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262903 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2017‑08‑15 Once more into the breach
I have my old wooden ladder under my back porch.
      Kind of a metaphor for us old Galoots.
Its made a wonderful life for me. It has helped me, and helped others 
which helps myself in the bargain. Its been there when the chips were down.

Got this ladder used about 20 years ago. (just like the porch)
Yard sale or somesuch. (porch was free)
It was used, but not that much.
      I have 20 years of jobs associated with this ladder. It has lived 
a really long time in wooden ladder years.  In this time, only once, in 
all his time, did I need to go over all the fasteners and generally do 
the serious ladder maintenance once over. Look at and adjust every part 
of it, you know.

Well it was time.
Summer and low humidity means it was as loose as it was going to get.
Lots of screws to be drawn up. Rivets to be tightened. And the main top, 
the strong part all the rest of the ladder depends on? That needed more 
support.

    If you don't think these were the screwiest angles I ever had to 
fit, well you never built a boat.
  http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ladder4.jpg
See how tame they look attached like this? Yeah right.

Such weird angles I simply had to cut n try, remark, cut n try. Then 
copy one to the other in mirror image.
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ladder3.jpg

   The little paint can shelf is actually critical to the engineering, 
and I had to reinforce that too.
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ladder5.jpg

  Every part is now tight as a drum again. I am pretty sure it can go 
another 20 years now, with utmost care.
    I hope we can too.


So.................. porch stories?
  Want to hear a story?
  How about a story of a girl?
   and nothing less than the absolute perfect girl on skates for me. 
Perfect age, location, perfect circumstance, local leader. A radiantly 
darling ex cheerleader.
I fell in love with her in 5 minutes, 15 years ago. Its stronger now.

Not just me. The whole town, whole valley, everyone.
Watching us and waiting.
We are both as public as we can be.

I am operating a genuine fairytale castle life over here.
   Complete with real magic.
I am offering it to no one else.

   Whatever I do, in whatever way I do it, infuriates her.
  Like, I love Lucy infuriated.

   I am living in a Shakespearian play.
        yours Scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html
262906 curt seeliger <seeligerc@g...> 2017‑08‑15 Re: Once more into the breach
> I am operating a genuine fairytale castle life over
> here.  Complete with real magic.
> I am offering it to no one else.

Scott's got a sweetheart??!?!!
Scotty and Lucy, sitting in a tree...!
In to the breach, indeed. Talking it up on the old-fool list, covered with
a story about a ladder.
Keep at it, good man.
263036 "yorkshireman@y..." <yorkshireman@y...> 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
Well, it’s not often I can ever top one of Scott’s stories, but…

He brought tears to my eyes with a description of a stepladder. 
> On 15 Aug 2017, at 19:18, scott grandstaff  wrote:
> 
> 
> I have my old wooden ladder under my back porch.
>     Kind of a metaphor for us old Galoots.
> Its made a wonderful life for me. It has helped me, and helped others which
helps myself in the bargain. Its been there when the chips were down.
> 
> Got this ladder used about 20 years ago. (just like the porch)
> Yard sale or somesuch. (porch was free)
> It was used, but not that much.
>     I have 20 years of jobs associated with this ladder. It has lived a really
long time in wooden ladder years.  In this time, only once, in all his time, did
I need to go over all the fasteners and generally do the serious ladder
maintenance once over. Look at and adjust every part of it, you know.
> 
> Well it was time.
> Summer and low humidity means it was as loose as it was going to get.
> Lots of screws to be drawn up. Rivets to be tightened. And the main top, the
strong part all the rest of the ladder depends on? That needed more support.

.. snip ..

My grandfathers step ladder came to me from my Mother.  Only a small thing,
stood about high enough to reach the ceiling, dust the top of the wardrobes, or
similar.  What I now know to be sash cord was used to brace them open.
Well, like all of us, time takes its toll.  Like Scotts steps, they needed
fettling.  Those steps were made by my Grandad Chester - he died before I was
born, so all I have of him is the stories of my Mum (Mom, Paddy) and some
photos, and a couple of trinkets.
My Mum used to say that he could make anything, and one day they needed steps,
so he made some.  When I lifted them to the bench for surgery, my accumulated
store of knowledge and restorations, and finishes, and hand working all kicked
in.  Still the tool marks faintly visible under the grime, if you know what
you’re seeing.  Still some moulding struck down one edge that shows it came from
the scrap pile.  Still some old screws where he first assembled it.  The T&G
making the top platform a bit cupped.

