Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[GrizG]

People haven’t got a clue . Before I retired I set up plans for my kids they are very good about it and contribute monthly . I had all the licenses too but I let them go . Paying for continuing education and meeting the standards to keep my securities license just was to much of a pain in the butt

I let mine go too... high opportunity costs for something that wasn't my primary interest. My sons started early and have continued to contribute. I think they'll be okay but with the political gyrations who knows what the environment is going to look like in 5, 10, 40 years. I have no confidence that the politicians will steer a good course. We've had two socialists win elections in my district and they want to take it all from the rich and give that and more away... an unsustainable plan. I recently saw a 1992 video of Ross Perot raising concerns during the presidential campaign. Things have deteriorated since his comments... bad trajectory.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Not sayin it’s aliens, but…it’s aliens!
cue Twilight Zone theme…

 

[SS396driver]

When Craftsman was a top brand . I believe I’ve owned it for a at least 35 years

 

[mountainguyed67]

Chipper has me laughing again. This is reaction to pics of a Stihl saw that was damaged by a falling tree.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

When Craftsman was a top brand . I believe I’ve owned it for a at least 35 years View attachment 1143110View attachment 1143111

You must be using them light duty; I use to go through one or more of them every year as Sears would replace them. I believe singer made them.

Number one complaint, wearing chucks out the bit would start slipping, but I still have two of them. One I used for many years to touch up my jointer knives (still in the jointer) and the other was used for cutting dovetails in pine, both very light duty use.

As I started making more money, I started buying Porter Cable routers and I still have every one of them I've ever bought, and all of them still work perfectly.

SR

 

[SS396driver]

You must be using them light duty; I use to go through one or more of them every year as Sears would replace them. I believe singer made them.

Number one complaint, wearing chucks out the bit would start slipping, but I still have two of them. One I used for many years to touch up my jointer knives (still in the jointer) and the other was used for cutting dovetails in pine, both very light duty use.

As I started making more money, I started buying Porter Cable routers and I still have every one of them I've ever bought, and all of them still work perfectly.

SR

I don’t use it everyday but it’s been a good tool . Built For the homeowner who dabbles in woodwork . Porter cable are good tools too I have one of there jointers . I have some old porter cable tools tooand old Craftsman’s that keep on going

 

[svk]

Speaking of Bidenomics, here’s what $17 will buy you at Taco John’s. I doubt I’ll ever go back here.

Remember when they said $15 an hour food wages wouldn’t impact prices… They lied.

 

[bigbadbob]

Speaking of Bidenomics, here’s what $17 will buy you at Taco John’s. I doubt I’ll ever go back here.

Remember when they said $15 an hour food wages wouldn’t impact prices… They lied.
View attachment 1143145

Be glad yer not in Canada thats 22.75 here.
And thats a bout rite,,, why i dont go to fast food anymore.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I don’t use it everyday but it’s been a good tool . Built For the homeowner who dabbles in woodwork . Porter cable are good tools too I have one of there jointers . I have some old porter cable tools tooView attachment 1143138View attachment 1143139and old Craftsman’s that keep on going View attachment 1143140

My jointer is an 8" Rockwell, it's been a really good jointer. Where I lived PC was what they sold so that's what I mostly bought.

I had that same Sears bandsaw you have, and when I got it, I was REALLY disappointed and declared it junk. After I had it a while, I learned how to properly tune a BS up and it became a pretty good BS and I had it quite a few years. I replaced it with a 14" Rockwell, mostly to get higher resaw capacity and it didn't work so great either, (resawing} UNTIL I tuned it up. I still have it, it's a pretty good BS.

Anyway, waaay back then, Crapsman sold an "industrial" band saw that I really wanted, but it was waaaay out of my price range! A couple years ago my friend who buys out defunct shops, had a nice one in his warehouse, and he gave it to me! I haven't used it enough to know how it compares to my Rockwell......yet!

BTW, that Sears BS I use to have, I sold it to a guy that didn't know how to keep it in tune, and he got so mad at it, he pounded on the top of it with his fist and broke it in half!! Then throwing it in a dumpster!

What an ignorant dweep! I hope he reads this! lol

SR

 

[svk]

Those of you who retired early enough to get a full pension but also worked recently enough to get a 401k match for most of your career are the lucky ones! I have been participating in a pension for the last 5.5 years but heard it is being frozen later this year. So that will be worth something at age 55 plus but nowhere near what it would've been.

Oh well add it to the list of things I nearly had. LOL.

My life is very fulfilling, but it hasn't been easy. Seems every time I figure out the secret to life, the rules change. Is what it is, I have been blessed with a lot of good people in my life. And a few who taught me lessons lol.

 

[SS396driver]

My jointer is an 8" Rockwell, it's been a really good jointer. Where I lived PC was what they sold so that's what I mostly bought.

