How to Make Authentic Looking Japanese Lanterns.

Doghouse Riley

This may appeal to those with ponds,  who'd like to introduce a bit of an Oriental look to their gardens, there again, maybe to no one.

If you've ever built a sandcastle for one of your kids, you could make one of these for not much money.

I've yet to see any as weathered and ancient looking for sale  in a garden centre

I made the video nine years ago.

It's just a succession of still photos, but it and the companion video I made  have had 54,000 hits between them,  so I guess I can say a few people were interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtMvrgFiUkM

bcpathome

Very nice. Not for me in my garden though . Enjoyed the music but .

Doghouse Riley

bcpathome said:

Very nice. Not for me in my garden though . Enjoyed the music but .

Thanks for that.

When you make a YouTube video, you can provide your own music, but if you use well known recordings, YouTube might take it down called  a "copyright strike."

So they make available a huge library of non-copyright music from which you can choose something you think suitable. I just waded through them until I found something suitable.

I've uploaded several recordings of my vinyl jukeboxes playing well known records, but in the write-up I have to preface it with a suitable disclaimer, to prevent them being taken down.  The YouTube software can recognise tunes accompanying videos.

valerieroberts

That was really lovely @Doghouse Riley" I would love all of them. Valerie 

valerieroberts

That was really lovely @Doghouse Riley I would love them all. Valerie 

Doghouse Riley

valerieroberts said:

That was really lovely @Doghouse Riley I would love them all. Valerie 

Thanks for that.

I'm of an age, of when I was younger, like many,  if you needed something doing, you did it yourself as you couldn't afford to get someone in.

Particularly around the house, not just decorating, but electrical, carpentry and plumbing work.

I was in retail management, in a job where I didn't even get my hands dirty, so originally, no special DIY skills. In my twenties my "bible" was a comprehensive  Readers Digest DIY book. Half the stuff it showed you how to do, 'elf n' safety wouldn't allow you to do  today and for good reasons!

It was only because I'd taught myself basic handyman skills that I attempted all the garden landscaping in my mid thirties.  My two boys followed in my footsteps when they did up their first homes.

I started this thread as I did for the one on how install inexpensive  lawn sprinklers, just to show how such projects don't need a lot of skill to accomplish, which might encourage some to try it.

Sadly, that one, a few wanted to turn into an environmental debate. So I left them to it.

The biggest project after building the koi pool and patios, was our summerhouse in 1987.

I'd  looked at purpose built summerhouses in the "sheds" and specialist suppliers,  but I thought they were expensive and most just looked like "sheds with windows" even in my limited price range.

So I built one myself which I thought would look more attractive. Where the ones I'd seen looked like they'd been "thrown together" to get them down to an affordable price, so would not last that long, the care I took with mine has meant it is still in perfect condition, although I did change the roofing felt about ten years ago.

The roof was strong enough to take the weight of myself and as here, when I changed the roofing felt, my youngest son who came round one afternoon to help me (at my wife's insistance!) I'd already done the hard bit, stripping off the old felt.

A combined weight of about  360lb when we were both up there (I usually  avoid cameras). I had to lower and support a branch from  the wisteria on the side fence that I had trained around the eaves whilst we changed the felt. But later in the year  I removed it as you can see here, it was getting too dense.

Here's the build video I made nine years ago. Just with basic hand tools, plus a few  electric tools, a drill, a belt sander, a plane  and a circular saw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py1oKlpRABw

Now in September of this year, still looking good.