Norm Abram - Where Are You?

Grawulf · April 20, 2005, 06:18:14 PM

Just received the latest issue of This Old House :P and on page 113, it talks about a gentleman that cut his own cherry trees down and hired a portable bandmill sawyer to cut them up - imagine that..... The only problem I saw was that it didn't mention the Forestry Forum when people needed to locate a sawyer in their area. So..........I emailed them and told them about this fabulous place - maybe we'll get a blurb in the next issue.

It said that the guy started working the wood at 15% moisture

Me thinks he's looking for trouble as this was in Connecticut - not the southern climes like FDH went to early this year.

UNCLEBUCK · April 21, 2005, 12:51:03 AM

I like Norm A , he is laid back and a true carpenter/woodworker

thedeeredude · April 21, 2005, 10:03:36 AM

Ever see Roy Underhill? He's an awesome dude and a great woodworker.

ARKANSAWYER · April 21, 2005, 10:38:11 AM

ROY THE MAN! I like Roy Underhill. He goes out and fells the tree, splits out what he needs and by the end of the show has made what ever it was he was a needing. I have most of the Fox Fire books and some stuff that Roy put out about making old stuff. Good stuff to know. I make alot of my own handles and repair alot of stuff just because I can. Some day we may not be able to run to town and get what ever we need or want and may have to rely on skills of past days.

MemphisLogger · April 21, 2005, 11:02:22 AM

Depending on what he's making out of the Cherry, 15% isn't too bad.

Polyurethane glue works great at that MC (better than drier) and the movement can be anticipated and accomodated with appropriate joinery.

I often rough dimension parts and glue up table tops and panels with Cherry and Walnut at 12-15% and then sticker the whole lot in my shop for a little more drying/equalizing before final dimensioning and panel flattening.

Figured woods respond better to handtools when a little moist (12-15%) and I get a lot less tearout on the jointer and planer.

Buzz-sawyer · April 21, 2005, 11:18:53 AM

I needed a new tomahawk handle yesterday, so I grabbed a chuck of white oak fire wood and split out a stave then turned it down on the little lathe, then used a drawknife to shape it up ...bout 1/2 hour...then back to tomahawking :D :D

Doc · April 21, 2005, 12:33:43 PM

Hey Buzz.....didja make that hawk?

What you got growing in those cups there?

Nice work on that handle.

Doc

Buzz-sawyer · April 21, 2005, 02:09:03 PM

I traded a blonde colored beaver skin for one hawk...and a red fox for a homemade green river knife and another hawk....pretty high but I wanted to trade!!
I have some tomatoes there...I have about 120 out and 60 broccoli...etc.

Brad_S. · April 21, 2005, 08:24:25 PM

Well, on other forums, they would call this a "gloat".

I'm going to a Roy Underhill workshop on Saturday. The sponsering group, Rochester Woodworkers Society, http://www.rochesterwoodworkers.org/index.html asked me to bring along a 10" x 8' pine log as Roy will demonstrate hewing with an axe. I'm hoping I then get to go back home with the finished beam-what a mantle that would make- but I'm afraid I will probably be outranked. I need to get a new memory card but will try and get some photos.

thedeeredude · April 21, 2005, 09:10:38 PM

Brad,
I can't believe you get to see Saint Roy

You have to take pictures now. And take pictures of the tools, too. Or just take a video camera and Have Jeff load it to da forum :D Anyway, report back on the show after ya see it.

ARKANSAWYER · April 21, 2005, 09:56:22 PM

Well Brad I am a bit green with envy over that deal. Will need photos.

Grawulf · April 21, 2005, 10:05:13 PM

Speaking about Foxfire books...........have you guys ever seen foxfire? I was walking the dogs early one morning just at dawn and kicked into a rotten log and thought I was seeing things. It glowed a bluish-green.

I brought a piece home to show the kids and it continued to glow for a couple of days - as long as I kept it wet. Pretty interesting stuff.
In my home here in Ohio, If I don't have lumber down to 6 - 8%, I get cup and warp. Most cabinet shops around here don't work with anything greater than 6%. Urban, you don't have problems in your neck-o-the-woods with MC that high?
Gosh, this thread is gonna start freaking Jeff out - we've traveled from bandmills to Norm to Roy to Buzz's outdoor activities (nice hawk Buzz!) to the drying forum...............I'm sorry Jeff! :

Paschale · April 21, 2005, 10:56:33 PM

Hey Grawulf,

I've seen firefox too. 8) My dad's always been into it, and I think on every single Boy Scout camping trip we went on, he'd try to find some. One time he did, and I'll never forget it. We were all amazed by that eerie blue-green glow. Pretty cool stuff! 8) I wonder what causes that. :P

UNCLEBUCK · April 21, 2005, 11:06:37 PM

Have fun Brad . I record all those shows on saturday and watch them later. They are good ! What kind of wood is foxfire found in or is this like finding the elusive u.p. snowsnake ? ;D

pigman · April 21, 2005, 11:20:42 PM

Uncle Buck. Foxfire was discussed in this thread.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=5723.msg78736#msg78736

Sawyerfortyish · April 22, 2005, 12:59:31 PM

Once a few years ago in the swamp on the hill behind my house everything glowed. The rocks the trees, piles of leaves, bushes everything

. Never seen anything like it. Dad told me it was foxfire. Haven't seen it again. Dad told me all the conditions have to be just right for it exist.

