How Did I Ever Live Without This?

I won this moving fillester on ebay recently and have wondered how I ever did my work without it.  It makes the most perfect glazing rabbet.   Besides the replaced knicker the tool is immaculate and works like a dream.  I would definitely buy from this seller again.  The photos and description were spot on.

"Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenter"

The historian and my neighbor Richard Engeman sent this gem of a motto to me after he looked at this blog.  I am now quite fond of it.  It reminds me of my Great Grandfather, Mr Lehr (in the center of photo below).  He was a carpenter in Indiana at the beginning of the 20th c.  I can picture him raising up the roofbeams on the buildings he constructed.  He made violins in his spare time.  I believe that 16 of them survive, scattered around the family.  I am the keeper of one of his last ones.

The second photo is of my Great Grandma Daisy (other side of the family).  She raised three kids in Kansas during the Dust Bowl, and then divorced her husband in the late 30's and came West.  I will never forget her spirit, determination, and her fortitude.  

When Does Bathroom Graffiti Become Historic?

In this case it is the 1940s.  A couple of weeks back I was working on two complete (sash and frame) windows from a CCC log restroom for the Emigrant Springs Heritage Area.  The restroom has been converted into a storage unit for the park.

During the restoration process I discovered some signatures on one of the bottom rails.  After some discussions with the state historic preservation office we decided that it would be best not to paint over it.  A clear coat was put over it instead.

I never think that all those scratches and scribbles you see in public restrooms could someday be considered historic.

Finished interior

Finished exterior 

Adventures of the D-8 Rip Saw

About a month ago I finally found the rip saw of my dreams, a D-8 pistol grip Disston rip saw. The beauty was on display at Rejuvenation Hardware in the salvage department.  The "salvage guys" and myself crowded around the object like buzzards to a carcass.  After I mulled it over for awhile I decided I would not find a better rip saw and purchased it for a more than a fair price.  One of the Rejuvenation employees was especially saddened to see the saw go.  He had had his eye on it since its arrival.

Since then I have been keeping my salvage friends up to date with the adventures of this saw.   One of the first projects that I used it on was the church in Golden.  Here is a shot of the saw ripping a new sill to width.

Cutting in Golden's graveyard.

A picture of the installed sill can be found at this previous post.

The next project that showcased the saw was for Shore Acres State Park.  This park is one of the most beautiful places in all of Oregon.  I have been working on the Gardener's House windows since last year.  The house is missing two small closet sash.  I had two identical sash to use as examples.

Here is a photo showing the cutting of the 2 bottom rails.  

And the finished sash along side one of the originals.

I will be posting more saw adventures with the D-8 in the future.