It’s difficult to know just what to do with something like that.  I can see the
work of the man all over it.  I can visualise him at whatever bench, in whatever
tool/work shed he had, needing something to let him get on with a job, or maybe
my Grandma saying “I’ll have to buy some steps.”  and Grandad Chester (for it
was he) answering “I’ll make you some - save the brass’”  and casting around for
some bits of scrap for sides, steps, top, support legs.  That must have been
well over 70 years ago.

Maybe that’s where I get some of my skill from, maybe that’s why I have the
Yorkshiremans instinct to be careful wi’ t’ brass.

Thanks Scott.   Another memory vignette brought back thanks to the wonders of
the porch,


Richard Wilson
Yorkshireman Galoot
in a warm and sunny Northumberland
263037 Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
On Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 2:18 PM, scott grandstaff 
wrote:

>
> I have my old wooden ladder under my back porch.
>      Kind of a metaphor for us old Galoots.
>
>
​That kind of ladder is what I call a "widowmaker".

The previous generation, that commonly used those,  was typically around
160 lb, and, even carrying a full load, those ladders wouldn't have to
support 200 lbs.
Now?... fughetaboutit.
Claudio ( passing the spittoon.)
263038 james rich <jameslrich3@g...> 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
I still have 4,5 and 6' wood step ladders that I either bought or were
givin to me at the beginning of my career​. By looking at them the only
way  I can tell where my replacement wood begins and the original wood
remains is that I always made new parts out of hardwood (usually red
oak) and not the original doug fir. When I was young and invinceable I ran
about 225 or 30 now that Im niether am about 275. I try to stay off these
ladders anymore, though I believe they would be fine. Seems the kids nor
friends want to borrow these ladders as they are pretty darn heavy. I
recall yarding  40' wood extension ladders around for the Journeymen when I
was a greenhorn.  NOBODY griped when aluminum ladders started to show up on
the jobsites.

On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 4:01 AM, Claudio DeLorenzi 
wrote:
263039 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
Perhaps 10 years ago, MLW and I were in California (we went to both north and
south parts of the state but I can't recall exactly where) where we went to a
car museum that had a bunch of fire fighting equipment.  They had several wooden
extension ladders and gave the story that in that town (San Diego??) they still
use wooden ladders.  They repair them themselves and the oldest ladder still in
service is from 1906 (Like Washington’s hatchet, though).  I think it had to do
with electric wires on poles.

I, too, had a 40 foot extension ladder in wood.  The best part of it was that it
got wider at the bottom so was very stable (if you could get it into place)

Ed Minch
263040 Mick Dowling <spacelysprocket@b...> 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
There's a video about the ladder shop at the SFFD here;
https://vimeo.com/13190227

Mick Dowling
Melbourne
Member, Hand Tool Preservation Association of Australia Inc.
263041 james rich <jameslrich3@g...> 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
I  would love to have that stash of vertical grain Fir​.

On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 3:35 PM, Mick Dowling 
wrote:
263042 Erik Levin 2017‑08‑21 Re: Once more into the breach
Claudio ruminated:

>
>On Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 2:18 PM, scott grandstaff wrote:>> 
>> I have my old wooden ladder under my back porch. 
>> Kind of a metaphor for us old Galoots. 
>> 
>>​>That kind of ladder is what I call a "widowmaker".>


and James followed with:
> NOBODY griped when aluminum ladders started to show up on the jobsites.
Interestingly enough, a few years ago, at one of the jobs I still hold, I was
charged with the position of Safety Officer. Might still hold it. One of the
tasks required by our oversight agency was a full inventory and inspection of
all tools, machines, gear, and equipment falling under OSHA regs (1910, 1915,
and 1926) which includes, unsurprisingly, ladders. You might note that 1915 is
shipyard. This might give a cue to some where this is going.