I had that same Sears bandsaw you have, and when I got it, I was REALLY disappointed and declared it junk. After I had it a while, I learned how to properly tune a BS up and it became a pretty good BS and I had it quite a few years. I replaced it with a 14" Rockwell, mostly to get higher resaw capacity and it didn't work so great either, (resawing} UNTIL I tuned it up. I still have it, it's a pretty good BS.

Anyway, waaay back then, Crapsman sold an "industrial" band saw that I really wanted, but it was waaaay out of my price range! A couple years ago my friend who buys out defunct shops, had a nice one in his warehouse, and he gave it to me! I haven't used it enough to know how it compares to my Rockwell......yet!

BTW, that Sears BS I use to have, I sold it to a guy that didn't know how to keep it in tune, and he got so mad at it, he pounded on the top of it with his fist and broke it in half!! Then throwing it in a dumpster!

What an ignorant dweep! I hope he reads this! lol

SR

Ya I needed to adjust the BS when I got it (freebie) I think that’s why my friend gave it to me . Works great now

 

[SS396driver]

Those of you who retired early enough to get a full pension but also worked recently enough to get a 401k match for most of your career are the lucky ones! I have been participating in a pension for the last 5.5 years but heard it is being frozen later this year. So that will be worth something at age 55 plus but nowhere near what it would've been.

Oh well add it to the list of things I nearly had. LOL.

My life is very fulfilling, but it hasn't been easy. Seems every time I figure out the secret to life, the rules change. Is what it is, I have been blessed with a lot of good people in my life. And a few who taught me lessons lol.

I had two careers the PD with full pension and then Allstate . Allstate had both a pension and a 401k .

 

[MechanicMatt]

What would you focus on?

As a smith? Anything

Id absolutely love to be able to re-bore a barrel
Cut the rifling, I think that I’d be able to make a decent living. Have other smiths mail me barrels. That way, I’d have constant work.

I’ve watched videos of Larry Potterfield installing liners, that’s pretty cool too

Anything that guy can do, I don’t see how I can’t if I had his equipment

 

[djg james]

For anyone that woodworks Lowe’s has the 48 inch Jorgensen cabinet clamps on sale for 39.98 until January 17th I picked up 7 View attachment 1142580View attachment 1142581

Thanks for the heads up. I picked up a case (4) of them at $32 each after an additional 20% off for applying for a card. Could of been a lot cheaper had I not corrected the cashier's error. She initially rang the whole case up as ONE clamp.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Well it’s nice enough outside to work on the cutting board I’m making from the cooktop cutout . I’m sure my wife won’t use it . I can hear it now “ But it’s too nice to cut on “ View attachment 1143087View attachment 1143089View attachment 1143090

It is pretty nice

 

[SS396driver]

Thanks for the heads up. I picked up a case (4) of them at $32 each after an additional 20% off for applying for a card. Could have been a lot cheaper had I not corrected the cashier's error. She initially rang the whole case up as ONE clamp.

That’s a good deal on the clamps

Good on you for being honest . I’ve done it myself a few times when the cashier rings it up wrong or gives me to much change

 

[JimR]

Thanks for the heads up. I picked up a case (4) of them at $32 each after an additional 20% off for applying for a card. Could of been a lot cheaper had I not corrected the cashier's error. She initially rang the whole case up as ONE clamp.

That sounds like a great idea. I don't have those clamps or a Lowes card. I think a trip to Lowes is in order.

 

[GrizG]

As a smith? Anything

Id absolutely love to be able to re-bore a barrel
Cut the rifling, I think that I’d be able to make a decent living. Have other smiths mail me barrels. That way, I’d have constant work.

I’ve watched videos of Larry Potterfield installing liners, that’s pretty cool too

Anything that guy can do, I don’t see how I can’t if I had his equipment

It can certainly be an interesting career. Tools are one thing but knowing how to use them is something else...! I knew guys who made parts for Auto Ordnance in West Hurley. AO farmed out work to local shops before the Moonies bought AO and moved the operation.

For fun, maybe hook up with the guys making muzzle loader barrels by hand... forging, filing, reaming, rifling. That is one of the coolest things I ever got to got to try my hand at.

I know a guy who straightened barrels for one of the premier makers after he graduated from gunsmithing school... He went on to work at Williamsburg making flintlock long rifles and doing other gun work on the side. Another of the CW smiths did restoration work on "modern" guns on the side.

 

[djg james]

That sounds like a great idea. I don't have those clamps or a Lowes card. I think a trip to Lowes is in order.

Do it soon. 48" sale is over the 17th? Considered buying 60" also, but I've got long pipe clamps if needed.

 

[djg james]

That’s a good deal on the clamps

Good on you for being honest . I’ve done it myself a few times when the cashier rings it up wrong or gives me to much change

I thought about it for 5 seconds but I believe in Karma or whatever you call it .