tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38721506041401278762024-03-06T15:02:38.476-05:00Rural BlacksmithAdventures in traditional
blacksmithing from Field's Blacksmith Shop at The Farmers’ Museum in
Cooperstown, NY.blog teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17641226140881654172noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-18853809326903771952012-04-11T09:15:00.002-04:002012-04-15T08:40:30.462-04:00Why did the Ducks cross the road at The Farmers' Museum?<div style="text-align: left;">To get the the pond, of course! Our Cayuga ducks were busily working in the field this spring after a late snow. They forage much of the day for their food.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPydZtnzucEuqOrut9pviyXbx_oPP7G96kjvc4-ZgegvSUoB-dIuPsfvEMczaHvUr-IVyDkUJxAM7uvMjtK40RWeZMJ0KNG0Oc4r4UsEsW6Ej_d3h8NYAbyceInzM-d9dAOZizY1-f3ScP/s1600/May+3-Spring+Pics+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPydZtnzucEuqOrut9pviyXbx_oPP7G96kjvc4-ZgegvSUoB-dIuPsfvEMczaHvUr-IVyDkUJxAM7uvMjtK40RWeZMJ0KNG0Oc4r4UsEsW6Ej_d3h8NYAbyceInzM-d9dAOZizY1-f3ScP/s320/May+3-Spring+Pics+024.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ducks eat both plants and insects. They looked very intent as they worked through the new grass near the pond.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13JL8FdDZUr7lz0YMBpTZqUjOzy6CtW2mjIk-1NbDzIrBsqBXDo3sNvmPOvoXZVhtmHMPuOzAvYsuLXUjMayrwYPYYp2ZCrvQhjZUe-5PQmfSM1i1k4vfza5lNorYQlX3uWOXDIsyhzFc/s1600/May+3-Spring+Pics+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13JL8FdDZUr7lz0YMBpTZqUjOzy6CtW2mjIk-1NbDzIrBsqBXDo3sNvmPOvoXZVhtmHMPuOzAvYsuLXUjMayrwYPYYp2ZCrvQhjZUe-5PQmfSM1i1k4vfza5lNorYQlX3uWOXDIsyhzFc/s320/May+3-Spring+Pics+032.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">They moved right into the pond. Ducks have feathers and down that insulate them from the cold water.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJyRzu1GfEddn_MeGLPKH4fNfpfXWK8VcxfmhFGUPgth5Hmq9P0h4mmc8vHqI7WZ1t9JPaGqGnVXUaJQA5l54EOg_p_f_ff3XC3_tTq56ShRdwzKJK5vXHRp3VHoR39M8NdEh7UhvE4lw/s1600/May+3-Spring+Pics+047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJyRzu1GfEddn_MeGLPKH4fNfpfXWK8VcxfmhFGUPgth5Hmq9P0h4mmc8vHqI7WZ1t9JPaGqGnVXUaJQA5l54EOg_p_f_ff3XC3_tTq56ShRdwzKJK5vXHRp3VHoR39M8NdEh7UhvE4lw/s320/May+3-Spring+Pics+047.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They love to swim, and looked for tasty treats in the water.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ec4FDpyS8Q_3XHBxDJAgKwlLQJpCqFLXnxm3yxkrjMQBtmqEFdz6VRqwxTkVvasb7GFaoATF6YHvrNTgMzb_e0Hf9OoAwyn4owXhMBC3imt6Trfq_krFnrho7KDjA8AG72MnkvC0PvYr/s1600/May+3-Spring+Pics+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ec4FDpyS8Q_3XHBxDJAgKwlLQJpCqFLXnxm3yxkrjMQBtmqEFdz6VRqwxTkVvasb7GFaoATF6YHvrNTgMzb_e0Hf9OoAwyn4owXhMBC3imt6Trfq_krFnrho7KDjA8AG72MnkvC0PvYr/s320/May+3-Spring+Pics+049.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Cayuga are "Puddle Ducks", not "Diving Ducks". They tip up and reach underwater for food, but don't swim underwater like a Loon or Cormorant. They also splash water on themselves to groom their feathers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9J1JWrK1KLSCR9pIX0fP-1iKaaWjS0YpWCCXAfrcXN1FXGSlvwj1UOBTIITii6d4Vg58efqGerdOWXVe60bL9UVIioANgC3Ooy-nv9WP7BJgz4Sk2_KbxZOIBbv1F9MEQWHliHjL3oOu/s1600/May+3-Spring+Pics+070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9J1JWrK1KLSCR9pIX0fP-1iKaaWjS0YpWCCXAfrcXN1FXGSlvwj1UOBTIITii6d4Vg58efqGerdOWXVe60bL9UVIioANgC3Ooy-nv9WP7BJgz4Sk2_KbxZOIBbv1F9MEQWHliHjL3oOu/s320/May+3-Spring+Pics+070.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">If you visit us at The Farmers' Museum be sure to walk down to the Farm and visit the ducks!</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-20812324502911309842012-03-28T15:20:00.000-04:002012-03-28T15:20:58.875-04:00Traditional Barn and Gate Hinges at The Farmers' Museum.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Farmers' Museum has a wealth of traditional buildings, garden gates, and farm gates with forged hinges. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQBnR2S0-9l5NZGDjgofyNuETg8IRLW8NFRtOUheR9nRRhQMQU6htd85dbBMcjmvJoMSk0XcnCAOeYV87-noQWXzNOuJbnn9nCM-zotaUYctjQnvjlLgRITYHp8at0_K_vtvDmllpWvTz/s1600/Farm+Fall+Vista+Oct.+24%252C+2011+065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQBnR2S0-9l5NZGDjgofyNuETg8IRLW8NFRtOUheR9nRRhQMQU6htd85dbBMcjmvJoMSk0XcnCAOeYV87-noQWXzNOuJbnn9nCM-zotaUYctjQnvjlLgRITYHp8at0_K_vtvDmllpWvTz/s320/Farm+Fall+Vista+Oct.+24%252C+2011+065.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our hardware is purposefully not all of the same style. That allows us to demonstrate a wide range of traditional hardware.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8n3b-lnNigc9sIdfbn-s8A4TLOiRgKRff1UgA4dEm1_Az66p-q90QquQrbTaA3XHzl9U5cvjgDQnBhmn0sZXApAeh9hF_DerFCKxJzwuNTglh9VCydvicmzA_sIp7UofWvaP3YgyChIA/s1600/Oct.+26%252C+2010+552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8n3b-lnNigc9sIdfbn-s8A4TLOiRgKRff1UgA4dEm1_Az66p-q90QquQrbTaA3XHzl9U5cvjgDQnBhmn0sZXApAeh9hF_DerFCKxJzwuNTglh9VCydvicmzA_sIp7UofWvaP3YgyChIA/s320/Oct.+26%252C+2010+552.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Pintle and Gudgeon hinges are found on barn doors and are usefull as hinges that carry a heavy load. The L shaped part that nails or bolts to a beam and forms the pivot is the Pintle. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH74uQ5yalNtgSAKQedR4wfM-FZAgjKc9yBOgtO19OqIrMv-9RePTL30VXOwwe9pKoLcGZcZpdCZWpN6M_NtJTWjuImwBWFRdBYE6wqncQ3tQccCfHqihPQSekHT55s0m7vj6yA-KLqZUA/s1600/Oct.+26%252C+2010+545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH74uQ5yalNtgSAKQedR4wfM-FZAgjKc9yBOgtO19OqIrMv-9RePTL30VXOwwe9pKoLcGZcZpdCZWpN6M_NtJTWjuImwBWFRdBYE6wqncQ3tQccCfHqihPQSekHT55s0m7vj6yA-KLqZUA/s200/Oct.+26%252C+2010+545.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The loop on the Hinge Strap that acts as the bearing surface is the Gudgeon. These are very strong and work well regardless of the weather. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-szL9JeLE_Mjyrwt-9gjHlMgz7MUDXku-xE4RN9q-LC1cHBt5kih76whxBw3kkQWmkqCIEn4y9-ff-gGTu2GXx1AznHAOixUEy9KnA_Hwp8yXcXXBkdWZJgHqIFTS6pgamxgcPYSPZMkg/s1600/Oct.+15-Fall+Color+091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-szL9JeLE_Mjyrwt-9gjHlMgz7MUDXku-xE4RN9q-LC1cHBt5kih76whxBw3kkQWmkqCIEn4y9-ff-gGTu2GXx1AznHAOixUEy9KnA_Hwp8yXcXXBkdWZJgHqIFTS6pgamxgcPYSPZMkg/s200/Oct.+15-Fall+Color+091.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hay loft door often have strap hinges with pintles and gudgeons. These are on our Hop Barn and the Morey Barn.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Pintle Hinges are found on many of our barn doors and some of the field and paddock gates. The long strap of the hinge makes the door or gate quite strong.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i2kGPe7JyRMX3D3WuTnvyKtltklqJL8cqc5SCLe2BYteOmeACEV73w_AZyuuNKvnRYTOnknvgH2KnA8N6d7w6LvcRo8DPXs-4sUopkR_dmMKE1qt0og2DsukajX64jAbaewsjblRQobJ/s1600/Hinges-Sheep+Paddock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i2kGPe7JyRMX3D3WuTnvyKtltklqJL8cqc5SCLe2BYteOmeACEV73w_AZyuuNKvnRYTOnknvgH2KnA8N6d7w6LvcRo8DPXs-4sUopkR_dmMKE1qt0og2DsukajX64jAbaewsjblRQobJ/s320/Hinges-Sheep+Paddock.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">That is important when Farm animals are leaning on the gate! If my hinge broke that would leave me feeling sheepish! There are some special purpose hinges on our grounds as well. One of my favorites are the self-closing garden gate hinges. <br />
<br />
These are on the Dimmick House garden gate.</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mLB5yDeOO6MQIUF7lc3HpBd1Jk4cvAy1btRTRGpq4ZCNG2bLz-poFkWah8hCE7KJHLqklhWEkneTWut7nz9uq2GAJskPhpjoN3DZufeXaUkCTOUh4lWR0Zd56gy0qIQv0wXXO6Rvybdv/s1600/Dimmick+Gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mLB5yDeOO6MQIUF7lc3HpBd1Jk4cvAy1btRTRGpq4ZCNG2bLz-poFkWah8hCE7KJHLqklhWEkneTWut7nz9uq2GAJskPhpjoN3DZufeXaUkCTOUh4lWR0Zd56gy0qIQv0wXXO6Rvybdv/s200/Dimmick+Gate.jpg" width="142px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJgrZBCEBlrJXIBDTX3xaFNS6qpsxc-cSE-p1_G-rRrsnnbxtKrujgYd85PRa7FGXbVQ0A0vAr9KuOghgTui0gtS8beDh_Uz2yQRXo-0RGZHbwRTXoF-w1RDtg1_4AJHf0zKmcIUlrkic/s1600/Aug5-2010+Gates+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJgrZBCEBlrJXIBDTX3xaFNS6qpsxc-cSE-p1_G-rRrsnnbxtKrujgYd85PRa7FGXbVQ0A0vAr9KuOghgTui0gtS8beDh_Uz2yQRXo-0RGZHbwRTXoF-w1RDtg1_4AJHf0zKmcIUlrkic/s200/Aug5-2010+Gates+001.jpg" width="150px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cut at an angle, they use gravity to shut the gate automatically after it has been opened. They are quite handsome as well. This is only a small sample of the many types and styles of hinges here at The Farmers' Museum.</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-60463378177115269482012-03-13T16:18:00.000-04:002012-03-13T16:18:29.681-04:00Making Maple Syrup at The Farmers' Museum!