MECO February Meeting - Trains Part 2, and General Hope for Mankind

Pink Shirt Day February 27 2013 - This Year's Slogan "I'm one making a difference - Bullying Stops Here

I have always been an "odd sock", as they say. As is the case of many of us "odd socks", we have found ourselves on the wrong end of a loaded bully from time to time. I remember we could be victimized twice - once by the aggressor, and again by the adults, who often felt that bullying was a "rite of passage" or that somehow the strange  kid "deserved" what they got. I have to say, I never agreed with that latter bit of tripe  - put "wife" or "dog" in place of "strange kid", and suddenly it all seems  wrong, and it was.  The second bit of tripe fed to a victim was all you have to do is stand up to a bully and they will back down. This is not true, unless you have a rather large and menacing body guard standing by your side who could loom at the bully for you at the time, or a group of friends willing to take a stand with you - an act of bravery in itself because again, standing up for a target would often mean "you are next".  This is what bullies count on, that no one will stand beside the "odd sock" in solidarity and say "no more".

Imagine my glee, 5 years ago, when I heard a wonderful story. A young boy in Nova Scotia goes to school, wearing a pink shirt. He is set upon immediately by the resident troglodytes, because how dare he wear pink and actually show some individuality?  However, instead of sitting back and buying into the fiction that the boy deserved what he got for daring to wear a "girl's" colour,  and bucking the  "just be thankful it wasn't me"attitude, some of his very brave young classmates rose to the occasion, bought 50 pink shirts, and passed them out to be worn as a showing of solidarity with the boy. Thus, Pink Shirt Day was born, and has been gaining momentum since that time.

It is a cause near and dear to my heart, so I decided I needed to put up a plug for this most admirable stand against bullying, and for all the "odd socks" out there who need to know that they are not alone in the wilderness of hate.  Proceeds go to the bullying hotline for children, and may no small "odd sock" be hung out to dry alone any more. 

On to the business of the day. You might remember last month's  Part 1 installment regarding our 1:12 scale rendition of the HO Model Train set. Today we built a display table for it. 

The Display Table

We started out, as we often do, with the raw materials for the table. The top of the display was determined by the size of our display base (1/8 inch thickness of wood).  

The Raw Supplies

 Once the top of the table was cut to the correct size, it was framed out with our 1/4 inch square stock. 

Figuring Out A Mitred Joint

I like to cut my first 45 degree mitre first,  and then measure from the longest side, stopping at the length of the side I am measuring for ( I know, clear as mud). Then I draw a second line in to where a diagonal line will make a 45 degree angle (in this case, I moved the second line in 1/4 of an inch, because the square stock was 1/4 of an inch). The shape you ultimately want is a trapezoid (answer to the age old question, will I use math when I am an adult? Yes, yes you will).  Rinse and repeat for all 3 sides to form a frame. 

Trapezoid!

Framed Table Top

The next step was to take our half inch width boardstock, and line the edges of our table. We did this pre-legs, as it was easier. I managed to put mine on upside down (we were supposed to make a recessed table so the display could be placed into what essentially was a frame. I have to be different, but I have different plans for my table anyway -- cue sinister music). 

Upside Down You're Turnin' Me!

We cut our legs out next, with 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch boardstock. These legs were cut to 3 inches, but some modified this measurement to make it a bit shorter, in order to fit it into a plastic display case. 

View Of Legs

 
From there we (or I, as I wasn't exactly following instructions, but designing from the model provided) put on the side brace for the legs. The side brace also acted as a shelf support. These pieces were made from 1/2 inch by 1/8 inch flat boardstock. 

Side Support

 Again, I did a few things with this table that weren't exactly how poor Fearless Leader member Rosemary had intended. I tend to let right brain have a lot of fun, much to the left brain's eternal embarrassment and face palming. In general, we were supposed to frame out the shelf and not have any gaps. In general. I changed things up a bit, mainly because again... I wasn't actually reading the instructions. 

Bottom Of Display Table

 That gap on the two sides wasn't technically supposed to be there. But my measuring was funky (see above comment about not reading instructions) and I have seen tables that have this feature, so off I went, happily constructing on the fly - or whatever other hapless insect got in my way. 

The Bottom, different angle

 Finally we added a support for the middle bottom of the shelf. Even if I did make some things up as I went, it didn't turn out so badly at all. I had it in my mind that I would use this as a base for my (eventual) glitter village....mmm. glitter. 

Member Bev working on her Frame Case

Member Sherril industriously creating 1/4 inch magic

My Little Valentine In Progress

Otherwise, this week I spent a little time making pieces for my Valentine box. I have completed a second chair, and also the table. I ended up making a trip out to a popular box store named after a Saint, and picked up a few supplies, one being scissors to make fancy edges. Cool, right? I also picked up a new heart punch, as mine has really made itself scarce. I am assured that it will surface within the next few days, of course, but then I  will have two. I thought the floor needed something to break up the pattern, and tie it with the chairs and table, so I made a little matching rug. 

Otherwise, I didn't get a lot done, having had a busy week thwarting the  forces of evil - you know how it is.  It kind of works up a thirst...maybe a coffee treat?

Until next week, gentle heros of the world...