Model A Ford garage

[don long]

It's always nice to have an old friend drop by and help out with a project or two

Andy and Carol are very nice company, Ann and I did have a great time with them last month.

 

[bolensboneyard]

It's always nice to have an old friend drop by and help out with a project or two

Andy and Carol are very nice company, Ann and I did have a great time with them last month.

You might say it's almost like getting to be a kid again; and nobody's telling you to get ready for bed!

 

[bolensboneyard]

I decided to stop painfully trying to acquire a set of hollows and rounds in order to make molding and cut edges. This set is in the mail and I should have it soon. I do have one hollow and one round (different sizes) which I will probably sell once the set comes in.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bobby, nice addition for the brick shop.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: I own a few wood planes, but i've never seen them organized like that before. COOL FIND and I bet you know what to do with them too.

I love seeing your logs with their cut edges after you run them through your saw. I bet that cedar smells wonderful doesn't it? or what is your favorite wood to cut that you like the aroma the best?

hope it's warming up and maybe a little less rain so you can get outside more.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Bobby, nice addition for the brick shop.

Thanks Bob. Hope all is getting better. I'm told just about any molding can be made with a set of hollows and rounds and a rabbit plane. I have a Stanley 45 but most of the things I have been making are short pieces and I find the few that I have of these now are easier to use. I took a hit to buy them but antique store prices one at a time would have been the same cost and taken forever. Too old to wait forever.

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB: I own a few wood planes, but i've never seen them organized like that before. COOL FIND and I bet you know what to do with them too.

I love seeing your logs with their cut edges after you run them through your saw. I bet that cedar smells wonderful doesn't it? or what is your favorite wood to cut that you like the aroma the best?

hope it's warming up and maybe a little less rain so you can get outside more.

Thanks drives. I like the smell of cedar but Oak is my favorite. Unfortunately, I am allergic to the Oak dust. I guess it reminds me of the shop my dad had in the cellar. He made a lot of Oak furniture for the church back when I was a boy.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: speaking of memories. my gramp's used to stop his pickup on the way down the mountain from the logging camp where the trucks were loaded and he'd pull out his huge chain saw. then he'd tell me to stand clear and he'd cut cedar shake blocks out of old blown down trees that I bet were 6-8 foot and bigger diameter. he'd cut a couple rounds, split with an axe or a sledge and wedge and load up the cedar in his truck and take them home and split shakes after dinner.

to give everyone an idea how big those old cedar trees were here's a section of a log about that size sitting in one of the small towns around here and that's me standing next to it and i'm 6'3" (or maybe 6'2" now).

that smell of that old cedar still makes me almost euphoric.

have a great weekend and oak isn't too shabby either.

 

[bolensboneyard]

drives. The picture will be put in my mill log. Do you have any pictures of Gramps logging? When my girls were small I used to split shakes with a froe I made on my anvil. I split them out of oak and started siding my first house with them. It had no siding just tar paper. Never got enough wood I could afford to spare from the firewood pile to finish more than one side.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: back when my gramps was able to cut old growth trees cameras and pictures weren't as easy to come by. polaroid shots were actually in color by the time I took pictures, but the early days (1950's) they were black and white and not sure how pictures were taken before then.

here's a couple pics I took pictures of with my Iphone that were in my mom's photo album. my gramps owned a small logging company with only 2 or 3 trucks, but they cut and hauled a lot of timber to the local mills.

that's him probably in his 70's cutting a second growth tree and since he was born in 1910 and started logging in 1926 with his dad and brother he surely did know his way around an axe and chainsaw. it's hard to see in the picture, but gramps would cut a couple notches in the tree and stand on a springboard while cutting them to keep cut the log ready to load on a truck without the big base..

i still have gramp's throw around here somewhere, but I didn't grab his beat up hammer that was part of a tree and about 8 inches across.

