welded the cross bracing in place attached to them. The rack got a coat of paint and then it was set up in the back corner of the barn, once things were cleaned up. The new rack is going to hold a lot of material and should go a long ways towards helping me get more organized.
Dumbbell Set from Scrap Metal | 10-100 lbs, Flat Bench, and Rack Rainfall Projects 2021-03-03 | Save 10% off your first order at Ariat.com - bit.ly/3p7ct5r JD’s Ariat Favorites - bit.ly/2Mdc1no The thing I've missed most about having my gym closed is having access to a set of dumbbells. When I saw some large pieces of 1/2" plate at the scrap yard recently, I had the idea to make my own set. Each dumbbell needed a different diameter of plate cut on the CNC plasma cutting table, to match the target weight. I used 1.25" round bar for the handle, which i welded the plates onto. After all the dumbbells were welded, I hauled them in to get a poly coat at the powder coater's. While they were getting coated, I switched to making a flat bench and a seat bench, which is what I found myself using the most at the gym. I cut the wood backing on the CNC routing table and installed recessed T-nuts. I used 3x2" rectangular tubing for the frame. I bought some black vinyl and sewed seat covers, which got stretched over the wood backing and stapled. The last thing to build on this project is a 2 tier rack to hold all the all the dumbbells. I cut the uprights on the CNC table and welded on angle, which the dumbbells will sit on. I milled saddles out of 1" UHMW and bolted them to the rack. Once the dumbbells came back from powder coat, the last thing to do was make stencils and paint on the weights of all the dumbbells. This was a huge project and I'm excited to start using them!
Fabricating Sprayer Booms Rainfall Projects 2021-01-15 | For your chance to win the custom Gateway Ford Bronco 4-door and $20,000 and support a great cause, enter at http://www.omaze.com/rainfallThe boom extensions on our farm's sprayer take a lot of abuse bouncing across our rough fields, and when they broke this most recent time I decided it was time to build new ones. I wanted to keep them the same general design, but was hoping I could remove some unnecessary components to make them a little lighter.
Camper Van Remodel pt. 5 - CNCing the Ceiling, and Lights, Flooring, A/C Rainfall Projects 2020-11-14 | The first 1000 people to use this link will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership: https://skl.sh/rainfallprojects11201I decided to use my CNC routing table to cut out the ceiling panels for camper van. I knew this would take longer to set up, but thought the quality of cuts and edges could possibly be a lot better, if I could get all my measurements right. I used a 90 degree v bit to cut groove lines into the plywood, making it look like wall paneling. I got some help from Kelly to put an artistic design into one of the pieces. I very happy and surprised that all the pieces fit first time! Once they were all installed and the seams caulked, I gave them a coat of paint. Then I could install the small LED puck lights, which were going to be great for working in the van. With the ceiling done, I moved onto installing the laminate flooring. I decided to cover the entire floor, and not just between the cabinets. Lastly, I set the new AC unit on top the van and start wiring it.
Camper Van Remodel pt. 4 - Insulation, Plywood, and Windows Rainfall Projects 2020-11-02 | I would really like to thank Smart Jars for sponsoring this video. Go to http://www.smartjars.com and order with the Promo Code "rainfall". The first 50 orders receive 20% off!Kelly and I found out quickly that the old van got very cold at night and didn't hold hardly any heat, so I was determined to insulate as best I can. I used 1.5" foam panels when the walls were thick enough for it, and stepped down to 3/4" thick when I didn't have as much room in the wall space to work with. I used spray foam in all the little cracks and crevices, and it also helped to hold the foam panels in place. With all the insulation installed, the van felt so much better already inside. Moving on to the wall panels, I used 1/8" baltic birch sheets, which were flexible enough to match the curve in the walls. To cut out the panels accurately, I made patterns of every piece by cutting out templates from card stock paper. Lastly, I reinstalled the windows, making sure they were sealed well and (fingers crossed) won't leak.
