Weekend project

Re: Another picture

Ernie Miller, Topeka

>We killed some electrons on this thing but it was mostly hand tools for him he used the #45 to cut dados for the frame a draw knife for the front axle and draw bar. #3 was used and the wheels were made with the drill press and a hole saw.

Re: Hand forged ax

Ernie Miller, Topeka

>Here is the ax that he made it is made from a peice of 1/4" steel rod he used a ball peen hammer to mash the end to the shape of an ax then cleaned it up with a file making it kinda sharp. then he drilled a hole for the handle. after that it was cut to length, For a handle we used a bambo skuwer that had a small slice put in it for a wedge. the hed is on tight and looks great. He had a blast making this. He didn't know you could cut metal with a saw! it is about 2 1/2" long

Re: Hand forged ax

William R. Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Kewl, Ernie. I can understand how your nephew must have been excited and inspired by this experience.

Todd Hughes, someday, you may have some serious competition :^)

Ernie, if your nephew is interested in how these things were really made by the pioneers, there is a place on the internet where you can take him and show him. It's called George's Basement, (kinda like the Captain's Treasure House, sniff sniff) and will take him on an incredible trip to the Dead Horse Forge. Ernie, I'm sure you've been here, so I'm providing the links for other interested WC knuckle-draggers, who need to klick on "Todd made a hewing axe".

Re: Weekend project

GolfSteve in Calgary

>Isn't it great to spend time like this with your nephew!

Nice job.

Re: Weekend project

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>Looks like great fun. He looks about 7 years old and they begin to be real fun. Thanks for posting when the little guy comes over tomorrow I have him look at the wagon.

Re: Weekend project-what 10 things?

Justin Ball

>I am wondering what the other 9 things are that he has found pioneers wanted?

I've always been interested in creating lists for post apocalypic survival/pioneering.

I have an excellent little book I picked up at the tool show I went to with Todd H a few years back, I think it was the Homesteaders Handbook or such and it had a list of suggested tools a pioneer should take with them. For those enjoying a longer read, I would suggest Suzanna Moody's "Roughing it in the Bush or life in Upper Canada" (circa 1840). Americans beware! She makes some unflattering comments!

10 Things they would not take

Brian, Boothbay Harbor

>Neat project and there is no better feeling than working with a child and watching them learn.

It got me thinking about the first 10 things that someone traveling today would need that were never even a consideration to the covered wagon travelers.

1. Palm Pilot

2. Cell Phone

3. Credit Cards

4. GPS unit

5. lap top computer

6. Reservations

7. No Doze

8. Travelers Checks

9. Snickers and Milky Way's

10. CD's

Somehow it does not seem like it will be a lot of fun building a 4WD Suburban a hundred years from now and making the above items for a school project.

Brian

Re: Weekend project

Ernie Miller Topeka

>He is ten he still needs to decide on some of the things so far he has a small bag of flour and a bag of seeds some candles for light. it is not due untill the 16th and I am trying to get him to think out side of the box so he dosent have the same stuff as the other students.

Re: Weekend project

Justin Ball

>Um.. things to take..without too much thought

1 axe, chopping trees for poles, logs fire wood, hewing timber, jimple joints for cabin, can make wedges for splitting for boards, butchering of game

2 knife- for all other cutting and scraping

3 thin line- multipurpose, several hundred feet, fishing (unravel a few strands), simple net, line for drying/smoking

4 whet stone

5 3 legged cooking pot for boiling, washing, baking, hauling water

6 flint, steel, tinder box

7 alcohol for cleaning cuts, numbing pain, simple emergency light

8 barley/rye- you can eat the seeds, plant for future crops, hardy, but id grown 2-3 degrees below norm, produces ergot fungus (raw LSD), then you woulnd't care about your predicatment,

9 Almanac- full of info, reading, sun time, can alsways be used as tinder

10 double sided saw with file (rip and cut)

All other materials could be found on the wagon- leather from the harness, wood, canvas cover, supply of iron fittings, stock of food- one could always eat the horse, but I'd rather take a pregnant cow, slow, but one has milk, potential meet, and a growing herd.

Justin- who watched mad max a few too many times, and always wondered where max got his spare tires, oil and filters from...

8

Traveller's Checks?

Mark Harrison -- in Sydney, Australia

>Who on earth uses them any more, even to developing countries?

Mark,

who has had more frequent flyer points than most people will accrue in a life time, and has also been recognized on sight by international flight crew! Moreover, I don't miss that life!!!!!!

Re: 10 Things they would not take

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Gee, I guess I'm totally out of it. I only own two of those (not counting the Snickers - an easy investment).

I'm reminded that the modern parent doesn't seem to want to go on a car trip without a DVD player for the back seat to keep the rugrats quiet -- we spent a LOT of time singing silly songs with them ("them" now being 31 and 27).

Top of the list!

Bob Hackett

>Anything even remotely connected to the lobotomy box.

I can`t begin to explain the feelings I get when I find my older son(23 years old)at home in the middle of the day watching some MTV "reality TV" show when there`s a perfect salt water cove in line of sight.Makes me want to take a 10 lb(at least) hammer to the "telly".Unfortunately the wife would be hell to live with if she didn`t have the Sopranos every Sunday.

Thank God for workshops,my next project may be some sort of snare to drag the rest of the family down there.Call it a recue attempt.

Mainely,Bob