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Each Sunday in March the Farmers' at our Museum prepare to gather Maple sap and boil it down to make Maple Syrup. Here at The Farmers' Museum the public are invited to come visit, have a pancake breakfast, and to join the Farmers as they make Maple syrup.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsBR4oexiZc1HqdZ8pGYbF63Qniq_qoguHywwnd8mFTcLX_3szbw63mkdBw16ac2A-CXw0kErhUS_c53dWcz2NWRwLXnl_k5UZqFc5KxX2m26K3pqoTg_n_vVzRCvF74My_tPb2JIwf-8/s1600/IMG_3662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsBR4oexiZc1HqdZ8pGYbF63Qniq_qoguHywwnd8mFTcLX_3szbw63mkdBw16ac2A-CXw0kErhUS_c53dWcz2NWRwLXnl_k5UZqFc5KxX2m26K3pqoTg_n_vVzRCvF74My_tPb2JIwf-8/s320/IMG_3662.jpg" width="213px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The first step is tapping the trees. Sap is drawn from the Maple trees using a spout called a Spile. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A hole is drilled in the tree for the spile.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4wf7SaCZDlMKLEpv9q_5fFMJFON2XKCG_jIU9Mct2W9ujc6a7DR4UUwx5aiua34B7M3IUUOBWDMTd1RPGCfxX_v42iq1Vs6G4xR_Qtp9ZSV2kkre8a-hOO1mM5lXoZeT2FeMAmDhyphenhyphenbnJ/s1600/IMG_3643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4wf7SaCZDlMKLEpv9q_5fFMJFON2XKCG_jIU9Mct2W9ujc6a7DR4UUwx5aiua34B7M3IUUOBWDMTd1RPGCfxX_v42iq1Vs6G4xR_Qtp9ZSV2kkre8a-hOO1mM5lXoZeT2FeMAmDhyphenhyphenbnJ/s320/IMG_3643.jpg" width="213px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Each tree generally has one or two spiles and buckets.</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Yz03sx49My06Y1NN3qNkjoPf-ctZZLqC9BL6GhSnDmmG6ssYPg_wkZZDVkaoGjmjkN77FUXfINmone6R-0CUGrcKjH_iXkS9uNAXJ087jZPgFRCRUA_MoHe1descH0PoxrDCOzA7vOtp/s1600/Sugaring+Off-Sap+collection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Yz03sx49My06Y1NN3qNkjoPf-ctZZLqC9BL6GhSnDmmG6ssYPg_wkZZDVkaoGjmjkN77FUXfINmone6R-0CUGrcKjH_iXkS9uNAXJ087jZPgFRCRUA_MoHe1descH0PoxrDCOzA7vOtp/s320/Sugaring+Off-Sap+collection.jpg" width="241px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In 1845 the buckets were wood. We also use the tinned buckets that have been popular for the last 100 years.<br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbq4yrAViUFm_koIQOMZnX_1CDcicDg0E1x4u1-MjHD1KS9MeCPCMFiXm2dhUM6qme5yr-6DO_9HjF6ZeCLRi5rFQW3P-rxu341t27Z7HmpaA2oTfsqv3SLKcWh-SBjJiH23J1asuZG9N/s1600/Sugaring+Off-metal+sap+bucket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbq4yrAViUFm_koIQOMZnX_1CDcicDg0E1x4u1-MjHD1KS9MeCPCMFiXm2dhUM6qme5yr-6DO_9HjF6ZeCLRi5rFQW3P-rxu341t27Z7HmpaA2oTfsqv3SLKcWh-SBjJiH23J1asuZG9N/s320/Sugaring+Off-metal+sap+bucket.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We use our draft animals to help collect the maple sap. Since 40 gallons of sap is needed to make one gallon of syrup there is a lot to haul! Here is a picture of collecting the sap with oxen.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJcl2cpxu3ovEX_J4X10vlw2ZhCReqhsjAZ201e2PdWy_N-sKNlXfYGXf_J4FqN-p0zmAA-IsNEuhlHge3PZlfJt-vhKWVlF5hbr9oqGofwv6Cv-MtUXH1-Gz91Mkkto9hOzRyY4RkXqd/s1600/Ox_Team-Maple_Sugaring2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJcl2cpxu3ovEX_J4X10vlw2ZhCReqhsjAZ201e2PdWy_N-sKNlXfYGXf_J4FqN-p0zmAA-IsNEuhlHge3PZlfJt-vhKWVlF5hbr9oqGofwv6Cv-MtUXH1-Gz91Mkkto9hOzRyY4RkXqd/s320/Ox_Team-Maple_Sugaring2.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The sap then needs to be boiled down to make syrup. The oldest method is to use an iron pot over the fire. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7Y1LrIRinEYBqD4JkbYt7YFmwrHKwoWEM9PyFQ13xwK_0HNblwsloLFo_Ufv59K14kyTQKu5qnxvzntPxTJFIHSFxu0wwwwXLLkwkA910jnlLgHEmz4YlT298KudIxoqQZXiCJg4BTHV/s1600/IMG_3425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7Y1LrIRinEYBqD4JkbYt7YFmwrHKwoWEM9PyFQ13xwK_0HNblwsloLFo_Ufv59K14kyTQKu5qnxvzntPxTJFIHSFxu0wwwwXLLkwkA910jnlLgHEmz4YlT298KudIxoqQZXiCJg4BTHV/s320/IMG_3425.jpg" width="212px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The newer method is to use a flat bottomed evaporator pan. Here is our pan over the fire starting to boil the sap!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMatTB3OSti9hF4k4GppVMcUXD9CJRIEBqkWi04oSfJXQgc6C3jDv9NdLXCFTdOjC3P98KdmyL33AsGBvr5qDW-VeP6dcFF2Yxqi9EmMUTLp4OuufFCt5zOxB7Ha9LWWQ9uP5aAixWAOP/s1600/Sugaring+Off-Heating+the+sap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMatTB3OSti9hF4k4GppVMcUXD9CJRIEBqkWi04oSfJXQgc6C3jDv9NdLXCFTdOjC3P98KdmyL33AsGBvr5qDW-VeP6dcFF2Yxqi9EmMUTLp4OuufFCt5zOxB7Ha9LWWQ9uP5aAixWAOP/s320/Sugaring+Off-Heating+the+sap.JPG" width="240px" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Come join us on a Sunday in March to see traditional Sugaring Off! </div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-61776630536152974652011-12-15T13:29:00.000-05:002011-12-15T13:29:52.539-05:00Winter Snow on the Blacksmith Shop.Winter is here in Central New York as we head into the Holiday Season.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZJbLKeo1WL6FJ5NNnzPFX9n4kqaswzmoml3C7mASpuMuS_DuFY9l3oVTbZ9mlDow4yqaeaWLzaqIN8Y2ITRHpp1R8KxAsb9quG5tRZeIVfZOyU2uu76i5ugMXttoaegVzuH5UrL5VB1i/s1600/Snowy+Shop+-+Door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZJbLKeo1WL6FJ5NNnzPFX9n4kqaswzmoml3C7mASpuMuS_DuFY9l3oVTbZ9mlDow4yqaeaWLzaqIN8Y2ITRHpp1R8KxAsb9quG5tRZeIVfZOyU2uu76i5ugMXttoaegVzuH5UrL5VB1i/s320/Snowy+Shop+-+Door.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-juKDj9nWHM-wn32VeByBhl1JIjGgw5MGblWV8s9jrYK3K4PSCfNd9TjzGZTCOnhQWwoZVjvslAl7ybUEVpvB2RIjElR1lZ3kfTJCDegGoSnzC9y02ZKnlpI4EhFi8V0kMxwuxmJot6Js/s1600/Snowy+shop+-+Smoke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-juKDj9nWHM-wn32VeByBhl1JIjGgw5MGblWV8s9jrYK3K4PSCfNd9TjzGZTCOnhQWwoZVjvslAl7ybUEVpvB2RIjElR1lZ3kfTJCDegGoSnzC9y02ZKnlpI4EhFi8V0kMxwuxmJot6Js/s320/Snowy+shop+-+Smoke.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5nFviTL7NHXEtIH9J5JaIhHwJsBCzzZTKmllD0yQYKjhfV9S2njz72HwHuNH7-Sb52HSSZouqsZq1gd78ByJ4Up0U_tEkh6r0AjnXdjGvTlpGA7gyIn8i2PnzfYNslABcOwkFxFO8UF0/s1600/Snowy+shop-Snowplow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5nFviTL7NHXEtIH9J5JaIhHwJsBCzzZTKmllD0yQYKjhfV9S2njz72HwHuNH7-Sb52HSSZouqsZq1gd78ByJ4Up0U_tEkh6r0AjnXdjGvTlpGA7gyIn8i2PnzfYNslABcOwkFxFO8UF0/s320/Snowy+shop-Snowplow.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div>Warmest Holiday wishes from all of us at the Peleg Fields Blacksmith Shop!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-48498584638146404872011-12-08T16:00:00.003-05:002011-12-08T16:00:04.484-05:00Candlelight Evening at the Blacksmith Shop - 2011<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGXyiG-zmtN8mBO_0RMPL9NTz6J7vz4YVJNAYxLL-rDTKM2sm2sekrUL7tvFlM8zrebLhI9vzqEgRe8Mm68zDdWp2mtUoO6O1x10DUbrPDuD9xFZQwA3QyoFMUYzpwkh5ML6JIsN6zIcG/s1600/Sled-Headers-Door+118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGXyiG-zmtN8mBO_0RMPL9NTz6J7vz4YVJNAYxLL-rDTKM2sm2sekrUL7tvFlM8zrebLhI9vzqEgRe8Mm68zDdWp2mtUoO6O1x10DUbrPDuD9xFZQwA3QyoFMUYzpwkh5ML6JIsN6zIcG/s320/Sled-Headers-Door+118.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our busiest night of the year is Candlelight Evening, Saturday Dec. 10th, 2011. Thousands of candles and several bonfires will light up our grounds at this yearly event. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfm4T6Dqo2Fyzg8pkSPPDvmjTiWLNX3eV-TLcYRE3R15A-amHGt9gxc8N8Y19wbZixuLqg2L9irpdABJZOr1TlKKyxPLy7Zyi2hcHkj3ULR1p8o6-M9cLhTAXWBA1T84A8_XeuQP5m-gv/s1600/Candlelight+Evening+089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfm4T6Dqo2Fyzg8pkSPPDvmjTiWLNX3eV-TLcYRE3R15A-amHGt9gxc8N8Y19wbZixuLqg2L9irpdABJZOr1TlKKyxPLy7Zyi2hcHkj3ULR1p8o6-M9cLhTAXWBA1T84A8_XeuQP5m-gv/s320/Candlelight+Evening+089.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Many visitors make a special trip for this event each year. It is the only chance to experience the whole Museum after dark! The Museum opens at 3pm and closes at 7pm. </div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngh1Fh-DGWvu48fpWuKSPcYreCMHVWx3UoxLDXBdV_Wvl3ZH5Hh8rM2CzEGyKzM-Mydf9QU8gIRnsDQU9OUNVpU197xr5VyTodID04ItUd9d38AsUcIiyE_ovNSbbp8fY5JvzOBvDdOoX/s1600/Waxing+Moon+11-10-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngh1Fh-DGWvu48fpWuKSPcYreCMHVWx3UoxLDXBdV_Wvl3ZH5Hh8rM2CzEGyKzM-Mydf9QU8gIRnsDQU9OUNVpU197xr5VyTodID04ItUd9d38AsUcIiyE_ovNSbbp8fY5JvzOBvDdOoX/s320/Waxing+Moon+11-10-10.jpg" width="228px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It will be a busy night in the Peleg Field Blacksmith Shop. We will have 6 blacksmiths working in the shop Saturday night. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGWiAkaWGfwiKxInHf46J_86E1_wZzODVFNA5xuoAUJ87ktoeOaoH90iUldbs6pH9ml7ryDK1OCB5JYuwJgtJULjjrYnMhIi2k0QBR12ogPGITkvppDp7aCf7OlEVT-33phEan9IoolAo/s1600/Candlelight+Evening+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGWiAkaWGfwiKxInHf46J_86E1_wZzODVFNA5xuoAUJ87ktoeOaoH90iUldbs6pH9ml7ryDK1OCB5JYuwJgtJULjjrYnMhIi2k0QBR12ogPGITkvppDp7aCf7OlEVT-33phEan9IoolAo/s320/Candlelight+Evening+019.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Our projects will include making large door hinges and forging a large cross pein sledge-hammer head. It should be a good night with lots of big iron being heated in the fire and worked at the anvil.