Refinishing Fir Floors - Studio Remod pt. 3 Rainfall Projects 2020-08-31 | Get 68% off of a 2-year plan with NordVPN! Only $3.71/mo, plus you get an additional month FREE at nordvpn.org/rainfall or use the coupon code: “rainfall”You can find out more about NordVPN on their YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UCSZhRxyloC-qzURiOa3vbFQBefore I started installing the baseboards and door jambs, I thought it made sense to shift focus to refinishing the fir floors first. I used a drum sander to take off all the old stain and smooth the wood down to a nice clean surface. The entry way area to this building was covered with tar paper previously, which was a lot of work to remove. I found the best method for doing so was to use a wallpaper steamer to loosen it up and in a couple passes I could scrape it down to the bare wood. To work around the perimeter of the room, I used a belt sander, which let me work right up against the wall. Once all the sanding prep was done, I applied the first coat of semigloss floor finish. It was a rough finish after the first coat, so I sanded it back down with a fine grit sand paper and then applied the second and third coats.
Studio Remod pt. 2 - Drywall and Painting Rainfall Projects 2020-07-31 | • Sign up for your FREE trial to The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/Q3Jy30qZrHdPart 1 of the Studio Remod: youtube.com/watch?v=wUp--2UiX7wIn our ongoing efforts to convert the old army barracks building behind our house into an art studio and office space, we start hanging drywall on the recently insulated walls. Robert gives us some tips on mudding the drywall seams and then gives everything a light texture. My mom and Kelly then swoop in to have a painting party. Once they are done, I install all the outlets and lights, before we lastly completely empty the building in order to start sanding down the wood floors with a walk behind orbital sander.
Truck Tailgate Fabrication and Rollover Tarp Rainfall Projects 2020-07-26 | SimpliSafe is award-winning home security that keeps your home safe around the clock. It’s really reliable, easy to use, and there are no contracts. Check out SimpliSafe here: simplisafe.com/rainfallprojectsI was really impressed with Dimide's new clamps, check out their kickstarter here: kickstarter.com/projects/dimideclamps/dimide-1-4-series-clamp-impact-compability-and-modular-clampI built these truck racks to haul corn and beans to the cannery, but we decided to convert the truck to a grass seed truck. For grass seed, you need a roll over tarp, which won't work with the original tailgate. The new tailgate will swing from a heavy cross piece, which gets bolted onto the top of the side racks. Once I knew the exact dimensions for the door, I cut and welded it together and then convered it with a piece of sheet metal. I cut some hinges from 3/8" plate on the CNC plasma table and welded the door to the top cross member. It's critical for the door to stay tight, so it doesn't leak the small grass seed, so I incorporated a slack adjuster into the latching mechanism so we can later adjust it if need be. The tailgate then got some paint while I installed the roll over tarp. Once some weather stripping was installed, this truck was headed to the grass field!
