# Have Bench will Travel



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Yesterday was the Rural Christmas at the LSU Rural Life Museum. I set up a mobile bench and did some some hand tooling!

My original intent was to build a console table, well undid so much talking that I only got the top, 2 of the 4 legs tapered, and half the aprons finished in the time it should have been done. 

I gave up with that and built a toy wooden truck (Kenbo would have been horrified!) 

Twenty-something people signed up with interest in classes, I was happy with that.

A lot of pictures were taken but I only ended up with a couple, unfortunately.

Here are a few pics.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Cool pictures! That sounded like a lot of fun. You are like a young Roy Underhill there! Better find you a funny hat to wear during these shows though. Gotta sell yourself you know. It's really cool to hear about your classes and shows. Keep up the good work buddy!


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Sounds like a lot of fun.

Not a surprise that the time flew by. It should if people are interested and some good questions are asked.

By the way, did you ever post pictures of the pit saw you got in the summer? I recall seeing this in your avatar but not a large picture.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Nice Tom! I'm sure the participants learned a lot!


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## Joeb41 (Jun 23, 2012)

Looks like good clean fun! Sometimes it's nice to not have to plug anything in. You might be interested in reading THIS Duxbury is not far from me and I am going to check it out.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Yeah I old you I was with the wife so I missed it. Maybe another time.

What no pictures of the truck?


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Nice set up. Looks like fun, and you got to make lots of chips! I like the wagon in the back. Great to hear about your exploits.


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## Wema826 (Jul 22, 2012)

Good Job Tom! If im ever down in your area I will have to look ya up and attend one of your Classes. that is if ya will have a Yankee! HAHA


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Glad to hear you're getting more interest in hand tooling. 

I'll second the request for pics of the truck, you know what they say, no pics.................

Are you offering the classes through the museum or is it something you are doing on your own? I'd be interested to hear more about the classes even though I'd never be able to attend. Just curious....


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

ACP said:


> Cool pictures! That sounded like a lot of fun. You are like a young Roy Underhill there! Better find you a funny hat to wear during these shows though. Gotta sell yourself you know. It's really cool to hear about your classes and shows. Keep up the good work buddy!


No funny hats here! lol but if I had a dollar for every time I heard the name "Roy Underhill or Woodwright shop" or a phrase similar to "I didn't know saws could cut that fast" or my favorite "Oh my God! Look how sharp that chisel is!" then I'd by typing this from somewhere in the toasty Bahamas! :laughing:




Dave Paine said:


> Sounds like a lot of fun.
> 
> Not a surprise that the time flew by. It should if people are interested and some good questions are asked.
> 
> By the way, did you ever post pictures of the pit saw you got in the summer? I recall seeing this in your avatar but not a large picture.


Yes, it's around here somewhere. The "hand tools research" thread maybe? I'll post it again here though.




Taylormade said:


> Nice Tom! I'm sure the participants learned a lot!


I doubt that but it sure caught a couple of theirs attention which is great. I like the question "you don't really work like that in your shop, do you?" :smile: :yes: sure do!




Joeb41 said:


> Looks like good clean fun! Sometimes it's nice to not have to plug anything in. You might be interested in reading THIS Duxbury is not far from me and I am going to check it out.


Cool beans. Thanks I'll check that out.



rrbrown said:


> Yeah I old you I was with the wife so I missed it. Maybe another time.
> 
> What no pictures of the truck?


No pictures of the truck! Absolutely no pictures of the truck!



Shop Dad said:


> Nice set up. Looks like fun, and you got to make lots of chips! I like the wagon in the back. Great to hear about your exploits.


Thanks!




Wema826 said:


> Good Job Tom! If im ever down in your area I will have to look ya up and attend one of your Classes. that is if ya will have a Yankee! HAHA


Thanks! Of course Yankees are welcome! It will be the Old Cajun Workshop... but be ready to leave them bad Yankee habits behind!




trc65 said:


> Glad to hear you're getting more interest in hand tooling.
> 
> I'll second the request for pics of the truck, you know what they say, no pics.................
> 
> Are you offering the classes through the museum or is it something you are doing on your own? I'd be interested to hear more about the classes even though I'd never be able to attend. Just curious....


No pictures of the truck!!! Kenbo would faint. The body was square cut out of 14/4" sycamore and the wheels were turned cypress. I'm perfectly fine with it never having happened :yes: :laughing: Most importantly I didn't take any pictures of it.

As for the classes they will be offered as continuing education classes with LSU... at least that's the not set in stone plan right now. Either way they will be hosted at the Musseum.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Here's the pit saw you asked about. For scale, I'm 6'4"... The saw is 7'2" long!


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## Wema826 (Jul 22, 2012)

Good God what a saw!

I can see it now everyone will be talkin about the size of Tom's saw! :laughing:


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

Wish I was close enough for classes. Nice saw for sure.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Thanks for re-posting the saw pictures. That is an impressive piece of steel.

I did not appreciate the shape was wider at the top than the bottom.

Also it looks like the top operator has a T handle while the lower operator has the conventional handle.

Hard to say which would be the worst position. Person at the top would have a lot of back problems over time. The fellow working on the bottom would get a lot of dust to eat.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Wema826 said:


> Good God what a saw!
> 
> I can see it now everyone will be talkin about the size of Tom's saw! :laughing:


Its a beast, for sure!



rayking49 said:


> Wish I was close enough for classes. Nice saw for sure.


Love to have you make one, Ray. Click the link in my signature and sign-up for the mailing list. I should be sending out a schedule in Jan.




Dave Paine said:


> Thanks for re-posting the saw pictures. That is an impressive piece of steel.
> 
> I did not appreciate the shape was wider at the top than the bottom.
> 
> ...


The bottom handle called the "box" should be a T handle too. I recieved the saw the eve before I needed it so I had to borrow the Till and Box from a smaller pit saw and it didn't fit very well. There is a new Till and Box in the makings.

The guy on the till (me) certainly has it a LOT easier! The saw cuts in the downward direction!


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

If anyone would like to be added to the mailing list here is the link:

http://facebook.us6.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=b04b56aff3d08e6ab286a013d&id=2c938a3fd8

You do not need a Facebook account, only an email address. 

The first issue goes out at 7pm today. If you miss it there you can still catch a hard link to it on my Facebook page.

Take care!


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