'Oh Joy' Restoration - 03/06/10 and a B-Day Party. . .

[CharlieCobra]

I got in some of that big Locust today. A single board weighs right at 100 Lbs. Ya oughta try wrestling with this stuff when try to cut it.



I decided to make one of the transom knees. Here's where I'm doing the cutout.



Then it was time for the bandsaw using angles from the old piece.



and



The toughest part was cutting the 40* angle in the tail section. That meant standing the pointy end up against the fence and pull cutting along a line. It came out nice as you can see.



Then I had to fit and trim it.



Followed by the deck beam notch.



After fitting, you can see how that tail section angle worked out.



The it was off to a B-Day party for a Granddaughter. This was the first time we had all 8 Grandkids in one place so photos were mandatory.



Yes there's nine kids. Lilly is the little one in back and basically an adopted Grandchild



All in all, a very good day.

[speakeasy]

Charlie, another great update. The locust looks like very tough stuff. You're making me less scared of wood I do declare. It's so easy to modify if you have the tools. And that is a lovely looking batch of grandkids. Cheers, Jon

[CharlieCobra]

Jon, all I have are some basic tools. I have a table saw, bandsaw, jointer, planer, skill saw and a Rockwell Multi-tool similar to the Fien. Other than a couple of hammers, some chisels and drill bits, that's it. I do have a shaper but no bits for it...

Them chillin's is cuties ain't they?

As to the Black Locust? Hard as Teak, heavy and strong as White Oak. Glues easy and is fairly rot proof. Oh, it doesn't suffer from iron sickness like WO does. Ya best have very sharp tools to work it though.

[s/v Beth]

What is the cost on locust? I remember it used to grow a hundred feet high back in New Mexico. The base was about 10-12 feet in diameter....

[CharlieCobra]

The normal price is $6.50 BF but I get it for $4.00 a BF. I've never heard of Black Locust that big. My supplier would love to know where those trees are and who owns them since the biggest we can get around here is 14" or so.

When ya coming to B-Ham Newt?

[s/v Beth]

The black locusts are in Mesilla, New Mexico. Planted sometime in the late 1880's I think. They were that size in the 70's, but last I checked they were still there. Amazing tree, the Locust. They had about 6 inch spikes on them just up from the base of the trunk. Never seen spikes like that on a tree before or since- we tended to climb and build our forts other trees for that reason...(so the natural defense worked).
Charlie- plan on being up there next week. Going to put Beth on the hard and do some painting....

[CharlieCobra]

Cool so you'll be at Colony Wharf then?

[s/v Beth]

Yeah- are you still there? I thought they gave you some kind of notice or something

[CharlieCobra]

They did but we're working it out. If I can come up with a grand, I can stay...

Who's doing the bottom work? You or are ya planning to have somebody else do it?