Farming Abroad - Coffee Harvest in El Salvador Rainfall Projects 2020-07-11 | Working with Luis Gutierrez and his son on La Finca de Cristiani Burkard in El Salvador, I learn how coffee is harvested at high elevations on the side of an active volcano. The bright red coffee beans are hand picked and fill heavy bags that are carried across steep terrain to the trucks that are waiting to haul them down the rough mountain dirt roads. At the washing and drying facility in the valley below, coffee is prepared one of three ways: natural, washed, and honey. I learned all about the different flavor nuances of the different varieties and preparation methods by taking part in a taste test, which happens regularly on the farm to ensure the the coffee is meeting their highest quality standards. After the beans are washed, they are moved to either raised beds or "the patio," where they are continually hand stirred while they dry under the hot sun. Lastly the coffee beans are bagged and ready for export out to all parts of the world. I can't thank Wilbur-Ellis enough for their support on this trip. Not only did they help sponsor the video, they were also my connection to this amazing coffee farm in El Salvador. Our farm here in Oregon has been loyal Wilbur-Ellis customers for many years now and we've established strong relationships at the company with people that are helping us maintain our crop health and helping manage our farm's inputs. Luis, in El Salvador, had the same nice things to say about his experience working with Wilbur-Ellis as well, which was great to hear. Wilbur-Ellis has been a great company to work with and I'm honored that they wanted to help make this video happen. wilburellis.com
Studio Remod pt. 1 - Tear out, Framing, Electrical, Plumbing, Insulation Rainfall Projects 2020-06-30 | Click here kiwico.com/RainfallProjects or use code RAINFALL for 20% off everything on site! Both subscriptions and everything in store! Offer valid through August 31st.The old building we have behind our house, which we call the rec room, isn't good for much other than storage. Over the years it has filled up with junk and it's a dark, damp space. Kelly been wanting an art studio and we both decided that with some work the rec room could be the perfect space. We also thought that if we put in a small bathroom and kitchen area that it would be a perfect guest house for when the in-laws are visiting from Ireland. Job number one was to get the space emptied, which was no small feat. Next we started pulling down the interior walls and gutted most of what was there. We decided on this project to get some help, since it's summer time here on the farm and I'll be busy planting and doing other things on the farm often. Robert is a long time family friend that has helped us with many projects here on the farm over the years and I've learned a lot watching him work. Robert and I framed in the new changes to the layout of the building and then started cutting out the siding for new windows and doors. With the windows set, we ran the electrical and plumbing and lastly hung some insulation just in time for a load of drywall to show up.
Running Water Lines to the Barn and Garden Rainfall Projects 2020-06-07 | Check out Aquor's line of freeze proof valves and other products here: aquorwatersystems.comIn order to run a waterline to the barn and out to the drip lines in our berry patch, I rented a ditcher from town and started digging. I decided I might as well also install a new hose bibb in the grass area in front of the barn while I was at it. With the trenches dug, I started glueing and laying down 3/4" pvc pipe. I cut bases to enclose all the irrigation boxes, we've learned that if you don't do this that moles and gophers will fill them up with dirt. I attached the water line to the barn and installed some valves for the drip lines. I used Aquor's freeze proof valves next to the garden and on the shed, so I won't have to be worrying about pipes freezing in the winter months. I also installed some hose reels next to them, which I've always thought are really convenient. We're ready for some garden irrigation around here now!
Big Bowl with a CNC Router Rainfall Projects 2020-04-15 | The first 1000 people to use this link will get a 2 month free trial of Skillshare PremiumMembership: https://skl.sh/rainfallprojects4Follow Drake and me on Instagram: instagram.com/rainfall_projectsFollow Kelly on Instagram: instagram.com/kelly_irishTo make a bowl on the cnc routing table, I cut 11 rings from 3 sheets of 5'x5' baltic birch and glued them together. To make sure they were stacked precisely, I made a stepped jig that locked them into place. Once the glue had dried, I ran a program to mill the outside of the bowl with a 1/4" ball nose bit. To mill the inside, I first needed to make another jig that matched the shape of the outside of the bowl, which would securely hold the bowl right side up. I had a little trouble milling the inside with just the ballnose bit, I realized it was too much material to remove. So I stopped the program and switched to a roughing pass with an end mill, to remove the majority of the material. Then I switched back to the finishing path with the ball nose to carve the inside of the bowl smooth. I used food grade butcher block oil to finish it. Kelly and I have been using the bowl for salads and other things quite regularly and the bowl has been a nice addition to our farm kitchen.