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHfB9eJVCv5TQDZ78965Za9yaecGxFgyG0gpvl-S5af5tmdYhbYdkgOHiLjRGwikenBBu_2sw8nLQDo8-MXjTHkzlmLgF_7EinsnqpKd5cwUUUNLVBkHYj2l5-2UThBJ5DsScptwJvlMF/s1600/ForgeWelding+Wrought3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHfB9eJVCv5TQDZ78965Za9yaecGxFgyG0gpvl-S5af5tmdYhbYdkgOHiLjRGwikenBBu_2sw8nLQDo8-MXjTHkzlmLgF_7EinsnqpKd5cwUUUNLVBkHYj2l5-2UThBJ5DsScptwJvlMF/s640/ForgeWelding+Wrought3.jpg" width="424px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you come to Candlelight Evening swing through the shop and say hello. We may not be able to talk long as we will have a lot of irons in the fire! Come enjoy the candlelight, firelight, and hot mulled cider! Best wishes for a Happy Holiday from all of us in the Blacksmith Shop.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-86649181757873282622011-11-23T12:00:00.007-05:002011-11-25T09:26:25.189-05:00Blacksmith Tool Making: Forging a Flatter.One of the more unusual tools used in Blacksmithing is the Flatter. It looks like a strange square hammer, but is really a tool that is held on the iron and struck with a hammer. It is used to smooth out bumps and hammer marks from the finished iron.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJovDhYiPFC6g8BmZ0XcRmN6c_B6hb9BlexIzhlfTThosmCxpQ_6GhvjnpvocPzCdwYoItEA9pB-pEflXetZ1RSeKJaDOvnBsMNaVKKl8GCL7Fq6tZ3jKH8QT7EQ6R-9vJPnFp9XJjUU5/s1600/Tractor+Fest+2011+077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJovDhYiPFC6g8BmZ0XcRmN6c_B6hb9BlexIzhlfTThosmCxpQ_6GhvjnpvocPzCdwYoItEA9pB-pEflXetZ1RSeKJaDOvnBsMNaVKKl8GCL7Fq6tZ3jKH8QT7EQ6R-9vJPnFp9XJjUU5/s320/Tractor+Fest+2011+077.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is a difficult tool to forge due to the huge difference in size between the square working face and the body of the tool. They could be made by forging from one piece or by forge welding two pieces together. We made one by forging it from one piece. Blacksmith Eric is shown in these pictures.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodOf0AsrzVErcG6licK0lcK65KG_gPzTNZLZVrZxOlXBviADNHoqLt2O99D1WCOmtTyVPP6_kKUNByXd1Ph9tc4h3t36evKTxrdunXAxVC-BBYkEGHhjdN8Q7KK8hefLVxo1EY8PL8Uku/s1600/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodOf0AsrzVErcG6licK0lcK65KG_gPzTNZLZVrZxOlXBviADNHoqLt2O99D1WCOmtTyVPP6_kKUNByXd1Ph9tc4h3t36evKTxrdunXAxVC-BBYkEGHhjdN8Q7KK8hefLVxo1EY8PL8Uku/s320/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+023.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The starting size was a bar 1.25 inches in diameter. That was upset while hot until it reached 2.25 inches in diameter. That requires the difficult and repetitive work of upsetting.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLDovZ1oiMZAUS7IaWLV5pWdvZI380B4EguvWLuBMhhtlghAnk4IC51xR_jNNfvzp5R5G2eVBg83y547iibTywEAv2E5q5A2iKzLapFk4IUpOwhjmWIAhunr6KjNJasGBsezDXLej5EjW/s1600/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLDovZ1oiMZAUS7IaWLV5pWdvZI380B4EguvWLuBMhhtlghAnk4IC51xR_jNNfvzp5R5G2eVBg83y547iibTywEAv2E5q5A2iKzLapFk4IUpOwhjmWIAhunr6KjNJasGBsezDXLej5EjW/s320/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+024.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The body of the flatter then needs shaping. The hammer hole is hot punched through the body.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCv6AODcf9n4JVFUYiku4PVj75i0Lc3m4hBoUlLYQM0mCSqvTTPXYoP4-ChWxKrFATY2GxE2Sf6OT8rLNf8Sri27kjMZ67-8r4Y_jClwS6vw6kLrgF5VH1rBxYmx5G8vyeh3N4oyY3WUw/s1600/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCv6AODcf9n4JVFUYiku4PVj75i0Lc3m4hBoUlLYQM0mCSqvTTPXYoP4-ChWxKrFATY2GxE2Sf6OT8rLNf8Sri27kjMZ67-8r4Y_jClwS6vw6kLrgF5VH1rBxYmx5G8vyeh3N4oyY3WUw/s320/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+034.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
The tool is hot filed to get closer to the finished shape. After it has cooled it can be filed to the finished shize and shape.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3kU66YTOzyZThfPO7rfEAbZITeF6tWmnMX7qdZhNuE0CLdfC67MgaMUhnPJvnuC_GQKqNELQwEq7uX5ufz9PwtMFMs05GZkYpI2NTKTf7xDNBPRBX4joSovkDVV9iFrcxmainLiOk7Mi/s1600/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3kU66YTOzyZThfPO7rfEAbZITeF6tWmnMX7qdZhNuE0CLdfC67MgaMUhnPJvnuC_GQKqNELQwEq7uX5ufz9PwtMFMs05GZkYpI2NTKTf7xDNBPRBX4joSovkDVV9iFrcxmainLiOk7Mi/s320/Flatter+%2526+Hinge+Pintles+040.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The flatter will be cleaned up, get a wooden handle, and be put into use.</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-7557469515679018682011-11-10T12:00:00.006-05:002011-11-10T15:49:19.356-05:00Tool Making: Forging a Tobacco Spear<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At the Peleg Field Blacksmith shop we get to make or repair a lot of tools. This year the Lippitt farm experimented with Tobacco, a crop once common from Conneticut through New York and the Genesee reigion.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfBDLT-X-KvVzS20XTH0e8fXopkBVmCCTqhahEQ_MDBEo8c_HoOagMPjzD7oVW3-YDCedGiubw8B2x4fLLjt8XtX_BJIpVZ7VPYNKdLl5sucgkkUlUdnWK_46yw6KL9hyphenhyphengpCDUoZfkg94/s1600/Tobacco_TFM_2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfBDLT-X-KvVzS20XTH0e8fXopkBVmCCTqhahEQ_MDBEo8c_HoOagMPjzD7oVW3-YDCedGiubw8B2x4fLLjt8XtX_BJIpVZ7VPYNKdLl5sucgkkUlUdnWK_46yw6KL9hyphenhyphengpCDUoZfkg94/s320/Tobacco_TFM_2011.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">What is a tobacco Spear? It is a removable point put on a sawn piece of lathe. It allows you to harvest the tobacco by drying it on a stick hanging from the rafters. The point is threaded through the heavy stalk the and plants are hung to dry on the lathe.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvc1c19-McJhIL_s1rM9iBlWQew02lQUx7uGXYFOVOFVVQPrDlFX9LX1JlaY0-WXFNdqqsupsQq6Uq6aguncm5Ljjd4pHJJlFBkP5fq0hMXfVSDLHzCJkJKRbT89doHGKwZRMffDKfT97/s1600/Tobacco+Spear+Original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvc1c19-McJhIL_s1rM9iBlWQew02lQUx7uGXYFOVOFVVQPrDlFX9LX1JlaY0-WXFNdqqsupsQq6Uq6aguncm5Ljjd4pHJJlFBkP5fq0hMXfVSDLHzCJkJKRbT89doHGKwZRMffDKfT97/s320/Tobacco+Spear+Original.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How was it made? The hollow socket is made by cutting 16 gauge sheet metal to match our template. It is folded hot into a flattened cone-shaped tube. The edges overlap and will be forge welded. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidY13Oe94Tz2QkL1cWyy4DqZ7_U4cCiZN40YN9y_bYM7Zz8ds6_iTcwcXNA5x51KwW2SFWgov0_F-nfsCiSmYwR1kN6GYVkVrL0O8RWQ1XX-WTVXW-zXv8_dn_AiXtoSCsaQM4szGrKlZ/s1600/Tractor+Fest+2011+172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidY13Oe94Tz2QkL1cWyy4DqZ7_U4cCiZN40YN9y_bYM7Zz8ds6_iTcwcXNA5x51KwW2SFWgov0_F-nfsCiSmYwR1kN6GYVkVrL0O8RWQ1XX-WTVXW-zXv8_dn_AiXtoSCsaQM4szGrKlZ/s320/Tractor+Fest+2011+172.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Forge welding a hollow object presents some difficulties. How can you hit it to weld without crushing it? We made a mandrel that fits inside the socket and holds it while welding. That worked fairly well.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Socket and point parts.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOySitt4pgJz4oJmHPoT3Mg_9Vv46p9vDYix8o8Rfyvb1MxX4y89JyvgbweLpexzd9rGDsGzoeoAFCYGMwJUlDt7lYsGinYc9s4HuJWlM2McxpseMjo3DlnRJS4CW_XiXZcG-xTjSVV4mA/s1600/Tobacco+Spear+-+socket+at+welding+heat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOySitt4pgJz4oJmHPoT3Mg_9Vv46p9vDYix8o8Rfyvb1MxX4y89JyvgbweLpexzd9rGDsGzoeoAFCYGMwJUlDt7lYsGinYc9s4HuJWlM2McxpseMjo3DlnRJS4CW_XiXZcG-xTjSVV4mA/s320/Tobacco+Spear+-+socket+at+welding+heat.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The socket is fluxed and forge welded. Then the point, which is forged from solid bar, is inserted into the socket and that is forge welded into place.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Welding the point</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TFaYix8U8lGl8zclwEVzWe5-VqylXovRNjE0LGKdim9Hgz72zDrxHhPRZKv5b__FBn47K7a3vnsMeyZZqdL9TLJy_Og7EYx5wSDbSG75-KGUe-ReAO7zNcZlu7csH5ulQpRNN2kWCFJ6/s1600/Tobacco+Spear-welding+point.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TFaYix8U8lGl8zclwEVzWe5-VqylXovRNjE0LGKdim9Hgz72zDrxHhPRZKv5b__FBn47K7a3vnsMeyZZqdL9TLJy_Og7EYx5wSDbSG75-KGUe-ReAO7zNcZlu7csH5ulQpRNN2kWCFJ6/s320/Tobacco+Spear-welding+point.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The finished Tobacco Spear was sent down to the farm and was used in our harvest.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_HkDuxdeyDHuEtvK6M5Jrsi1pQhaRiBtGlNehA96mBRSUOuPxSEEiPX3tZmukObZjZtX8GWuWT-bEUqmbjdBC9DZJiIEEtrbpOwiWJXHhLXnXwAfDcQyuvPTZuPU1r1ZoTDqmO-av5dp/s1600/Tobacco+Spear+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_HkDuxdeyDHuEtvK6M5Jrsi1pQhaRiBtGlNehA96mBRSUOuPxSEEiPX3tZmukObZjZtX8GWuWT-bEUqmbjdBC9DZJiIEEtrbpOwiWJXHhLXnXwAfDcQyuvPTZuPU1r1ZoTDqmO-av5dp/s320/Tobacco+Spear+done.