I had looked at these ladders from afar, as they were stored in a back corner of
the shop/warehouse when not out on site. I had seen them on the longbed truck
going out or coming in, long enough that they hung off the back while also being
propped over the roof of the cab (old truck, as well as old tools, by the way).
I had never looked at them closely. The ceiling of the structure was
sufficiently higher than the 24 foot elevation the forklift maxed out at, and
the ladders-- step ladders, a frame-- were jammed in the corner where the roof
met the wall.
They were big. 

Real big.
Real, real big. 

And wood.
And old.
After I got done with the modern fibreglass ladders (step and extension),
condemning a couple due to cracks and damages supports, threw the remains of one
of the aluminum extensions into the scrap skip, and went over the wood
extensions (all good) and smaller wood steps, I got to these big boys.

Sleepy (yup, that is the only name I knew him by. He stopped showing up one day,
saving the trouble of firing him) was the only helper in  the shop, and we
wrestled these bad boys out and managed to spread and stand them. They just
cleared the roof by enough to stand them.

On the ground before spreading, there were no clear indications of any issue.
The only markings indicated that they were shop constructed in the 1940's (OT
content). They still met all standards in the regulations for shop constructed
wooden ladders. Fasteners all looked good. Every rung solid, and a few had been
replaced. Spreaders --wood, by the way-- solid and properly pinned. Every
fastener good.
 There were two.
They were.... majestic.
Of all the gear in the place, I think these behemoths might have been the only
things that got universal respect, though there were a few that got universal
fear.

Even the 12 footers had some issues. These guys, nothing.

Then it came time to climb. I won't sing the paper if I won't climb it.  Up one
step. Two. three.... All the way to the top. Solid as a rock. I climbed down and
went up the second one. Same thing. Only problem I found was one of the tool
trays flipped rather than bracing against the step due to the ends of bars being
beaten over the years. At the time, I was near my maximum tonnage, well over
200lbs (nearly 100Kg). These were like standing on the deck of an aircraft
carrier in drydock. Solid. NOTHING like a fibreglass or aluminum unit. I had no
problem signing the report and tagging them in service.
A couple years later, the shop moved into a new, smaller, space. I have no idea
where those ladders are now. I know they moved, as they were in the yard for a
while, out in the weather. I think they spent some time on their sides on the
ground (bad for a wood ladder). Then... I don't know. I just don't know. I may
have to ask about their fate one day.

Or maybe not. *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and
the reply address(es) may not match the originating address
263044 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2017‑08‑22 Re: Once more into the breach
Its a regional thing.
My ladder is light weight, but I would put over 300 pounds on it, second 
step from top, easy.  It might have been a little loose in the 
fasteners, but the wood was in no danger of failure.
Its very strong.
    Its just doug fir, but its a pretty good grade of fir.
But then, this is where it comes from. Right here. We grow it.  I am 
surrounded with it by 500 miles.

Fir is one of those woods that is wildly variable.
  They'll call anything fir. They will label 20 year old plantation 
plants (not even trees yet) doug fir,
saw it up,  and make things from it!

     There are also, ahem,  other grades of the stuff.

Maybe you'd be so kind as to count the lines per inch on this? heeheh
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/shop%20pix/dougfir.jpg

I made this from doug fir.
and, that's a 65 watt Peavey Bandit amp.
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ampstand1.jpg
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ampstand2.jpg
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ampstand3.jpg

Its particularly fine grain and tough fir. Not all the fine grain fir is 
tough either, in case you don't live in a forest full of it.
      Some of it is quite hard and tough and you just have to get used 
to it I guess.

     I am not sure how to tell you the ways you can tell if its tough. 
Before you get all the way into it.
  Jam a thumbnail into it for sure. If you jam a thumbnail in, its not 
the stuff.  You might dent it a little but thats it. Pay attention to 
the grain of course. Pay very close attention to the grain.
  Working it you'll know real quick. Sawing planing etc.  you'll know.
      yours Scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html

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