11 Winter Farm Jobs in 11(ish) Minutes Rainfall Projects 2020-03-29 | Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/rainfallprojects to learn more and get 50% off your first order of hair loss treatment.The winter is the slow time of the year on the farm, but there is still plenty of work to be done. These are some of the jobs we typically do on the farm in the winter:1 - Chasing Geese2 - Wheat Spraying3 - Wheat Fertilizing4 - Lawn Fertilizing5 - Hazelnut Marking6 - Log Clearing7 - Roof Patching8 - Blueberry Planting9 - Furrow Digging10 - Belt Shield Fabrication11 - Pea Planting
Band Saw Restoration and Stand Build Rainfall Projects 2020-02-29 | Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/rainfall - Enter promo code RAINFALL for 83% off and 1 extra month for free!Follow Drake and me on Instagram: instagram.com/rainfall_projects- Parts List -Band Saw Roller Bearing Blade Guide Set: amzn.to/39c3HLsBand Saw Tire: amzn.to/39dLvkzTable Insert: amzn.to/38cCEy6Jet 14" Band Saw Upper Wheel Bearings: amzn.to/2TuEdSMJet 14" Band Saw Lower Wheel Bearings: amzn.to/2VwTsxlMetal Adjustable Leveling Feet: amzn.to/2uHnDqDV-groove 4-step Pulley: amzn.to/3cnHRquStar knob 5/16-18 x 2.00: amzn.to/2uCDNBoThere was an old band saw stored in the back of our farm shop and it was just about to be hauled to the scrap yard when I decided to grab it and put it in my barn. I thought it would be a really handy tool to have, since it's always set up, plugged in, and ready to cut. I didn't know what it was going to take to get going, I just jumped in on tearing it all apart and getting it cleaned up. I replaced all the bearings, installed new tires, and made some slight modifications to get new guides to work. I gave everything a coat of paint and put it back together. I was really happy to see that the blade tracked well and I was feeling optimistic it might actually work. I didn't want to put the band saw back on the original flimsy stand though, so I designed and started fabricating a new one to be cut on the CNC plasma cutting table, which will be taller, enclosed, and have a door. Once the stand was done, I bolted the band saw onto it, installed the motor, turned the saw on and got to cutting!
Jack Stands - 60 Adjustable Rainfall Projects 2020-01-31 | Get Honey for FREE and start saving money today ▸ http://joinhoney.com/rainfallHoney has found members over $2 billion in savings on stores like Home Depot and Target.Thanks Honey for sponsoring today’s video!- Parts List -Mag Drill: amzn.to/38S3JrpMiller 252 Welder: amzn.to/37KTVPyCNC Plasma Cutter: amzn.to/2S2qS3DHand Truck Wheels: amzn.to/2RAVutNHitch Pin: amzn.to/2RDcrnrWe've been needing some tall, adjustable, heavy duty jack stands on our farm for a long time now, mostly for jacking up our Willmar sprayer to change from wide flotation tires to skinny tires. But we're also currently working on changing out the main pin that the Willmar articulates on, which it's going to be really important to be able to securely support both sides of the machine while doing so. Most of the parts for the jack stands are cut out of one sheet of 1/4" plate, which I got loaded up onto the CNC table. The inner adjustable tube needs to slide in and out of an outer sleeve and have a tight fit, and since I didn't have any material that would work for this I had to fabricate the outer sleeve out of 4 cut sides of plate. With the outer tube done, I welded it onto the base plate, along with the corner gussets. Next I carefully measured and drilled the holes for the pin with the mag drill, which locks the jack stand in at different heights. Lastly I welded on some hand truck wheels, glued some thin rubber to the bottom of the stand, and gave them a coat of black paint. These jack stands are going to be great in the shop and on our farm. I'm guessing we'll be finding lots of uses for them.
Welder Storage with Locking Keypad Rainfall Projects 2020-01-15 | Click here to explore your creativity and get 2 free months of PremiumMembership: https://skl.sh/rainfallprojects3- Parts List -Dead Bolt with Keypad: amzn.to/2QMaAfxWeld on Hinges: amzn.to/2QNrmv1The space under the stairs in the barn works great for storing my welders and I figured it made a lot of sense to build a door to help protect them and that I can lock up at the end of the day. First I needed to change the framing to give a little more depth to the space so my TIG welder will fit. Then I enclose the inside with plywood. I knew the door would be heavy and need a strong jamb to support it, so I used 2.5 x .25" angle, which I cut and welded in place. I built the door frame out of square tubing and welded on hinges to attach it to the jamb. I filled in the inside of the door with old barn wood and lastly I recessed a metal Coug Head into the center of the door. Go Cougs!
