Got up yesterday and had to bleed the brakes on the car before the big trip. 
It took a while longer than expected because the jack was missing a wheel 
and tipped over causing the car to roll of pinning it and the jack stand for 
a while.

Got the car ready and headed off to the tollway.  Saw some interesting stuff 
on the way, flower farm, christmas tree farm, little fawn walking down the 
road, steel mills near Gary, etc.  Finally got to Chicago and onto th 
expressway.  Must have been labelled wrong because we never went more than 
15 mph.

Made it to Hampshire without too much trouble and drove past the farm a few 
times before I saw the address numbers and realized I had made it.

I had a really great time at Galootapalooza.  Met lots of interesting 
people.  Bad Andy is good with faces but bad with names so forgive me if I 
miss anybody.

We got to meet Larry Williams of Clark & Williams Planes.  He brought along 
several Hollows and Rounds, A fenced Plough Plane, a Moving Fillister Plane, 
two small smoothers and some nice floats.  These were beautiful planes.  I 
took a picture with SWMBO's camera phone to show everyone here at home.  (No 
one seemed to understand though).  Fabulous planes, the smoothers barely had 
any mouth at all.  We tested them out on some wood.  Very nice.  "I just 
took a thin shaving off of a knot" was what Doug said about the smoothers.

We also pounded on some iron at Wes's forge.  There was this bar of steel 
and everyone got to pound a design into the metal.  I did a nice fish scale 
design.  Kinda tricky to pound because you didn't want to rest the chisel on 
the hot steel too long or it can the temper out of the chisel.

I also got to participate in the riving of the large walnut log with Mike 
and Les.  Nice barking spud demo.  The bark came off in two large sheets. 
Once the smaller sledge hammer handle snapped in half somebody said to try 
the big sledge.  So we got the biggest hammer I have ever seen.  Must have 
been 15, 20 pounds.  I raised it up and heard someone say "Be carefull." 
Too late the hammer was falling.  Hit the wedge dead on.  Did it a few more 
times and the log was about split.  (Told you I was freakishly strong). 
Then Les finished the split with my glut and froe club.  Stringy wood so It 
had to be pried apart with the broken sledge handle.

I picked up a 1/2" mortice chisel from Jim Crammond that was just the right 
size for my new bench I am working on from the tool sale.  So many good 
tools it was hard to resist buying everything.  Also found out that my tiny 
Disston crosscut Grandpa left me is a D7 with split nuts so It seems it is a 
lot older and in better condition than I thought.

Had to head back to Michigan shortly after dinner.  Made it home right at 
Midnight.  It was a nice trip and I had a great time.  Thanks for everyone's 
hospitality.

Bad Andy 

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