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-31891677349292624052011-10-28T09:43:00.000-04:002011-10-28T09:43:31.831-04:00First Snow at The Farmers' Museum, Fall 2011<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In the Leatherstocking Region it isn't unusual to get the first snow before Halloween. Our first good snowfall was the evening of Oct. 27th. The morning of Oct. 28th dawned clear and snowcovered.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QgFr5ixgExNI91QZ-pob34Eem-EeXLMXI0HBtIQcwj33RfhOMbtKm8t-nYiwEsZgXDJaYVVsGYb1tGGwt-w5_hqrwiWooyBlYm-nTQ2g60hEGKQsYpBJO8CPtnJluFAoJ7C15GG9fRHU/s1600/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QgFr5ixgExNI91QZ-pob34Eem-EeXLMXI0HBtIQcwj33RfhOMbtKm8t-nYiwEsZgXDJaYVVsGYb1tGGwt-w5_hqrwiWooyBlYm-nTQ2g60hEGKQsYpBJO8CPtnJluFAoJ7C15GG9fRHU/s320/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+010.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Empire State Carousel looks smart decked out in snow and still flanked by fall foliage!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyZqMGfpD6h_ZySxi-KCcBFDsdUchWiAPOYHHhssEMboc-gQRnZtw3pwQmdOKCUBcPlbWO5QO6ie3Vdqdf5f7coBQxd64wzZucRYWZXHuKnQOEvf4lrxEOdXol-gAGM1VAsa1sU2sz9S6/s1600/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyZqMGfpD6h_ZySxi-KCcBFDsdUchWiAPOYHHhssEMboc-gQRnZtw3pwQmdOKCUBcPlbWO5QO6ie3Vdqdf5f7coBQxd64wzZucRYWZXHuKnQOEvf4lrxEOdXol-gAGM1VAsa1sU2sz9S6/s320/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+016.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It looks frosty in the Historic Village today.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6rdG4jhWZ9an7hiLnG7TMghPeNcW_CpBAlktDFUFsWm7nkVM9nY-xlO4Gll8bUL73ZAlcY3KNCMzNRRCHSYUihNX9hKCMkMJbHB4WlAhuya3PBz6ZDlqkKU9Q8an4WDLcqGv46Up3ByI/s1600/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6rdG4jhWZ9an7hiLnG7TMghPeNcW_CpBAlktDFUFsWm7nkVM9nY-xlO4Gll8bUL73ZAlcY3KNCMzNRRCHSYUihNX9hKCMkMJbHB4WlAhuya3PBz6ZDlqkKU9Q8an4WDLcqGv46Up3ByI/s320/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+017.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Lippitt Farmstead has a blanket of white.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJZt-dI9HWrsq-b9HYKJqmUih7VofkFCkC49-OqnJYWr5FgwY888pOUMOsdMZ1epZoePC9Ns5ggIKsRNOVMuE7vLiyKaa-nbVtQcf36pBjx8i243FbixQ001ts_m1atjcCgpZLJhRROs9/s1600/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJZt-dI9HWrsq-b9HYKJqmUih7VofkFCkC49-OqnJYWr5FgwY888pOUMOsdMZ1epZoePC9Ns5ggIKsRNOVMuE7vLiyKaa-nbVtQcf36pBjx8i243FbixQ001ts_m1atjcCgpZLJhRROs9/s320/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+024.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Buck and Bright are out in the snow, and are complaining that they haven't gotten their morning hay yet!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CMJtn0p85Y47FMxGk8ccI3MII01UPrYevTMaNmPXZRSQY2F21wHLMfQVTJT9Mn6zc7UHM1j4c8PtTooc3QJkiyPMVEy17poWmWSzSu_QiGFyioE7cqp2ZOdlZ2yuYRgSFf0PbT2cncKC/s1600/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CMJtn0p85Y47FMxGk8ccI3MII01UPrYevTMaNmPXZRSQY2F21wHLMfQVTJT9Mn6zc7UHM1j4c8PtTooc3QJkiyPMVEy17poWmWSzSu_QiGFyioE7cqp2ZOdlZ2yuYRgSFf0PbT2cncKC/s320/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+040.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The First Snow makes for a pretty day at The Farmers' Museum. Most of this snow will be gone by the end of the day. It is just a taste of what is still to come.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTh97zazrUEXCqfYZPs838OXyjm8JvChjysq88bNawVtKw3ZYIR21RhOxT-SQ1SyM_BurhFyqt5HlTqD6PL8s9F_cevn0A9grmo3w9jzSItVf4noE4-rf95SoxhQG6bIsC_1EhTfDHOJ0/s1600/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTh97zazrUEXCqfYZPs838OXyjm8JvChjysq88bNawVtKw3ZYIR21RhOxT-SQ1SyM_BurhFyqt5HlTqD6PL8s9F_cevn0A9grmo3w9jzSItVf4noE4-rf95SoxhQG6bIsC_1EhTfDHOJ0/s320/First+Snow+Oct.+28%252C+2011+054.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-77566874087656747702011-10-24T09:51:00.000-04:002011-10-24T09:51:08.859-04:00Making Hammer Handles - Splitting out the wood.<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAVN5nCCW90GzAMbVphW2lwCbNHZvJYKP8eYAMCSOEtDSWHDWOsq6wRgFnC_JYtu3US0aJPiDeVKIXNONezjd89FXb13KvYGlcqRq2G4-90DbBk5iMKYTpg3IHpZaTmIX24Z0sYc007tH/s1600/Peleg+Field+Shop-Tractor+Fest+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAVN5nCCW90GzAMbVphW2lwCbNHZvJYKP8eYAMCSOEtDSWHDWOsq6wRgFnC_JYtu3US0aJPiDeVKIXNONezjd89FXb13KvYGlcqRq2G4-90DbBk5iMKYTpg3IHpZaTmIX24Z0sYc007tH/s320/Peleg+Field+Shop-Tractor+Fest+2011.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>In the traditional Blacksmith shop at The Farmers’ Museum we make and repair tools as needed. Several times a year we need to make a new ash hammer handle. We have discussed in the past how a <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-is-froe-tool-making-in-blacksmiths.html">Froe</a> is used to split out the billets of wood to make the handles. Then we use the drawknife and <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2009/09/making-handles-with-spokeshave-and-froe.html">Shaving Horse</a> to shape the handle. But where to we get the billets of wood to start with? They don’t look like modern lumber.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3q1YMHoDCPisFRdAK-dUR5IvSF0K0-ZWCBlmOPGzUU4I_AJKDRJYfgiOSjPCZ382bAsMtE4HFyifSP3i2mP9e-JwZWKIHuDvzyEekk8jQoMIdRpY3Caqyi1SMDHwt8QZURs8BVwz9vT3/s1600/Splitting+wood+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3q1YMHoDCPisFRdAK-dUR5IvSF0K0-ZWCBlmOPGzUU4I_AJKDRJYfgiOSjPCZ382bAsMtE4HFyifSP3i2mP9e-JwZWKIHuDvzyEekk8jQoMIdRpY3Caqyi1SMDHwt8QZURs8BVwz9vT3/s320/Splitting+wood+005.jpg" width="256px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We are fortunate to have many acres of forest as part of our farm. This fall both Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee brought high winds to our area this fall (2011). Several mature Ash trees were uprooted in the woods. As the damage is cleared we put aside some logs to make tool handles and other things. One foot, two foot, and three foot sections went in the shed to make hammer and sledgehammer handles. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBbZxf96rWyl6drZ9t9L-eKxfjyZfpe_3N14tViW5XYDJdtMWmeTm2ebIwrIvkA9uE_GvlYNnAhNEozzGK3zVggJMkAtwXPFaIMzF3Ayn-VPf-v3htsIKVyF94L9YfSOwW_Lujgz-8yMC/s1600/Splitting+wood+-Paul+splitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBbZxf96rWyl6drZ9t9L-eKxfjyZfpe_3N14tViW5XYDJdtMWmeTm2ebIwrIvkA9uE_GvlYNnAhNEozzGK3zVggJMkAtwXPFaIMzF3Ayn-VPf-v3htsIKVyF94L9YfSOwW_Lujgz-8yMC/s320/Splitting+wood+-Paul+splitting.jpg" width="241px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Using an axe, a sledge and wedges, and a mallet and froe we split up the wood into billets to dry for future tool handles. First the logs were split into halves, then quarters, then eighths. Sap and heart wood is split off if it looks weak. Knotty pieces not good for handles go into the kindling pile. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqXM3hoKd3Z_Br52Amu2Hf1w3-orxJFkNYLwfQL6LkAHe_x3xMXXoRW1d5yAov8n-h7oD4_VNmUJISENSk1ZTKG_WPOq01CkwqL6m_gMh4HWgkDmGFONwbz4CQepJM_etvO15H3bEwsmh/s1600/Splitting+wood+-halved+with+sledge+and+wedges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqXM3hoKd3Z_Br52Amu2Hf1w3-orxJFkNYLwfQL6LkAHe_x3xMXXoRW1d5yAov8n-h7oD4_VNmUJISENSk1ZTKG_WPOq01CkwqL6m_gMh4HWgkDmGFONwbz4CQepJM_etvO15H3bEwsmh/s320/Splitting+wood+-halved+with+sledge+and+wedges.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Froe is used to split off the bark and wet cambium layer. The resulting billets are sqaure or keystone shaped in cross section. This will let the handle billets dry evenly and be less likely to check.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXp5pOOCo2FJww6mRqNJgcPFpQb-CS3fsA6IQ_qWfJ80hEC-jrjl1u9gidQXplkg30WuvrY7_BDRbX_QP9EIEanQtxWzbsIQ2MWYOpttBXGAGOE7g5T-Bjx0zpQHnxljB0RmovgilkzReV/s1600/Splitting+wood+-Froe+%2526+mallet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXp5pOOCo2FJww6mRqNJgcPFpQb-CS3fsA6IQ_qWfJ80hEC-jrjl1u9gidQXplkg30WuvrY7_BDRbX_QP9EIEanQtxWzbsIQ2MWYOpttBXGAGOE7g5T-Bjx0zpQHnxljB0RmovgilkzReV/s320/Splitting+wood+-Froe+%2526+mallet.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Some may be used for hammers. Other to make chisel, screwdriver, or file handles. It is good to have a stockpile against future need.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGK8i55btYI2RSuZ8Awrrh93CclmgujQRyhDBE5dIaTkVx8Zmd01u9fHbmJcCx08_NCQJBk-P8LgEN1x0VEiFOapshJIW-6TtdCQZ16u0KfhdNecuE353u0XHUqNyFLxifNxX8L55C9TDk/s1600/Splitting+wood+-billets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGK8i55btYI2RSuZ8Awrrh93CclmgujQRyhDBE5dIaTkVx8Zmd01u9fHbmJcCx08_NCQJBk-P8LgEN1x0VEiFOapshJIW-6TtdCQZ16u0KfhdNecuE353u0XHUqNyFLxifNxX8L55C9TDk/s320/Splitting+wood+-billets.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-47816437943917166462011-09-19T09:44:00.000-04:002011-09-19T09:44:39.833-04:00Blacksmith's Coal: Filling the Coal Bin for another year!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWpwkDj_U7IyEsdr_qF2EL_Q9hJQlJ_zMknDER1RSiilsmW1cNJcierZGQQGdT79WUVDegephly0ej8PVWnZrvOQ0XrgC4kSJuGfbzxenW8b14_0F-YpFpX1PlR240XrAUU-8V72fW3Rb/s1600/Blacksmith+Shop+-+Front+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWpwkDj_U7IyEsdr_qF2EL_Q9hJQlJ_zMknDER1RSiilsmW1cNJcierZGQQGdT79WUVDegephly0ej8PVWnZrvOQ0XrgC4kSJuGfbzxenW8b14_0F-YpFpX1PlR240XrAUU-8V72fW3Rb/s320/Blacksmith+Shop+-+Front+View.