Camper Van Remodel pt. 3 - Solar Panels and Electrical Rainfall Projects 2019-12-16 | Go to http://audible.com/rainfallprojects or text 'rainfallprojects' TO 500 500 and you can get 3 months of Audible for just $6.95 a month.- Parts List -Renogy 200w Solar Kit: amzn.to/2Pq2poCBackup Camera: amzn.to/35pOynXWork Light: amzn.to/38HZn6FRV Roof Tape: amzn.to/2LYTUyOLabeler: amzn.to/2LYU6OyQuad Sealant: amzn.to/2YR36KDSikaflex 221 Adhesive: amzn.to/36Oug83Before I can start mounting solar panels on the camper van, I decide I had better reinforce the framing for the roof a little bit more. Once I have the new ribs in place and the roof is nice and strong, I position the solar panels and fasten them down, carefully caulking all new holes as I go. With the solar panels mounted, I move on to weather proofing the back half of the van's roof and mounting a back up camera. Lastly, I begin running all the electrical inside the van, following along with my wiring diagram.
Camper Van Remodel pt. 2 - Framing Rainfall Projects 2019-11-15 | Click here: http://harrys.com/rainfall to get your Starter Set from Harry’s for just$3!LED Balloon Worklight: amzn.to/2Qjpw4YNow that harvest is wrapping up on the farm, I'm finally getting back to the camper van remod project. I took a couple more steps backwards first, tearing out the walls and floor. With the van essentially gutted now, I replace the flooring with 3/4" plywood by using the old flooring as a template. Then I get started on framing the walls by building a simple box around the wheel well and water heater. Next I start cutting ribs that match the curve of the van and try to place them on the edge of a vent or door that has screws around the perimeter of it, to help fasten the wood to the van. I used general construction adhesive wherever the wood is pressed up against the metal side of the van, and wood glue for the wood joints. It feels good to be making forward progress on this project!
Meat Smoker Build - Vertical w/ Electronic Controls Rainfall Projects 2019-11-07 | Get 30% off your first bag at Trade Coffee: http://bit.ly/traderainfall and use my code RAINFALL- Parts List -Thermometer: amzn.to/34CPIvvWeld On Hinge: amzn.to/2PRKHuNArduino Board: amzn.to/2NMpdNhDisplay: amzn.to/2NkyxsPBreadboard: amzn.to/2PTvYjgPower Supply: amzn.to/34BwjemMy buddies Pat and Tim visited the farm to help build a meat smoker. I play the part of the welder, Tim is the electronics whiz, and Pat is the smoke master. We wanted to use a vertical design, thinking it'll take up less room when it's being stored, and Tim had some ideas of how to use a programmable fan to control the temperature of the fire. Tim also had the idea of using a boat horn as an alarm to alert/wake up the smoke master (pat) if the fire gets too hot or when the meat reaches the programmed temperature. Once we finished building the smoker, we fired it up and got two briskets smoking for the big Halloween party we were having in the barn.
Halloween Barn Bash Rainfall Projects 2019-10-31 | Music by: The Fat Bottom Girls fbgqueen.comFire Pit Sketchup: drive.google.com/open?id=1XRlY6ku2of9a5MMxGKW-JUGO3NEbSPgeFire Pit .dxf: drive.google.com/open?id=1obdzJ6H3yaoI5EDvL2gl8sOvF_AeNlDjWe've been wanting to plan a weekend for Cory and Sami from Avid CNC to visit the farm for a long time now and thought that our upcoming Halloween party in the barn was a great excuse to finally make it happen. We thought it would be fun to work on some decorations for the party together as well. Cory got to work cutting out a witchy back drop scene for behind the band that Kelly designed from 9 sheets of plywood, which we painted black and installed LED rope lighting around the perimeter to back light. Sami's project was cutting bats out on the CNC plasma that she could string together and hang as a garland. She also cut out tomb stones from 2" foam insulation, spray painted them grey, and spiked into the grass around the barn. My idea for a project was a fire pit I cut out of a single sheet of 3/16" plate to go in the gravel driveway just outside the barn. The barn party was a hit! It was such a great night with all the food you could eat, all the beer you could drink, and all the best 80s music being covered by The Fat Bottom Girls.