Can you imagine loading one of those logs up on the mill to cut? the picture of the D9 isn't my gramps, but he owned one like it. that isn't him either, but I bet he had 10 of those shirts and always a nice sharp pair of corks/spikes put in his very old boots.

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB: back when my gramps was able to cut old growth trees cameras and pictures weren't as easy to come by. polaroid shots were actually in color by the time I took pictures, but the early days (1950's) they were black and white and not sure how pictures were taken before then.

here's a couple pics I took pictures of with my Iphone that were in my mom's photo album. my gramps owned a small logging company with only 2 or 3 trucks, but they cut and hauled a lot of timber to the local mills.

that's him probably in his 70's cutting a second growth tree and since he was born in 1910 and started logging in 1926 with his dad and brother he surely did know his way around an axe and chainsaw. it's hard to see in the picture, but gramps would cut a couple notches in the tree and stand on a springboard while cutting them to keep cut the log ready to load on a truck without the big base..

i still have gramp's throw around here somewhere, but I didn't grab his beat up hammer that was part of a tree and about 8 inches across.

Can you imagine loading one of those logs up on the mill to cut? the picture of the D9 isn't my gramps, but he owned one like it. that isn't him either, but I bet he had 10 of those shirts and always a nice sharp pair of corks/spikes put in his very old boots.

Thanks drives. Great pictures. You should take them to Walmart or CVS and print up some in 8X10 so they could be hung. I wish I had some of my grandfather when he helped blast stumps and rock to clear the path for the state reservoir; especially the black and whites. Those always show more detail.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Spent the day yesterday troubleshooting and doing maintenance on the mill. There are so many little nuances that can effect performance and I am learning them the hard way. Something that appears so simple can develop into an engine that needs tuning, or a child that needs discipline. Big issues like a log that has pulled away from a dog or a governor that is not kicking in are obvious. Others that can sneak in or come on in multiples, not so much. Yesterday was one of those that test and educate at the same time. What started off Saturday as a log that stopped rolling (the knife had come out of the kerf) became a plague which started with a band aid. To make a long story short, several adjustments to the knife placed it back in the grove but the carriage refused to return without slipping belts. There are many reasons why belts will slip and apparently I had not thought of them all. After going through everything else, and before I adjusted the main mandrel on the carriage return, I found both the idler pulleys had sized up from dry grease, and the mandrel needed adjustment too. Once I began cutting again everything ran true for a cut or two then the saw began tracking away from the log. I popped it back and allowed it to cool, but not before thinking I had another slippage problem or the blade needed sharpening. None of those were the problem. It turns out one of the pucks that keep the smaller flexes in line before the blade is stabilized in the log had worn enough to look adjusted but not fall out, after being worn out to the max. Every time I seated it, I would get one cut straight then the next would drift. It finally fell out. It was almost dark, I had only two cuts left, so I made a new puck and ran a correction cut. The last two boards were perfect. The blade has been sharpened. The belts are fine tuned and everything is greased. Not like once you get your car humming you can go for miles without an issue. More like a Model A Ford. It'll run like a Watch until it doesn't. Only the symptoms are different, as is the learning curve. The power plant is a separate issue. As with life, it's only fun when you are not sick, the weather is nice, and your bowels are moving!

 

[jimreed2160]

BB--Great score on your H & R set. Much better to buy a good set because matching is important. Good luck making shavings.

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB--Great score on your H & R set. Much better to buy a good set because matching is important. Good luck making shavings.

Thanks Jim. The set is in nice shape although all are not made by the same maker it is a numbered set from 2 to 18 half hollows and half rounds. Now that I can see how the blades are adjusted (protrusion length) I am amazed at how nice they cut.