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Each year our shop uses about two tons of bituminous coal. Our fires are burning in the forge seven days a week for half the year, and are busy throughout the winter months as well. Each fall it is our chore to refill the coal bunker. It is a woeful site to see an empty coal bin! You can see the line from the coal when full on the bricks of the upper right side of the coal bunker.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfHGWJFmMqKGVQzDKj9PuUmdcamFM6iGLk4K-e-tGCQv9hXdPM85MbkjAkL42ubfqZ-lz1FmhI9Dkyva1R3Uhiyr-OqSmLZOaH7ZktFxmabCvjNAzrBSq7NdA3tptIyo9oSgRwf8Gwvyt/s1600/Sept+13+Coal+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfHGWJFmMqKGVQzDKj9PuUmdcamFM6iGLk4K-e-tGCQv9hXdPM85MbkjAkL42ubfqZ-lz1FmhI9Dkyva1R3Uhiyr-OqSmLZOaH7ZktFxmabCvjNAzrBSq7NdA3tptIyo9oSgRwf8Gwvyt/s320/Sept+13+Coal+032.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Fields Blacksmith Shop coal bunker built into the hill behind the shop. It is like a stone and brick tunnel that goes 14 feet into the hillside underground. There is no way to put coal into it from the outside. All the coal is hauled through the shop and into the bin using a wheelbarrow. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFRK16tep53fLw_TxHPpCsmvaqjUnVyGtZ6k2KTrzKwPAaHdQMmrtW86tsjpby46H-Fnjcd8ztt8PiGieq4Ptiw-jElM-CQKzYk-C-SoBIp5gBHTlmzxXWN0u6K4Q8Dvl3MdIVg_RjmIX/s1600/Sept+13+Coal+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFRK16tep53fLw_TxHPpCsmvaqjUnVyGtZ6k2KTrzKwPAaHdQMmrtW86tsjpby46H-Fnjcd8ztt8PiGieq4Ptiw-jElM-CQKzYk-C-SoBIp5gBHTlmzxXWN0u6K4Q8Dvl3MdIVg_RjmIX/s320/Sept+13+Coal+018.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The coal to fill the bin is waiting outside the shop. We shovel a wheelbarrow full of coal and wheel it through the shop. Weave it around the anvil and tools then push it up a ramp. Keep pushing hard as it plows through the coal and stop when you reach the back wall. Pull one of the removable sides off the wheelbarrow and dump it sideways. As the coal piles up the roof is too low to dump the barrow forward! <br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57q9-_2qpzCV4THmUokr7tiq2RBbMbm8-efjjYL-1MdPb16WxPx6StBfZq5VeHZ0oS-VZCkO87PVDkWEGbbNwB9-gQRcsNP5SQwl9giK99Qwy8dE__E58KOc8d54SgmADD8RsuryLyl98/s1600/Sept+13+Coal+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57q9-_2qpzCV4THmUokr7tiq2RBbMbm8-efjjYL-1MdPb16WxPx6StBfZq5VeHZ0oS-VZCkO87PVDkWEGbbNwB9-gQRcsNP5SQwl9giK99Qwy8dE__E58KOc8d54SgmADD8RsuryLyl98/s320/Sept+13+Coal+006.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Keep loading and pushing the wheelbarrow. It takes 15 shovel loads to fill the wheelbarrow. Each load make a small difference in the pile. It may take around 100 loads to get it all in. Here is what the pile looks like after 35 loads have been taken into the coal bin. We are making progress! Only 65 more trips!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UuWigjNMkzEofP1qWAzsQlKo93Ofuzp_22jzW8sqUnS2opMyY_uOn2kfUYMLE-xWskhcH93RKRKkDI9-UbbRydUbq01nLoAjvUm6OUNydaC4v-H-mP6VG1OuACO8f7qNdkfMbybY2roQ/s1600/Sept+13+Coal+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UuWigjNMkzEofP1qWAzsQlKo93Ofuzp_22jzW8sqUnS2opMyY_uOn2kfUYMLE-xWskhcH93RKRKkDI9-UbbRydUbq01nLoAjvUm6OUNydaC4v-H-mP6VG1OuACO8f7qNdkfMbybY2roQ/s320/Sept+13+Coal+007.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After bringing in 5 wheelbarrow loads a shovel is used to level the pile in the bunker. You have to make a path for the wheelbarrow to drive up the coal to dump the next 5 loads! Keep piling it up until the wheelbarrow won’t fit over the coal and starts hitting the roof. Then keep filling in front of the pile until the coal bin is full. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqovwxKoeOHnYRDGDFgC9a-UJ62g5qD82FYsGfLCd7DoVG4I8u3GrStEvvLlJJmmRPnWqXeOYFB7k7rCEioa3TcBvsHFQ9xONJEuPzSIYKFbo5-HcvLzOl_EzHcRSwxu7c1A2jgFHydp61/s1600/Sept+13+Coal+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqovwxKoeOHnYRDGDFgC9a-UJ62g5qD82FYsGfLCd7DoVG4I8u3GrStEvvLlJJmmRPnWqXeOYFB7k7rCEioa3TcBvsHFQ9xONJEuPzSIYKFbo5-HcvLzOl_EzHcRSwxu7c1A2jgFHydp61/s320/Sept+13+Coal+014.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It is a long and steady job to fill the coal bin for the next year. It usually take us about two weeks. We try to do at least an hour of moving coal each morning. It is better to move the coal in a light rain, as then the damp coal doesn’t make any dust. It isn’t much fun loading coal in a cold September drizzle. Hopefully we will get it done before October. At least when it is done the coal will be stored accessible from inside the shop and dry. We won't have to go outside in the winter and shovel a path through the snow to get some coal!<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-soWM3tx6iazO0xTIXjCeJoL1ZeiV-xXE8a8aSoI88cb4mv0ZvBFyG-DgVH-B1diABzg-Swx59oDgI5V4fTd0FDJJ_Zqw6OcIhMVdVyTnAxq493ROkK37C4DBs6uGEQPKVgfTfVvFS5J/s1600/Seasons-Winter1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-soWM3tx6iazO0xTIXjCeJoL1ZeiV-xXE8a8aSoI88cb4mv0ZvBFyG-DgVH-B1diABzg-Swx59oDgI5V4fTd0FDJJ_Zqw6OcIhMVdVyTnAxq493ROkK37C4DBs6uGEQPKVgfTfVvFS5J/s320/Seasons-Winter1.jpg" width="298px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Coal is something that warms you twice. You are warmed once when you move it and again when you burn it! If you visit the Fields Blacksmith Shop you can see for yourself how much progress we have made, and how much is in our coal bin. </div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-38844748036352450092011-08-10T11:13:00.000-04:002011-08-10T11:13:09.492-04:00For the want of a little forged hook - Making Hardware at the Blacksmith Shop.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our Blacksmith shop has played a restoration and repair role within The Farmers’ Museum since 1946. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwg7cJAz7u1WT7bsA9ogh4kL2jwslnl0uZIaoKodw_ljuwWsTRxLVKkI_qP9FVRroLABgKCsNo5bPu5nwYsraH9aP0FutCI-F-4HKi16oRAVOaCetnnMCa07uHZ78ghkn7dXhnHHaggLwu/s1600/May+scenes2+033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="241px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwg7cJAz7u1WT7bsA9ogh4kL2jwslnl0uZIaoKodw_ljuwWsTRxLVKkI_qP9FVRroLABgKCsNo5bPu5nwYsraH9aP0FutCI-F-4HKi16oRAVOaCetnnMCa07uHZ78ghkn7dXhnHHaggLwu/s320/May+scenes2+033.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We never know what project will come in next for repair or what will need to be made. One of the smallest jobs this July was a request from the Farmers for a small hook. It proved to be a small job with an important effect! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Farmers came to the shop and said,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“We need a little forged hook.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I asked, “Why to you need a hook?”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They replied, “To hold a string.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_dUNYvcnhbcazm464wshIuiPETJCXBgBF_Cogi-pvXl6Jqn7EajfftSrjNtvA3S809ZigYRTqHfRRAu1CZAjZgs30U7AInMl0OWhlpZFd2hOr32sD7oP4OxT_i23I56fdwUY6jUMN6f8/s1600/Little+Hook+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_dUNYvcnhbcazm464wshIuiPETJCXBgBF_Cogi-pvXl6Jqn7EajfftSrjNtvA3S809ZigYRTqHfRRAu1CZAjZgs30U7AInMl0OWhlpZFd2hOr32sD7oP4OxT_i23I56fdwUY6jUMN6f8/s320/Little+Hook+1.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wondered, “Why do you need to hold the string?”</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They replied, “To hold the door.”</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I asked, “What door?”</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They replied, “The Brooder House door."</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"What does the Brooder House do?"</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“It holds the hen that sits on the eggs.”</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXuQodNTmz9stwQlGfPrS0SyxFWh4ugHnDFhJA9dHPLC6EJJBt9VuLhKs0Kczy_4ejuOSq_o4bKmiin9lWb1wC0km1Ok4yKi6vXF9wfL-RFu2f2a5zr_VEVVneHxVB0DJRxszhlFNAD_7/s1600/Little+Chick+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXuQodNTmz9stwQlGfPrS0SyxFWh4ugHnDFhJA9dHPLC6EJJBt9VuLhKs0Kczy_4ejuOSq_o4bKmiin9lWb1wC0km1Ok4yKi6vXF9wfL-RFu2f2a5zr_VEVVneHxVB0DJRxszhlFNAD_7/s320/Little+Chick+5.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So it turns out they needed a hook to hold the string,</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They needed the string to hold the door, </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the door to that closes the Brooder House,</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the Brooder House that holds the hen, </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the hen that sits on the eggs, </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the eggs to hatch eleven chicks!