Personalized Irish Hurleys (Groomsmen Gifts) Rainfall Projects 2019-09-22 | A big thanks to Skillshare for sponsoring this video. Click here for a free 2 month trial: https://skl.sh/rainfallprojects2I thought a cool, unique gift for my groomsmen, who traveled all the way to Ireland for my wedding, would be personalized hurleys. I spent a lot of time modeling the hurleys in Aspire, getting the shape of the hurley just right and setting up the double sided machining. I bought a big slab of ash, which Hurleys are typically made from, and fired up the CNC router to see how many hurleys I could squeeze out of one piece of wood. Spoiler, the answer is three and a half.
Camper Van Remodel pt. 1 - Tear Down Rainfall Projects 2019-07-24 | 2 months free with Skillshare: https://skl.sh/rainfallprojectsKelly and I bought a camper van this last year and after taking a bunch of trips in it we have some ideas of how we could change things around to better use the limited space inside. We want to rebuild all the cabinets and put down different flooring, just to start. I jump in on gutting the inside of the camper van. Goodbye nasty carpet and tiny shower!
Garden Trellis • Ipad → CNC Rainfall Projects 2019-06-30 | Kelly Irish Design: http://www.kellyirish.ieFollow Kelly on Instagram: instagram.com/kelly_irish10% off at Squarespace: http://www.squarespace.com/rainfallprojectsA project we've been wanting to work on for awhile now is a trellis for our front entry way. Kelly did all the design work, starting off with quick sketches in her sketch book. Once she had an idea of the direction she wanted to go, she moved onto her ipad and used Procreate to draw a design that she could send on to me, so I could export it from Vcarve and get it cutting on the CNC plasma table. Once the three panels Kelly designed were cut, I fabricated a frame around them and welded them together. For the top arch, I rolled the square tubing in my ring roller and then hammered the cutout panel into a rough matching arch shape, before welding it in place, forcing it to match the shape of the rolled tubing as I worked my across the piece. Once the trellis was built, we gave it a coat of paint and called my gramps to help move it into place in front of our entry way with his loader tractor.
Building the Eiffel Tower Rainfall Projects 2019-06-20 | Drake's Blog: http://www.rainfallprojects.comGet 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: squarespace.com/rainfallprojectsKelly and I got to go to Maker Faire this year! Avid CNC got in touch and asked if we would be interested in using one of their CNC plasma cutting tables to build a project over the course of the faire. I thought a good project would be to build a 10' tall replica of the eiffel tower, since it would be a lot of intricate cutting for the CNC table and it would be instantly recognizable for people passing by. I worked hard on the tower at the faire, but didn't quite get it done. But luckily I was able to get it back to the barn after the show and get it finished up there.
Remodeling Kitchen Cabinets with a CNC Router Rainfall Projects 2019-05-29 | A big thanks to Squarespace for sponsoring this video. Click here to get 10% off your first website or domain: squarespace.com/rainfallprojectsWe have some dark and dingy cabinets in our kitchen. It's pretty easily the biggest eye sore on our property. I had the idea that before painting them we could take the doors off and route a design into them with the CNC table, hopefully dressing them up a little bit. I learned pretty quickly this wasn't going to work, as the first door I tried this on revealed big voids in the wood. But I liked how the design looked, so I decided to buy some new sheets of 3/4" baltic birch, which I knew would be much better for machining, and cut all new cabinet doors for the kitchen. Kelly had the idea of replacing a vent under the sink with a piece with an inlaid design, which she hand drew on her iPad and I cut on the CNC table. Once we had all the new doors hung, we got to work painting. Lastly, we installed new pulls and knobs and finished off the project by installing some LED lighting under the cabinets. We did this project on the cheap, the total cost was around $500, but it really changed how the kitchen looks and turned it into a lot nicer space.