 

[bolensboneyard]

I finally decided the Persimmon tree trunk ,which has been in the ground since it fell,no longer showed any signs of life. It has been rooted their for three years now and I was not sure if the wood would be pulpy, as in some of the logs I saved and were out in the weather. I hoped it would preserve the wood some or keep it green long enough for me to get to turn it.
Well it turns out the grain, which is a reversing grain, had absorbed more water where it made a turn end grain, which caused it to decay earlier. That part of the wood which rolled to show the grain (instead of the end grain) not only cut like green wood but appears to be more stable with less warping and large cracks. The bowl was cut from the side of the log as before.
The bowl in the picture shows a naturally occurring crack due to stress as it was from a log at the very base of the tree. The piece on the edge did fly out while turning but it was just before sanding. I glued it back and finished the piece as natural.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: glad to hear you are learning more about your saw (mill) and eventually you might know more than guys that have been using them for their entire life.

I like hearing you describe how you choose and/or age wood before you put it on a lathe and turn it. persimmon has a special meaning to me cause when I was younger golf clubs were made out of it (maybe baseball bats too?) and having one that had tighter grain meant a better golf club.

keep up the great work.

 

[Vieux]

I finally decided the Persimmon tree trunk ,which has been in the ground since it fell,no longer showed any signs of life. It has been rooted their for three years now and I was not sure if the wood would be pulpy, as in some of the logs I saved and were out in the weather. I hoped it would preserve the wood some or keep it green long enough for me to get to turn it.
Well it turns out the grain, which is a reversing grain, had absorbed more water where it made a turn end grain, which caused it to decay earlier. That part of the wood which rolled to show the grain (instead of the end grain) not only cut like green wood but appears to be more stable with less warping and large cracks. The bowl was cut from the side of the log as before.
The bowl in the picture shows a naturally occurring crack due to stress as it was from a log at the very base of the tree. The piece on the edge did fly out while turning but it was just before sanding. I glued it back and finished the piece as natural.

Very beautiful!

Did you sharpen this plate on a lathe?

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB: glad to hear you are learning more about your saw (mill) and eventually you might know more than guys that have been using them for their entire life.

I like hearing you describe how you choose and/or age wood before you put it on a lathe and turn it. persimmon has a special meaning to me cause when I was younger golf clubs were made out of it (maybe baseball bats too?) and having one that had tighter grain meant a better golf club.

keep up the great work.

Thanks drives.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Very beautiful!

Did you sharpen this plate on a lathe?

Thanks Vladimir. I did make this one on the lathe. The biggest difficulty was to cut the design considering the age damage. Could not be done by young person who can still run and jump without a care!

 

[bolensboneyard]

This is another bowl turned from the same Persimmon log. It was literally cut from the next section on the tree. As you can see, the grain is still beautiful but different where no damage was apparent. I still had to work with spongy grain is some areas due to decay and grain peculiarities. This requires a lot of sanding way before it would have to be done in more cooperative wood species. it appears like a rash in those areas of decay. I turned it in the last few days. The lathe plate is still attached as the finish is drying.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: that is PURDY.

do you have a use in mind for all these cool bowls or will they be gifts?

 

[bolensboneyard]

Thanks drives. For now, many will be decretive. In the future, some may be gifts. Persimmon tells you when you need to work it by nature of the wood. Also, as the wood for any of my bowl work comes directly from the log, and drying for certain woods makes the determination for you, some has to be turned before cracks become a major issue. Others are more stable and can be slabbed out and stored. I am still learning by experimentation or trial and error. I also use it as a fill in for days I cannot work out of doors. Diversification gives me more options and more energy.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: not only can you make and tune an engine I think you are a WOOD WHISPERER too.

keep up the talk about wood and it's grain and what(knots) when you think of it cause a lot of us didn't get that education.

as you get thru another season with the mill i bet you'll figure out most of the issues and hope there aren't too many.

getting warmer and maybe dryer too?

 

[bolensboneyard]

drives you are too kind.

 

[bolensboneyard]

I finally got to build the mate to my drawers. This shelf/bin was made from Red Oak and pine to match the drawers. The back is Magnolia left over from other projects.