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which the little hen did!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUw9D4pscJ64sp6CUGISyIZ6waa-vQYXltWEnMJTDDx-1px6JvW1YM95WMwLuEQCfxNqwPEaehkJw-CeKd59KMoESWHaUw5VsTTdaw5Tk86R6o9lYF1r23LDj_TEm3aFjq8amzQi33e42/s1600/Little+Chicks+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUw9D4pscJ64sp6CUGISyIZ6waa-vQYXltWEnMJTDDx-1px6JvW1YM95WMwLuEQCfxNqwPEaehkJw-CeKd59KMoESWHaUw5VsTTdaw5Tk86R6o9lYF1r23LDj_TEm3aFjq8amzQi33e42/s320/Little+Chicks+3.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So indirectly my little hook led to there being eleven new Dominick chicks at The Farmers’ Museum! Little things like forged hooks and unhatched eggs can have big results. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVGku21mPtlGKxhN0t253zDViM97ZAgsnMSlAWkZpgVCPF7vPODVt9IkSqGEhtgizWe-FnT1VfChnP1gOCT9DZ3fbWOE04k5n-qqAX83PQpxCGWg6SWqoe6xEG5099Q7URlK7TprBqpRN/s1600/Little+chicks+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVGku21mPtlGKxhN0t253zDViM97ZAgsnMSlAWkZpgVCPF7vPODVt9IkSqGEhtgizWe-FnT1VfChnP1gOCT9DZ3fbWOE04k5n-qqAX83PQpxCGWg6SWqoe6xEG5099Q7URlK7TprBqpRN/s320/Little+chicks+4.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-2393784991722704622011-07-31T11:35:00.000-04:002011-07-31T11:35:58.622-04:00Introduction to Engraving Steel - Classes coming in August and October 2011!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cKdRwwYiGMzPTrXQoSnHGh4tL8wXFQQUFYXErKWXd3Ts4Vzq9sTzPLq7XalLrDfcPZykbH5171QZ7Dn_-FqMrwZqDT-3RGkoQddYScksZoDsAg4NAldoH0UFmN7I6R4Ko-qNl7ehFlIS/s1600/Engraving+Class+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cKdRwwYiGMzPTrXQoSnHGh4tL8wXFQQUFYXErKWXd3Ts4Vzq9sTzPLq7XalLrDfcPZykbH5171QZ7Dn_-FqMrwZqDT-3RGkoQddYScksZoDsAg4NAldoH0UFmN7I6R4Ko-qNl7ehFlIS/s320/Engraving+Class+1.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We teach a wide variety of classes in traditional craft at The Farmers' Museum. I am particularly proud to offer a new class on engraving steel using traditional hand tools. The instructor is Paul Spaulding, Master Blacksmith and the engraver of our <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/09/scottish-pistol-project-part-v.html">Scottish Pistol Project</a>. He will guide students through the theory and methods of engraving steel. Each class will have a maximum of 6 students. All will have a full set of tools provided to practice engraving.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYyKSHkg852s6RIt-gpazBs3U87buPF-SXkVSVjjjx9JugSXxW3-Wb229gMnI6IOJEITnrMwv32ry2yaDszLxM-9QYMwFnRnaufBuej3YZohgH01rRO-CSACbkr0z37ZRvhYolCDeYnNV/s1600/Engraving+class+3-students.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYyKSHkg852s6RIt-gpazBs3U87buPF-SXkVSVjjjx9JugSXxW3-Wb229gMnI6IOJEITnrMwv32ry2yaDszLxM-9QYMwFnRnaufBuej3YZohgH01rRO-CSACbkr0z37ZRvhYolCDeYnNV/s320/Engraving+class+3-students.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Introduction to Engraving Steel with Hand Tools is a two day class. The cost is $150 for a two day class with group and individual tutorials. It is offered August 6th and 7th, as well as October 8th and 9th. The August class has openings. For more information or to enroll call <strong>The</strong> <strong>Farmers' Museum</strong> at 607-547-1461. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdFMurcXdodfbIyFQKDMOkwjaIkyaImRG52uzqwds0xnKrpNJLXNSxj7MCpm6Kyu5Jd8zobXuT2FGSQiA7gj0scxR5slCjp1d6yS5FoVbQPu_W3ZSF-cG4CfrEEUBZjFXsVRdAO-BqyIs/s1600/Engraving+class-engraving+w+hammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdFMurcXdodfbIyFQKDMOkwjaIkyaImRG52uzqwds0xnKrpNJLXNSxj7MCpm6Kyu5Jd8zobXuT2FGSQiA7gj0scxR5slCjp1d6yS5FoVbQPu_W3ZSF-cG4CfrEEUBZjFXsVRdAO-BqyIs/s320/Engraving+class-engraving+w+hammer.jpg" t$="true" width="228px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Students will learn tips on how to design and lay out projects, and the basic methods of using a hand engraver and hammer to engrave steel. Attention will also be spent on how to choose the type of engraving chisel for the work as well as how to sharpen, hold, and use the engravers. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Q871XL7nNH0mstDuQLT1dxzL14D7YSsu7O_jyzlDwFEajxr22osrUypysUgsZutEtqvLcIeMv4rfg1A0CFbbPAKTXzsEwRJaVkzeySyV4y1OGwu1qq0Zs043kwVYd-OAaWhyKQNWDBEW/s1600/Engraving+class+5-pistol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Q871XL7nNH0mstDuQLT1dxzL14D7YSsu7O_jyzlDwFEajxr22osrUypysUgsZutEtqvLcIeMv4rfg1A0CFbbPAKTXzsEwRJaVkzeySyV4y1OGwu1qq0Zs043kwVYd-OAaWhyKQNWDBEW/s320/Engraving+class+5-pistol.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>You are not likely to have mastered engraving by the end of the course but will have a firm foundation to begin practicing on your own. If you have an urge to try your hand at engraving steel using simple traditional tools this may be the place to start!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-28841614100850807282011-03-24T14:24:00.000-04:002011-03-24T14:24:43.957-04:00Making Tools for the Anvil: Bottom Swage<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One of the pleasures of blacksmithing is the ability to make new tools as needed. We needed some bottom swages for use in the anvil to complete a current project. We made them as needed. This is just one way to make them, as it suited the tools available in our traditional shop.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVYlQscE1HavseIGvEtMhCgvktGCb4OuTVxZdPRD6I41HELxWO9VpWteoqcOvD3Jf-U2fEiou82VRhZI3EnGteq8s3j7AXzh4apg-v4Vv0wjlYs4d2IDqwIE5DWqsDOrqpScd_tJ0C2wG/s1600/Feb+15+2011+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVYlQscE1HavseIGvEtMhCgvktGCb4OuTVxZdPRD6I41HELxWO9VpWteoqcOvD3Jf-U2fEiou82VRhZI3EnGteq8s3j7AXzh4apg-v4Vv0wjlYs4d2IDqwIE5DWqsDOrqpScd_tJ0C2wG/s400/Feb+15+2011+020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Start with a piece of steel with enough mass for the tools. In this case we used a piece of steel cut from a hammer head. Square it to the desired size and start the job.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILXfuyCJ7G0tIYoEsS_EmXf8tSFin1C7tjSzuAXOGNt5MrxbR5T0TehGU_hCj64BbtckdWzb9iMU7dOzCSTYF0pUrr7Pg0PfrE3TK_XpQAJ_BwjHlg1F10Ns9rg1DbpbQA6a_7rK44wDJ/s1600/Swage+Start+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILXfuyCJ7G0tIYoEsS_EmXf8tSFin1C7tjSzuAXOGNt5MrxbR5T0TehGU_hCj64BbtckdWzb9iMU7dOzCSTYF0pUrr7Pg0PfrE3TK_XpQAJ_BwjHlg1F10Ns9rg1DbpbQA6a_7rK44wDJ/s400/Swage+Start+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">Any tool used in the anvil needs a square stem to hold it in place in the square Hardy hole of the anvil. We achieved this by fullering the piece down to the desired size using a handled fuller, a striker with a sledge hammer, and the anvil.</div><br />
Fullering the hardy stem:<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2vqSKPmk1I4clOEvqdg0U2Ike5YnEhmML4gXCkW_LRhm673pTwJu6jJQWKtN8LT0BakLB5XC0raiu7tuHAHIoX_4vxNU3HHSd4XbnYMlQsUKcVguk5l0pqOKNkJAqNJkSWZ4G-Jj9dyl/s1600/Swage+Fullering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2vqSKPmk1I4clOEvqdg0U2Ike5YnEhmML4gXCkW_LRhm673pTwJu6jJQWKtN8LT0BakLB5XC0raiu7tuHAHIoX_4vxNU3HHSd4XbnYMlQsUKcVguk5l0pqOKNkJAqNJkSWZ4G-Jj9dyl/s400/Swage+Fullering.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Here you can see we have the hardy stem well formed:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdkbu5LfBW52sVT8_4Tpn3HzXfO0IVxcH1wCOYIotH-Csp2RS3-kYuWgPRUM4xz8e5WUFm_CwVWxNSn1Pfv4mmYKpKnUYR9u6oW8BHnfXsYXnhJj9c_NCVGo_8ogMESvN8pSMwIJ_b8q4/s1600/Swage+Stem1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdkbu5LfBW52sVT8_4Tpn3HzXfO0IVxcH1wCOYIotH-Csp2RS3-kYuWgPRUM4xz8e5WUFm_CwVWxNSn1Pfv4mmYKpKnUYR9u6oW8BHnfXsYXnhJj9c_NCVGo_8ogMESvN8pSMwIJ_b8q4/s400/Swage+Stem1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the hardy stem is done, it is time to shape the working end. The face of the tool is taken to a forging heat, placed in the hardy hole, and the appropriate sized groove sunk into the face by driving a tool into the hot steel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zLOAenGmrQMgLoNWV3FhnHKNitw_B0bdEXF8eenJ4KaDR31YyPqaZS9Xc5kkd9KDMqg28hdiP5sI3MlL2HnCgT049oJUBI84mR9Nq3SnDVPB6jor4n2oq8fRljJ4BJJhvaY3AIeqy7ep/s1600/Swage+Stem2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zLOAenGmrQMgLoNWV3FhnHKNitw_B0bdEXF8eenJ4KaDR31YyPqaZS9Xc5kkd9KDMqg28hdiP5sI3MlL2HnCgT049oJUBI84mR9Nq3SnDVPB6jor4n2oq8fRljJ4BJJhvaY3AIeqy7ep/s400/Swage+Stem2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Sinking the die impression:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpd34aQ3yzRAejQW-4dMcK8IPjE0EQeMXkfmQjwyVloTFZCEQ0aeY7o6pNd8ZJlNkcp4514LnkXYSvfyhFvoB-vMRUxOJ9L1Kj8F67dBlhyphenhyphen59rBQccHCBDz0IrFclFv-dhqpbftobQvjJ/s1600/Swage-setting+the+die.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpd34aQ3yzRAejQW-4dMcK8IPjE0EQeMXkfmQjwyVloTFZCEQ0aeY7o6pNd8ZJlNkcp4514LnkXYSvfyhFvoB-vMRUxOJ9L1Kj8F67dBlhyphenhyphen59rBQccHCBDz0IrFclFv-dhqpbftobQvjJ/s400/Swage-setting+the+die.