OldTools Archive
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79328 | Opiejuan6816@a... | 2000‑06‑05 | Bio |
Good day all----My initial message went through yesterday, so I guess there is no choice but to send out this bio. My name is Stephan Opacich and I live in Appleton, Wisconsin, which is about 25 miles south of Green Bay (American-style football capitol, Jeff). I have worked as a pharmacist for 25 years (BS in 1975, Univ. of Minnesota), and it was in fact a job which brought me to this area 17 years ago, from Hibbing, Minnesota, my birthplace. My interest in old tools can be traced back to my early childhod when my dad, in the process of remodeling our first house, was planing a door to fit with a transitional (jack?/jointer?--it was 40 years ago, after all) plane. That plane and the wooden level that he used are the only tools I can remember from the remodel, but they left a lasting impression. I got started down my own slippery OT slope in a serious way around 5 years ago, with a slight *l*ctr*c detour along the road. My accumulation of old tools, users all, continues to grow, primarily through garage and estate sales, but also by way of antique stores and auction (only one so far, but I look forward to more). My current project is a softwood workbench, on which the base is done and the top is in the process of being glued up. Some day I may build the hardwood bench of my dreams, but for now I thing this pine one will work out OK. This brings up a question about air-drying lumber. A pharmacist friend from Green Bay who owns some land in Door County (looking at a map of Wisconsin, which looks a little like a mitten, Door County is the thumb part of the mitten) had some tornado damage to his land a couple of years ago, with quite a few good size trees blown down. He had them hauled to a near by sawmill, had the trees milled and dropped off in front of his barn door. So when he asked me if I would like to help him haul his lumber up to the second floor of the barn in exchange for some of the wood, I said sure. There is lots of beech and ash and some oak and a little cherry and maybe other which I can't recall at the moment.The wood was piled and stickered and has been drying for about a year and a half now, but some of it may be 8/4 or more. Should it be sufficiently dry at this point, or should it be left for a while yet? At this point I am in no hurry to use the wood yet, but was just wondering what your opinion is. TIA. SteveO. |
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79353 | "William K. Taggart" ILikeRust@w... | 2000‑06‑05 | RE: Bio |
Welcome to the Porch! NeoGaloot Steve O. asks: [SNIP Happens] > He had them hauled to a near by > sawmill, had the trees milled and dropped off in front of his > barn door. So when he asked me if I would like to help him haul his lumber > up to the second floor of the barn in exchange for some of the wood, I said > sure. There is lots of beech and ash and some oak and a little cherry and > maybe other which I can't recall at the moment.The wood was piled and stickered > and has been drying for about a year and a half now, but some of it may be > 8/4 or more. > Should it be sufficiently dry at this point, or should it be left for a while > yet? At this point I am in no hurry to use the wood yet, but was just > wondering what your opinion is. I will again state that I'm no expert at drying wood, but I've done a couple hundred board feet, and I've read about lots more... Seems to me that if it's been lying "in front of his barn door", it's not going to be too evenly dry yet. Subject to all kinds of changes in moisture content (MC) based on relative humidity (RH), which in the doorway of a barn, will change drastically day to day, week to week... In my experience, it's best to bring it into your garage (or other similarly weather-resistant shelter) for something like 6 months, then bring it into your shop/basement/area that is closer to the actual RH of where the piece will be for a few more months. Then it will be more uniformly dried, the bound water will have a chance to get out. It will most likely develop some checking, etc. through this process, but if you do it in stages as described, it should help... ---------------------------- Bill Taggart On the road in Atlanta, GA ---------------------------- |
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79356 | Tom Johnson thj@u... | 2000‑06‑05 | RE: Bio |
Greetingsd GG's >NeoGaloot Steve O. asks: > >[SNIP Happens] > > He had them hauled to a near by > > sawmill, had the trees milled and dropped off in front of his > > barn door. > > > Should it be sufficiently dry at this point, or should it be left for a >while > > yet? Bill responded >Seems to me that if it's been lying "in front of his barn door", it's not >going to be too evenly dry yet. Major understatement perhaps: I know a fella who had his whole kitchen built from walnut that had been stored "properly" in the loft of a barn for ten years. 6 months after all the solid wood cabinets, so beautifully made, were installed, they were full of cracks and checks from further drying (this was in Wisconsin)...........all of which shows ta go ya, GET A MOISTURE METER and don't take anything for granted if you're into a major project with air-dryed wood. my .02 Tom |
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79765 | "Adam" cherubini@e... | 2000‑06‑14 | re:BIO |
>It is a shame that apparently schools all over >the country are dropping wood working classes. I wonder where the next >generation of woodworkers will come from? China? They grow those plywood trees there don't they? |
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80533 | "Alan N. Graham" angraham99@h... | 2000‑07‑02 | Re: Bio |
New Galoot Greg Hoffart zooms onto the porch... > snip... > > I recently dropped my first chunk of old tool change on a Stanley #55. I got 44 cutters and all the plane pieces except the cam rest for $250. It is in good structural condition with a lot of dirt and a small amount of rust. > Hey List Mom - ain't there a rule about drive by gloating in your bio... if there ain't, there should be... darn new kids and their shiny toys...grump, grump...get outa my chair, boy... Alan N. Graham Oh yeah, welcome Greg. |
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