I am finding that in my 70s I am working just as hard and almost as long as ever but only manage to get about half as much done as I used to. After moving a pickup load of mulch for Mrs. Barn this morning, I popped up to continue building the firewood inventory for next winter and beyond. Currently I am working my way through the pile of approximately 300-pound cherry bolts, which must be handled with great care as I am not even remotely interested in experiencing a broken leg.
I roll them to the bottom of the ramp then cautiously navigate the way up until it plunks down to the bed of the splitter with a WHAM! I thought about raising the splitter upright but decided that wouldn’t really work any better. I quarter the bolts then move three of those aside (I can handle those at about 75 pounds’ apiece), splitting the remaining quarter into nine full sized pieces of firewood, then repeat the process for the other three.
Once I get done with the last of these it will be time to head back up into the woods to begin processing more windfall. I’m pretty sure we’ve got next winter covered (quite a bit left from this recent brutal winter), but you can never have too much firewood when you live in the mountains and it is your main heat source.
Not especially romantic or blog worthy, but it is a central theme for this time of year. Along with hauling mulch, of course. I’ll resume again in the fall when my brother returns for a visit.
Reflecting on the bountiful tools I saw last weekend at the PATINA tool shindig I was reminded of a tool my friend Justin showed me when he visited a few months ago. Fashioned entirely out of a whale bone, it is spectacular.
I had a great time at the PATINA toolapalooza on Saturday, connecting with many friends and acquaintances, and communing with hundreds of thousands of tools. Every year I can spend up to a dozen minutes shopping for clothes and such, but I could spend dozens of hours browsing and shopping here.
There are two parts of the event, and I always start at the tailgating outside in the parking lot. That’s often where the real deals are found.
My big score for the day was a full NOS sleeve of vintage 220-grit 3M Tri-M-ite sandpaper. My experience is that this is getting harder to find, but one fellow had several tables of sandpaper-ish inventory, most of which I did not need. But the Tri-M-ite was priced nicely so I bought the whole pack.
I was only tempted a little by a smaller patternmaker’s vise that was missing a lot of parts. It was only $60 but I let someone else go home with it.
But if vises were what you wanted, there were plenty.
Inside was packed with both people and tools. Bins and shelves of tools.
The only other things I bought for myself were a file handle for $3, a Lufkin 10-foot tape measure for $2, and an extension carpenter’s rule for $8. I did buy a number of good tools for the grandsons, small back saws, eggbeater drills, and chisels for a future date, etc.
Very much looking forward to next year.
I’m involved in a couple more tool events this year; stay tuned.
This coming weekend is the PATINA tool swap near Frederick Marlyand. You can get the details here. If you are anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic it is well worth the effort to get there. Yes, there are scores of tables with thousands of premium vintage tools, but for me the real treasures are out in the tailgating tool swap.
I’ll be there Saturday morning on the hunt for tools appropriate to little boys. Can you believe Lil’T is four years old? And his brothers and cousin are stair stepping right behind him. I’ve got plenty of tools a-waitin’ for them, but not nearly enough.
Anyway, it you see me there and recognize me come up and say “Hi.” If you see me but do not recognize me, well, don’t.
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