 

[y'sguy]

Very impressive!

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: great spot for the planes and the cabinets with drawers and slots should come in very handy.

that's so shiny in there you won't need lighting or did you put lighting in your cool little brick shop already.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Very impressive!

Thanks y'sguy.

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB: great spot for the planes and the cabinets with drawers and slots should come in very handy.

that's so shiny in there you won't need lighting or did you put lighting in your cool little brick shop already.

Thanks drives. No electricity for lighting. I'm trying to keep myself from burning the midnight oil.

 

[bolensboneyard]

This bowl, also made from American Ebony (Persimmon) was a slice I cut off to square up the log. It was thin, so I originally planned to toss it aside. When I looked at the grain it was going to be a plate maybe. What you see is the result.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Finally, a paddle for the kayak. This was carved from a single piece of pecan. The handholds are wrapped waxed cotton carpet thread covered with spar varnish. I also designed and drew the artwork which is painted in by hand. More pictures when I have it hung on the porch.

 

[y'sguy]

Nice paddle, did I miss the Kayak earlier some where?

 

[bolensboneyard]

y'sguy. Layout bench and kayak build starts on page 93. It took me half an hour to find the page. Boy does time fly when you're not paying attention.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: great work on the paddle and bowl and always nice to see what you make with stuff around your property.

If I recall correctly you just made the frame for the kyak and you're hanging it in your sitting room/porch? were you planning on making a skin for it and maybe dropping it in a lake or river or was it always just for decoration?

I like the comment you made about not putting electricity in your cool brick shed so you "don't burn the midnight oil".

I hope your weather is getting a bit dryer and warmer as ours is sunny and 50's today which is a great change from the Seattle drizzle and 40's.

cheers

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB: great work on the paddle and bowl and always nice to see what you make with stuff around your property.

If I recall correctly you just made the frame for the kyak and you're hanging it in your sitting room/porch? were you planning on making a skin for it and maybe dropping it in a lake or river or was it always just for decoration?

I like the comment you made about not putting electricity in your cool brick shed so you "don't burn the midnight oil".

I hope your weather is getting a bit dryer and warmer as ours is sunny and 50's today which is a great change from the Seattle drizzle and 40's.

cheers

drives thanks. I made the kayak for the challenge and to hang it. However, it could be covered and used as it is sea worthy. It is getting warmer here but all this business over the virus is keeping us focused on staying out of crowds and that means big projects are on hold for now.

 

[bolensboneyard]

I picked up a wood rabbit plane and one for sliding dovetails. The dovetail plane was not cheap but they're not common so I went for it. I am building two more shelves over the work bench but they are not finished as I had to drill holes to put finish nails in the Pecan wood. Who knew.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB: did you learn from trial and error by hitting a nail in pecan wood and having it bend or did you know from experience?

sounds like your tooling for your woodworking shed is really adding up and not a power plug anywhere too.

keep up the great work.

 

[bolensboneyard]

great collection of tools you have.

Thanks jhon. What part of the country are you in? What do you like to work with mostly wood, steel, etc.

 

[bolensboneyard]

This large bowl is the latest bowl cut from the base log on the American Ebony. The smaller bowl was cut right next to it and you can see the variation in grain pattern. They will nest inside of each other and blend very well. Hope everyone is avoiding illness while sequestered. Praying for all of you while trying to keep occupied and stay home.

 

[bolensboneyard]

BB: did you learn from trial and error by hitting a nail in pecan wood and having it bend or did you know from experience?

sounds like your tooling for your woodworking shed is really adding up and not a power plug anywhere too.

keep up the great work.

drives I learned by bending several nails (I am a slow learner). I am answering this question late as today is the first time it has shown up in my posts? If you look at the response I gave to the next poster his comments were in its stead. Now, his post is gone and yours, several days later, has replaced it??? Never experienced this before? Hope you are well with all the commotion about illness.