Rainfall Projects Booth Front Rainfall Projects 2019-05-14 | A big thanks to Squarespace for sponsoring this video. Click here to get 10% off your first website or domain: squarespace.com/rainfallprojectsI'm really excited to be going to Maker Faire this year. I wanted to build a booth front for the convention. The challenge about this was designing it so it would break down and fit on a standard size pallet so I can ship it down there. I start off by cutting out the YouTube logo that I can hang on the booth. Next I grab a pallet from the farm and break it down so I can use the wood for the back of the sign. I form a rough shape of an arch with the wood pieces and screw them together using a 1x2 backing strip. Once I had it clamped down to the welding table, I routed in an abstract design and then profiled around the outside of the arch, cutting it out. Next I made a metal frame for the arch on the ring roller, and attached the boards to it one at a time. After the sign was done, I moved onto building the stand for it. I cut some panels that Kelly drew for me and centered them in a 1.25" steel tubing frame. I attached some feet and lastly laid them flat on the welding table so I could attach the sign to the stand. Come say hi at Maker Faire!
What Farming Means to Me Rainfall Projects 2019-04-04 | More information about the contest here: farmfluencer.comI'm really excited for the opportunity to partner with Corteva Agriscience and 4-H to help promote agriculture to the next generation. I think it's getting rare to hear about a young person that's excited about a career in agriculture and it seems like family farms are getting to be fewer and fewer. I wanted to help promote a contest encouraging the youth in agriculture to tell their story in a 2 minute video and enter to win up to $5,000. #ad Drake and I are a little too old to enter the contest ourselves (I think drake is 60 years old in dog years now?), but I thought the contest was a great idea and I still wanted to make my own video on what farming means to me. Plus it was a ton of fun and nostalgic going through all my old farm footage!
Fabricating Parts for Wintergatan and the Marble Machine X Rainfall Projects 2019-03-13 | Follow Drake and Me on Instagram: instagram.com/jdeechambersThe Wintergatan Youtube Channel: youtube.com/wintergatan2000Ring Roller SketchUp file: drive.google.com/file/d/1ucuIvxl1yaZrY9OW3FCvfdMkwTaC591Y/view?usp=sharingI was so excited to receive an email from the Wintergatan team asking if I was interested in contributing some parts to the Marble Machine X. I jumped on the opportunity, of course. The first part they needed were some corner gussets for the lower frame, which was fairly straight forward as they were just parts to be cut on the CNC plasma table. The second part was a bit more complex and I knew would be a little challenging, which was cross bracing rolled to match the radius of the programming drum. It was a little intimidating making these parts and not being able to test fit pieces, since Martin and the Marble Machine live in France. I was just going to have to study the 3D model and be as precise as possible with the dimensions and measurements. I first made a wooden jig on the CNC routing table with the correct radius and cut lines. Next I rolled the 1" square tubing on the ring roller, carefully checking it against the jig as I went. Once the two pieces were rolled, I welded in threads and bolted the X-plate to them, which held it all together. The last step was to break everything down, get it packaged up, and on it's way to France!
Building Fertilizer Buggy ver. 2.0 Rainfall Projects 2019-03-01 | Follow Drake and Me on Instagram instagram.com/jdeechambersWe bought a really nice used dual spinner fertilizer bin, which is going to be a big step up from the single spinner setup we were using before. We also bought the cab that went along with the bin, since it had all the hydraulic plumbing and control valves. In order to make the bin and cab work, we were basically going to be building a whole new buggy. It was a really big project for our farm and it was a team effort.
