OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

142780 "Jim B." <jimbell1@i...> 2005‑02‑28 Intro and Bio
Hi all     

I'm a product of Arkansas public schools, and Mississippi higher 
education.  This intro/delurk is likely enough to prove my educational 
background. Probably pretty scattered.  My family and I live and work in 
Louisville KY.  My profession is that of a Grocer and I love it. 

I've always been interested in how things were done before electricity 
and gasoline powered everything, but I hadn't spent much time learning 
to do them for myself. When as a Scout I got to go to Philmont the 
leaders thought it was odd as I was more interested in the demo's 
(mining, lumberjacking, mule packing) than I was in the hiking or scenery.

My father was a jack leg carpenter, and he managed to teach me enough to 
get into trouble using power tools before he passed away.  I have some 
of those corded devils of my own, but they work much faster than my 
mind, so I've been looking at the older ways of doing things.  I bought 
a Stanley plane (or two) off E-bay, and a couple of braces, some chisels 
later...

I've been reading and lurking lots of places hoping to learn more, and 
pick up more tools.   I found a book on Toolboxes at a local 1/2 price 
bookstore, between that and a couple other books (The Practical and The 
Complete Woodworker, Woodwright's books).   I was pretty bummed that I'd 
not had any luck finding hardwoods other than poplar or red oak at the 
local lumber sources, had almost resigned myself to working only in them 
or pine, then I got stubborn.

Just today I found a local mill that will sell me hard maple, walnut, 
and cherry for $1 a board foot.  They just mill and don't have a kiln 
nor do they plane wood, but they have some that's been drying under 
cover for over a year now.  "Just an old country sawmill, son." the lady 
said.  Apparently they cut everything into 1X6's unless you get a custom 
cut.  That might just require a trip to see...

I hunt and fish.  I golf poorly, and I'm a voracious reader.  I enjoy 
Fiction (especially science fiction) as well as how to's.

I really enjoy the practical knowledge here and in other woodworking 
sources on the net.  I hope that one day I'll be able to contribute.

Now I'm off to figure out what exactly a board food is...

Jim Bell
-- 

Jim Bell

**PPLL**

I quote unless otherwise requested!!

Sto Unis

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Recent Bios FAQ