Weight Loss and Staying Healthy

Maybe this topic is a little detour from the goal of this blog. A closer look at the topic may change your opinion.

Please allow me to make my case.

• In a world of diminishing resources, it would become very difficult to manufacture anti-biotics.
• Obesity leads to large number of health issues. This is very well documented in the medical world.
• Staying healthy is one of the very important self sufficiency missions.

Earlier this year, I started with the goal of losing 20% weight to bring my weight to the normal level. I started running on weekdays at the gym for 30 minutes. As time progressed, I increased my running speed gradually. After loss of 10% weight, I started controlling my portion size.

I'm very happy to say that I met my target by end of the year. Now I have to maintain my weight at the current level. I plan to continue to run daily.

Someday, if we are hunting and are not fast enough then we may not have our next meal :)

Building Block

Building Block
Originally uploaded by sumantamandal

Cut a couple of cubic sections using a hand saw from a 2X2 lumber. Drilled a 3/4" hole on one of them for a circular mortise using a Frostner bit. The tenon is made using a tenoning bit on the drill press. These are the basic wooden building blocks out of which bigger structures can be assembled by kids. Simple, inexpensive and lot of fun to make and use.

Composting Tub

Composting Tub
Originally uploaded by sumantamandal

Built a composting box out of a tub. Drilled 11/4" holes on all sides. Six holes underneath the tub. Six on longer side and four on the shorter side of the tub. Will add brown matter (leaves) and green matter (kitchen green waste) to it and se how it goes. Please stay tuned in...

Pecan Pie

Made pecan pie from scratch for Thanksgiving this year.

Re-inventing the Wheel

Side View of the toy
Originally uploaded by sumantamandal

This weekend I spent some time with my kids to design and fabricate a basic two wheel toy. First we designed the toy using google sketchup.


This toy is made out of wood available at local hardware store. The toy consists of:
* two 4" diameter wheels
*9" long axle
*2 wheel caps
*connecting rod to axle
* string for pulling

I used a 4" hole saw to cut the wheels out of wooden board. The holes in the wheels for the axle was cut using a Forstner bit. The two end of the axle was rounded on the lathe. The diameter of the axle is 3/4"

We might not have re-invented the wheel but we had a lot of fun building this project. The kids got an opportunity to learn the fun of design and got to appreciate the basic building blocks of transportation.

Click here for more pictures.

Please leave your questions, comments and suggestions about this project.

First Tomato Harvest from 2010

First Tomato Harvest from 2010
Originally uploaded by sumantamandal

This year I planted Roma tomatoes in the same pot that I used for beefstake tomatoes last year. Did not add any fresh potting soil this year. Added a bit of organic manure and powedered egg shells plus regular dose (once in 2-3 weeks) of fish fertilizer.

Found cracks on several tomatoes. Tells me that the plant needs more watering.

Used the tomatoes for Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes (RRRT) immediately after they were harvested.

My First turning work - French Rolling Pin

DSC_0076
Originally uploaded by sumantamandal

It was a hot summer day. Like the heat melts two metal bodies to one, two of my hobbies, cooking and wood working came together today. . This lovely french rolling pin can stand on its own (no pun intended) ;) I'm yet to try out the rolling characteristics of this pin. This was a good project to start my wood turning adventure.

Have you ever wondered, we all have different hand sizes and hand structures, then why should we use the mass produced rolling pins? Shouldn't the rolling pins be taylored for you?