Dining Room Table from CNC Milled Logs - pt. 3/3 Rainfall Projects 2019-02-02 | Follow Drake and Me on Instagram: instagram.com/jdeechambersStain: amzn.to/2t52aTOPolyurethane: amzn.to/2G6QBo2Now that I had the legs glued up and the table top done, I needed to flip the table top over so I could work on the underside. I gave it a light surfacing to flatten it up, and then routed out the mortises for the legs. I gave everything a quick test fit and then moved on to the glue up. I quickly realized that I hadn't test fit every joint and that one wasn't going to fit, coming to the conclusion that I had forgotten to give the mortise a pocket allowance. I pulled the piece back out and gave it a sanding, eventually getting it to fit. Once I had the whole underside glued together, I moved it all into place on the table top and it dropped into place. A couple days later I moved the table back into the barn to give it some stain. Since the barn isn't heated and it's been cold here lately, I moved the table down to my grandpa's shop to apply the coats of polyurethane. Kelly and I applied 2 coats to the underside and 4 coats to the table top, with a light sanding in between each. Lastly, I recruited as many people as I could to help hoist this crazy heavy table up into the house.
Dining Room Table from CNC Milled Logs - pt. 2/3 Rainfall Projects 2019-01-26 | Follow Drake and me on Instagram: @jdeechambers2 Part Epoxy: amzn.to/2Tda2y5Epoxy Pigment: amzn.to/2WjP4zGSwitching over to the legs, I square up and clamp down 8x8 beams to the CNC routing table and start milling them down to 5". In Vcarve, I set up the toolpaths for notching out the mortises and profiling the outer shape of the leg. Since the router bit will only cut 2.5" deep, I need to utilize the double sided feature so I can flip the leg over and run the same toolpath, in order to cut all the way through the 5" leg. I also cut out the arch pieces, from a 3 laminated 2x12s. With all the pieces cut, I sand everything down and get to work gluing together the end sections. While they dry, I switch back to the tabletop which gets a cleanup surfacing pass and 2 part epoxy to to fill in all the cracks and holes. Once it has dried, I surface the epoxy off, leaving it just in the recesses.
Workbench from CNC Milled Logs - pt. 1/3 Rainfall Projects 2019-01-19 | When I replaced the wood floor in my barn with a concrete slab, I saved as much of the wood as I could. The main support for the floor were 6 big timbers that spanned the full length of the barn. These logs have been stored behind the barn for a couple years now, and I've been wanting to do something with them before they rot and go to waste. I thought a good project for them would be to mill them down on the CNC table and build a workbench out of them, which would be a neat way of keeping the wood in the barn where it came from. This would also be a great project to get some practice in on the CNC routing table.
Ring Roller Rainfall Projects 2018-10-31 | Sketchup File: drive.google.com/open?id=1TNyEZcNVSDLJuQ7CFr18WiSDJj5JAQAQIG: instagram.com/jdeechambersI designed and built a ring roller 6 or 7 years ago thinking it would be a nice tool to have in the shop, but never finished the project because of how expensive it was going to be to have dies machined for it. When I got my CNC plasma cutting table recently, I started thinking about cutting out my own dies, which would save a lot of money and save the ring roller project. I needed something rolled for another project I'm fabricating on our farm, which was just the motivation I needed to jump in and finish up this project.
Planting Season - Pak Choi, Kale, and Dill Rainfall Projects 2018-06-17 | - Tractor List -Farmall 230: amzn.to/2t7a67yJohn Deere 8120t: amzn.to/2tgqD8nWe're in the middle of planting season here on the farm and this week I need to get some pak choi, kale, and dill in the ground. We use our old farmall 230 and planet jr. planter to drill small seed crops like these. Also, before I can plant the kale and dill, I need to finish prepping the ground by rototilling it with the John Deere 8120.
Leaving Los Angeles to Live on a Farm in Oregon Rainfall Projects 2018-06-01 | Ireland ➟ Los Angeles ➟ Rural OregonFollow Kelly on Instagram: instagram.com/kelly_irish