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">We cleaned up the forged die with a rasp (file) while it was still hot.:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kbwSGg1pYHXAAVyUNdRnvBriRoulMHcFgCD81as8VlQl4x8Hod85tBRiTyi47UDNK1mYnLzadOD5gI15BIPIgxRM3Cpf8ZyOWnfmnithOtFQZZFCtAQ3_6cIi4bBXY3EB83UcbAtQXO4/s1600/Mar+1+2011+101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kbwSGg1pYHXAAVyUNdRnvBriRoulMHcFgCD81as8VlQl4x8Hod85tBRiTyi47UDNK1mYnLzadOD5gI15BIPIgxRM3Cpf8ZyOWnfmnithOtFQZZFCtAQ3_6cIi4bBXY3EB83UcbAtQXO4/s400/Mar+1+2011+101.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Then we examined the die for problems or areas that need more work:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J8O5k6lP__-DRpcyE2hyphenhyphenrx-SkVW4RhULQs_6002r3Zjyu_r4otxiJeUEAZOnfyf_pPZUrNzzUMS0tzmso7XKxZAr-T75l-06wgbZe45dZbFQDJfA32HDNzIvK_OKmp9QKmp9uAj229Ya/s1600/Swage-Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J8O5k6lP__-DRpcyE2hyphenhyphenrx-SkVW4RhULQs_6002r3Zjyu_r4otxiJeUEAZOnfyf_pPZUrNzzUMS0tzmso7XKxZAr-T75l-06wgbZe45dZbFQDJfA32HDNzIvK_OKmp9QKmp9uAj229Ya/s400/Swage-Hot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the finished die and one of the collar pieces it was created to shape:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HKNigzteO_waahVwVea9HwM8Kjir-_I5P2QkwTqRsaZAeguX0L-2KlYz22XLCOaJ885PgHzu4Gvc47uwTKFyy54Fiy2BpALGAeQ7F2Olhes8cW_oVPRIFQBl5GF1EfC5gcasx6X8aXXF/s1600/Swage-finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HKNigzteO_waahVwVea9HwM8Kjir-_I5P2QkwTqRsaZAeguX0L-2KlYz22XLCOaJ885PgHzu4Gvc47uwTKFyy54Fiy2BpALGAeQ7F2Olhes8cW_oVPRIFQBl5GF1EfC5gcasx6X8aXXF/s400/Swage-finished.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Some projects require making more tools than others. Our ongoing <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/12/weathervane-project-part-i.html">weathervane project</a> has led to the making of custom tongs and two sizes of bottom swage tools for the anvil. Now that we have these tools, it expands the options of tools that can be used for future projects.</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-20466052617148805392011-02-01T14:00:00.003-05:002011-02-01T14:53:53.714-05:00Old AnvilsThe 1827 Peleg Field Blacksmith Shop is lucky to be so well-equipped with anvils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are the fundamental, cornerstone tool of the shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpe-XItpXoMUQrtlI0_hAx-6lvUzIycsttek65Z9qxt9U3pPLts2gxk5hSwzLhXnXMkKl7liYXDkrhy9IPb6alasYr3aNHxNAmlTe78ii5iQgVtHiPjlvY3My1kLIDYiVzjhZfJmo-LXg/s1600/Dec.16+2010+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpe-XItpXoMUQrtlI0_hAx-6lvUzIycsttek65Z9qxt9U3pPLts2gxk5hSwzLhXnXMkKl7liYXDkrhy9IPb6alasYr3aNHxNAmlTe78ii5iQgVtHiPjlvY3My1kLIDYiVzjhZfJmo-LXg/s400/Dec.16+2010+009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Our oldest anvil is probably much like one that Mr. Peleg Field would have seen and used during his apprenticeship in the 1780’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is an English pattern “5<sup>th</sup> foot” anvil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That nickname comes from that fact that it has 5 feet, not 4!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chunky and squat, this style of anvil was made by teams of trained smiths working to forge the anvil from up to 11 pieces of wrought iron and then forge welding a steel plate onto the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While often only around 120lbs,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> t</span>his would have been a blacksmith shop primary anvil in the 19<sup>th</sup> century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This style with the 5<sup>th</sup> foot harkens back to features found on anvils in the 17<sup>th</sup> and even 16<sup>th</sup> centuries.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4usjnDBj3vJY56CWeCBEfX6pwdtgVhJbyHuNP_LXMwqB7W91cxTZCS7Tzb90f1m0nt_vnlJW4YngYHVGImDER5BDsDvTLOyOCv-EcuU5jtdypaML8vCd3lkDD-HI30jWmlYZkP5ZsDVTH/s1600/TFM+5th+foot+Colonial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4usjnDBj3vJY56CWeCBEfX6pwdtgVhJbyHuNP_LXMwqB7W91cxTZCS7Tzb90f1m0nt_vnlJW4YngYHVGImDER5BDsDvTLOyOCv-EcuU5jtdypaML8vCd3lkDD-HI30jWmlYZkP5ZsDVTH/s400/TFM+5th+foot+Colonial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This Vulcan Works anvil from Sheffield is a transitional anvil (below).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably made in the late 18<sup>th</sup> or<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>first third of the 19<sup>th</sup> century, it bridges the gap between the small and squat older style and the larger and longer London or American Pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This anvil still has the small horn of the earlier style but also has the thinner heel of the London Pattern.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvmgxv_DcGJxEZpprgyEzUe14zDc70675-101_2lQFiaw3cfvf7jNV00OoCahlBusVqbtua4jNR6Gzwb3GwNJdkgWOCjBT6hP_oWATck3kU6NHMNL-idKLfArdEgasCzyJOgWnZMJBrKY/s1600/TFM+Sheffield+Vulcan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvmgxv_DcGJxEZpprgyEzUe14zDc70675-101_2lQFiaw3cfvf7jNV00OoCahlBusVqbtua4jNR6Gzwb3GwNJdkgWOCjBT6hP_oWATck3kU6NHMNL-idKLfArdEgasCzyJOgWnZMJBrKY/s400/TFM+Sheffield+Vulcan2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Peter Wright anvil below was made in London, England in the mid-19<sup>th</sup> century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the shape that most people recognize in the United States as a modern anvil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is around 155lbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The larger horn and long thin heel of the anvil face makes this a versatile tool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the anvil we use at the front forge in the Field Blacksmith shop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8t9p2Z6sfRy8yCBBZ02JADQxRdspznXq-FMBr0w05cSv1FIi9guSyilSig7yZmALj1H28IsTBYDWL8WuKwbQAUTLBkte2GW5pwo5TAtY-qtUob5EB4CI_kDNX4jCrjWPT7585EGHgJ7nC/s1600/TFM+Peter+Wright+155lb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8t9p2Z6sfRy8yCBBZ02JADQxRdspznXq-FMBr0w05cSv1FIi9guSyilSig7yZmALj1H28IsTBYDWL8WuKwbQAUTLBkte2GW5pwo5TAtY-qtUob5EB4CI_kDNX4jCrjWPT7585EGHgJ7nC/s400/TFM+Peter+Wright+155lb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">At the back forge is a larger anvil made in the same style as the Peter Wright at the front forge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larger than the previous anvil, it is around 180lbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can feel the benefit of that extra mass when using it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It provides a very solid surface for larger work like hinges and wagon parts.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qVbNNOUQ5avwbh8-0mjclYebjnrBkka_oX6ibnSjj8r82eldlPIXBw5pkxvojh1TqkAP1UYT4rr2e-NEThOYyR2ckMZxzxZkPEmlJDffwxN_msvZGEQR_C9NSAw0dkwgorOUJK_S3Mc4/s1600/TFM+Peter+Wright+185lb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qVbNNOUQ5avwbh8-0mjclYebjnrBkka_oX6ibnSjj8r82eldlPIXBw5pkxvojh1TqkAP1UYT4rr2e-NEThOYyR2ckMZxzxZkPEmlJDffwxN_msvZGEQR_C9NSAw0dkwgorOUJK_S3Mc4/s400/TFM+Peter+Wright+185lb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Anvils were such common tools in daily life and last such a long time, that there is a surprising amount of diversity among old anvils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike other items that are 150 to 300 years old, anvils are generally considered tools rather than antiques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With good care, these anvils will be in use as we work and demonstrate to the public for decades to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-57670869780671084782011-01-24T11:00:00.000-05:002011-01-24T11:00:06.686-05:00The Weathervane Project, Part II: Forging diamonds.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Our Weathervane Project has several different shapes as part of the design. C-scrolls, tulips, and diamonds are repeated themes. Let’s look at how the diamond forms are created at the forge<strong>.</strong></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMtlrWphzWuMfULT7AmBbFV1jNOtfHuqgcvKkytgWQdb8NOowjJIo3RzbWE3AjlKIgxw5aZY4Dhoo4z8GVHdaNdadmaJtGJ83AWZI8Y2vAlqCcWq7zaVvU-iplCoFgEDq1XcO1pGYXK2l/s1600/Dec.16+2010+Diamond+09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMtlrWphzWuMfULT7AmBbFV1jNOtfHuqgcvKkytgWQdb8NOowjJIo3RzbWE3AjlKIgxw5aZY4Dhoo4z8GVHdaNdadmaJtGJ83AWZI8Y2vAlqCcWq7zaVvU-iplCoFgEDq1XcO1pGYXK2l/s400/Dec.16+2010+Diamond+09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">They are formed from low-carbon steel bar that is ¼” by 2” by about 5” long. The first 3" will be used to form the diamond shape and the rest formed into the tail approximately 5/8</span><span style="font-family: Cambria;">" thick and 2.5" long<strong>.