Fla._Deadheader · April 23, 2005, 04:13:50 PM

Y' all need to ask Arky about the "Spook light", in Misserie ;D ;D ;D ;D

ScottAR · April 24, 2005, 02:18:20 AM

I understand there are several in Missouri... One over around Joplin and I know there's one around arbyrd and hollywood...

Grawulf · April 24, 2005, 01:54:36 PM

Story time 8) ............. Hey Arky - tell us a story. Huh, Arky, would ya, huh ,would ya? Everybody gather round the campfire...........and don't BE SCARED!

TN_man · April 25, 2005, 04:37:29 AM

I am not Arky and I do not have a story but I did get to meet Norm once and had him sign a book for me. His is down to earth as someone else has said. I sure would like to see his workshop one day. In person that is.

Riles · April 25, 2005, 09:32:52 PM

I'm told the location of his workshop is a closely held secret. I can't figure out what he does with all the furniture he makes. They say they keep it around for follow up questions.

thedeeredude · April 25, 2005, 10:25:53 PM

Riles,
Who's location, Roy or Naaahhhhm(you new englanders talk funny :D)? I don't know where either shop is, but the furniture Naaaahhhhhm makes (2 pieces of each thing) is split, the producer of the show, Russel Morash I think gets one piece and Norm keeps one piece. After that, I don't knkow if Norm sells the stuff, or hif his garage is really really cluttered :D

Riles · April 26, 2005, 07:36:15 AM

Naaahhhmmm's shop seems to be well hidden. I know the Q&A section of his website always includes people wanting to take a tour of his shop, but they refuse. They specifically say they don't sell the stuff, but I have seen at least one item go up for a PBS charity auction.

DR Buck · April 26, 2005, 08:30:58 PM

I think this is a "run away thread!" ;D or is the proper term "hijacked?" :D

I finally got around to reading the article mentioned in the 1st posting of this thread. What I want to know is how old is that LT-20 used to mill the cherry? It looks like its been around awhile. Doesn't look like it has many options either. I would also guess that 2 days to mill 500 bf is a result of having a manual mill? ??? Guess thats why I bought hydraulics.

Grawulf · April 26, 2005, 09:52:42 PM

DR, thanks for bringing it full circle! Sure does look like one of the original Woodmizers, doesn't it - or that orange - red has seen a lot of sun

The carriage is still orange but the saw and guards are a grey-white (not painted over because there's decals of setup procedures and a log rule and lumber scale. Looks like maybe an 8 horse? My guess would be that's why it took two days to mill 500 bf. Anybody in Connecticut know Larry Oliver III?

Gilman · April 26, 2005, 11:09:57 PM

Delta had a drawing where the winner got to spend a day shooting an episode of The New Yankee workshop with NaaaaHHmmm. I don't sign up for drawings normally due to the mailing list you get put on, except this time. Apparently I didn't win.

Roy's shop is on a PBS set, I don't know which town he tapes from. Anybody else watch to see if Roy cuts or nicks himself during a show? A few years back he had some rough shows. One where he was dripping away, but just kept on going.

It would be great to go to one of his workshops.

My favorite episode is the one where Roy's guest had an antique miniture woodshop, might of even had a little boiler originally. The guest had a little electric motor attached so that all of the equipment worked. The best part is when Roy is handling the toy and the look on the guest's face. The guest kept reaching out thinking that any moment Roy was going to drop it.

Paschale · April 28, 2005, 01:54:43 AM

I just got my issue a couple of days ago. That LT-20 does look pretty old--it looks like it's the vintage of my LT-40, which would make it early 80's. It's good to see one still running strong! It's an interesting article. I didn't totally agree with everything in there. They said the suggested height off the ground for lumber is 12 inches--I've always read and heard 18, though I suppose that's no big deal. He sure didn't have those stickers lined up very well either! Also, did you see the picture where he was ripping the boards on the table saw? His hand position is CRAZY! His ring finger is right in line with the blade, just a couple of inches away, and it doesn't look like he's using a push stick at all. No splitter, and no guard either.

The stairs are beautiful though, aren't they? I'm really glad he rescued those cherries!