Graduation 2018

Cut an eight out of some left over hardboard

   It was 55 years ago.   May, 1963, I received my high school diploma.  (For those of you that are wondering, it was signed.)    It was also in  May of 1963 that I started chasing a young girl that later on became my wife.   The sixties were a memorable time.   The music was the best of all times.    I have to say that it has been a fun time ever since.

Over time and use several pegs had broke loose. 

   Back in 2016 my oldest granddaughter graduated from High School and for her reception she asked if I would make the large numbers "2016" for her to place cookies for the guest to pick from.    I did that and if you are interested in going back, it was blogged about on May 19th, 2016.    In fact it turned out to be a hit and several other mothers who had kids graduating at the same time asked if they could borrow those numbers for their graduates reception.   It was used a few times.

I had to apply several coats of Gloss Black spray paint

   After all the graduations were over in 2016 the numbers just got tossed in an attic somewhere until now - 2018.    The six needed to be replaced with an eight.    Those numbers were made out of hardboard which is not a very stable product.   Not like plywood would be.     Still hardboard is light in weight and easy to handle so I just cleaned up the 2, 0, 1 and made a new eight.   (The six is still in the attic somewhere.)

I removed the dowel legs that I had glued and inserted
 in the holes the first time and replaced them with bolts

    Since a lot of the wooden dowel pegs that I had used for legs had worn loose through the hardboard and were falling out I removed them all and replaced them with 1 1/4 inch carriage bolts.    That did solidify the leg problem, but on the top side it looked like a massive rivet thing.    I was going to paint those tops black, but the wife talked me into leaving it as it. 

My quality control staff is making one final check before shipping this one out.

   When all was done, it looked okay.    I was concerned that maybe the bolt ends would scratch a table top and maybe I should put some felt pads on those ends,  but that did not happen.  (Once again a good thought just wasted away.)   The picture to the right is the finished project. 

    The next grandchild graduates in 2021.   I'll have a few years before I have to worry about updating this project again. 

Whitney Goetz.   Graduated May, 2018.  Plans to attend Moody Bible Institute at Chicago IL

It was a good picture til the blue shirt guy showed up. 

     At the reception a brunch was served.      Those 2018 numbers were used to hold four different kinds of small donuts.    Those granddaughters made a simple little hardboard thing look really great.    I was again asked if another mother could us them for her reception.   No problem.   They are kind of a seasonal thing. 
   Ahhhh.   Time moves on.   Grand-kids grow up.  Life moves on.  Treasure it each day.