</strong></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXUmi5UcLWl4rgjbHS1TRI8tbUsWvaEIj3sNXzj19kMdkJ-ss4FtP1oX6Tf1MigPOr7Te8ZZPp1pq_n3JEmOe6vFMc0CbI2AAliyRYQOzYpvSdpHeiuqTW2gpkN3BaDhVFEpqFYCTeru2/s1600/Dec.16+2010+Diamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXUmi5UcLWl4rgjbHS1TRI8tbUsWvaEIj3sNXzj19kMdkJ-ss4FtP1oX6Tf1MigPOr7Te8ZZPp1pq_n3JEmOe6vFMc0CbI2AAliyRYQOzYpvSdpHeiuqTW2gpkN3BaDhVFEpqFYCTeru2/s400/Dec.16+2010+Diamond.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The diamond shape is forged out of the bar over the edge of the anvil. This takes several heats and goes faster with assistance from a striker with a sledge hammer. This one is half done:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3SHrNuO4t9xb4_yTV8LASRsVGTNHKqHSWSjg1l27w10W73JNW9OCHutLo1Atfpv-gi1mFoD_yoXOxlMGThTNNhqIJbCi57ziCQmMxwRLSqnZqAHv4Il15ribmLRQgA_lkg9kEyfc1fwH/s1600/Dec.22+Diamond+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3SHrNuO4t9xb4_yTV8LASRsVGTNHKqHSWSjg1l27w10W73JNW9OCHutLo1Atfpv-gi1mFoD_yoXOxlMGThTNNhqIJbCi57ziCQmMxwRLSqnZqAHv4Il15ribmLRQgA_lkg9kEyfc1fwH/s400/Dec.22+Diamond+03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">The finished diamond then is forge-welded to the crossbar. That is done by two smiths working together to hold and weld the pieces together into a finished bar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOKclrugygCQekaAr__DCAFz-RtYPofXgBMoHGDLfzbzmaT111KXd2cvAB6BxODZQA1qelCJOBZFKZwdbzccP3YeKVAhRf474B4czVMOWtShWJUpO-JQXVyuNvbaVIRIZSgRssWTgzTtA/s1600/Dec.7+2010+Weathervane+weld+04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOKclrugygCQekaAr__DCAFz-RtYPofXgBMoHGDLfzbzmaT111KXd2cvAB6BxODZQA1qelCJOBZFKZwdbzccP3YeKVAhRf474B4czVMOWtShWJUpO-JQXVyuNvbaVIRIZSgRssWTgzTtA/s400/Dec.7+2010+Weathervane+weld+04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The welded bar is quenched in water and cleaned up.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswfQWhmJdvORFsVwwBQUirK88_qw5boUHJi0uVRw3eZML5pk5PJKOY1grQ-vYcP_qsOS4wwCiu_Dtd5UyDoLHzxma5keE8cGizogF-3Wsx4zjzd5eyPa4urGSpY_3s6l78YjHDCceXanr/s1600/Dec.7+2010+Diamonds+Quench+05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswfQWhmJdvORFsVwwBQUirK88_qw5boUHJi0uVRw3eZML5pk5PJKOY1grQ-vYcP_qsOS4wwCiu_Dtd5UyDoLHzxma5keE8cGizogF-3Wsx4zjzd5eyPa4urGSpY_3s6l78YjHDCceXanr/s400/Dec.7+2010+Diamonds+Quench+05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">The diamond is then framed by two scrolls to create a form of a Fleur De Lise. This one doesn't have the final collar yet but is still quite striking in silhouette.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheidsXx_GgQzcYTSA4l6zpBrMxJFQmyBvzm7KryPT77u6xGXkvRoGlTDPFTtVBFgTsOlWD2G5zOBpJB-cjrRF41feZe5EwMZOn7hIylpLdqHwdcnUf-PuK6Sf86D7MfnJO5m6p6B2NL72O/s1600/Dec.16+2010+Diamond+Fleur+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheidsXx_GgQzcYTSA4l6zpBrMxJFQmyBvzm7KryPT77u6xGXkvRoGlTDPFTtVBFgTsOlWD2G5zOBpJB-cjrRF41feZe5EwMZOn7hIylpLdqHwdcnUf-PuK6Sf86D7MfnJO5m6p6B2NL72O/s400/Dec.16+2010+Diamond+Fleur+10.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-9761191558256416532010-12-28T13:49:00.000-05:002010-12-28T13:49:57.809-05:00Happy Holidays 2010<div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">As we head through December toward the New Year snow has been falling and the days are getting shorter and darker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wood stove in the Blacksmith shop makes a cheerful smoke plume in the morning.</span></div><div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GyuSkHRnftLpPeiW50bJEDhfbwDySM7yfOT9HpstBEVyPjd5MBFELW57DT1z0MqEGCxxHUe7-f0YWv8Fa3724B5Br_98eHhcxP8mypQnOP7qg4SYfjdWOj_1AHA3Xi2izl-84He8AaSA/s1600/Dec.16+2010+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GyuSkHRnftLpPeiW50bJEDhfbwDySM7yfOT9HpstBEVyPjd5MBFELW57DT1z0MqEGCxxHUe7-f0YWv8Fa3724B5Br_98eHhcxP8mypQnOP7qg4SYfjdWOj_1AHA3Xi2izl-84He8AaSA/s400/Dec.16+2010+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Each day we light the wood stove and also the coal forge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here the coal fire is just starting to burn well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXvNdC4kwvYGFQslQSOong3QttmEe_5a6R0DRUVGEbuiDIwQJLIaqH_UUx9rwEMAb8fOXzayor2l77Jq6baCeburtI2a5DJhdxUQILggrO_Kf4R2gagTVEvsg5ICRXVid7kJA2zG3ON2s/s1600/Birchbark-Burning++Bright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXvNdC4kwvYGFQslQSOong3QttmEe_5a6R0DRUVGEbuiDIwQJLIaqH_UUx9rwEMAb8fOXzayor2l77Jq6baCeburtI2a5DJhdxUQILggrO_Kf4R2gagTVEvsg5ICRXVid7kJA2zG3ON2s/s320/Birchbark-Burning++Bright.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="NoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Happy Holidays and best wishes for a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMu6DUJJLMJ3U3wVCgJorLwJbDhFLLl2zIfvnObXOqCnGHpc5v46oVDcDJYRvJYB3ls7FzAHijGNVnTEX5xzf0vYiZcGgqE2fsT6FdPw_NmzfP5meF92PU6Z5TutY9-X-mPYEq2lXrzip_/s1600/Field+Shop+Sillohette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMu6DUJJLMJ3U3wVCgJorLwJbDhFLLl2zIfvnObXOqCnGHpc5v46oVDcDJYRvJYB3ls7FzAHijGNVnTEX5xzf0vYiZcGgqE2fsT6FdPw_NmzfP5meF92PU6Z5TutY9-X-mPYEq2lXrzip_/s320/Field+Shop+Sillohette.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-15018033312372772682010-12-15T10:57:00.000-05:002010-12-15T10:57:30.649-05:00Weathervane Project: Part IThe Peleg Field Blacksmith Shop at The Farmers’ Museum is building a Weathervane. This isn’t our first weathervane project, but it will be the largest and most detailed. A Weathervane made in the Field shop sits atop our own roof! The weathervane features a running horse of copper held by a forged steel armature. With a flowing mane and tail held high, it is a good mascot for our shop. This weathervane is not an artifact from the past. It was made in the last decade by a highly skilled Blacksmith and volunteer at our shop.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs8rdKJMNmlAjsPj2mqUrqG79k07vZPNGjVSka-hrwQwk5TnWG4WMcZR7jHMGT0aE_qGsjP8ZtOybe6YzY8Li9RzTwEF3M0FGSPSe6jdeSe8Ud_Nk3hdokgXtU9A-cS26hf2SszDF_XCJ/s1600/Dec.7+Field+Weathervane+Horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs8rdKJMNmlAjsPj2mqUrqG79k07vZPNGjVSka-hrwQwk5TnWG4WMcZR7jHMGT0aE_qGsjP8ZtOybe6YzY8Li9RzTwEF3M0FGSPSe6jdeSe8Ud_Nk3hdokgXtU9A-cS26hf2SszDF_XCJ/s320/Dec.7+Field+Weathervane+Horse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
An ongoing project has been to make a Weathervane based upon the original on the New York State Historical Association Research Library. The NYSHA weathervane was made in the late 1960’s. Its signature element is the beautiful copper quill that is the vane. The quill is all made of worked brass and copper. It shows a masterful touch with detail.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qlPWOUJIs5csD97n6C1BSYCVMALev4QWA1xek9Mq48v_A5Huj7HX33uu1ijuO17cYqJO75Z9AukP2urB-el6mnnnWPyqp-XhnDeL3fGh9SvVTi_qd8G8wJ9zS1L0D2lKgg46OZ61yFAE/s1600/Nov+3%252C+2010+Weathervane+%2526+Quill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qlPWOUJIs5csD97n6C1BSYCVMALev4QWA1xek9Mq48v_A5Huj7HX33uu1ijuO17cYqJO75Z9AukP2urB-el6mnnnWPyqp-XhnDeL3fGh9SvVTi_qd8G8wJ9zS1L0D2lKgg46OZ61yFAE/s400/Nov+3%252C+2010+Weathervane+%2526+Quill.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At the Peleg Field shop we have been working on a reproduction of the NYSHA weathervane. It is a formidable task due to the detail and size of the project. As the project continues we will have more installments on the Weathervane Project!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKk2ilDU1neFO9Jiov6aeMZ9mgnZn2DYiN7ynlamO4fUVHrJd3vbq0WuYTE53JWjqx573CpxraybrJ7iuNnOcSkfKfwUPyDePMvLHOnQA-3uVQkHtJB7vwnVZeXpHOt5GYhKQThBth3X8/s1600/Nov+3%252C+2010+072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKk2ilDU1neFO9Jiov6aeMZ9mgnZn2DYiN7ynlamO4fUVHrJd3vbq0WuYTE53JWjqx573CpxraybrJ7iuNnOcSkfKfwUPyDePMvLHOnQA-3uVQkHtJB7vwnVZeXpHOt5GYhKQThBth3X8/s400/Nov+3%252C+2010+072.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Weathervanes were a specialized item made by skilled craftspeople. If you appreciate the artistry and whimsy present in weathervanes then check out the blog from our sister institution, the <a href="http://folkartcooperstown.blogspot.com/search?q=Weathervane">Fenimore Art Museum</a>. There are some amazing weathervanes shown in discussions on American Folk Art.</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-23159668938688619712010-12-02T13:55:00.002-05:002010-12-03T09:56:54.904-05:00“T’was the Night before Christmas” –Making Christmas in the 19th Century.The Farmers' Museum reopens to the public on Saturday, December 11th for <a href="http://www.farmersmuseum.org/">Candlelight Evening</a>. Since we are preparing to celebrate the season in 19th century style, I thought it would be appropriate to revisit the poem that helped to define Christmas as an American secular holiday. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTZnTAt05o59Ow3OAd5_1FcYQZeC1IkODzQpJ1ElG_BxNbW4HA31VviopQsUoy5OA5JcDFqLT-y-tUfVPAjWGLsXvp8ASO2JSGAAfDai8WohudVmM-3ZgGCVoLsloaqwb8b_vYs1wzwLz/s1600/Sled-Headers-Door+118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTZnTAt05o59Ow3OAd5_1FcYQZeC1IkODzQpJ1ElG_BxNbW4HA31VviopQsUoy5OA5JcDFqLT-y-tUfVPAjWGLsXvp8ASO2JSGAAfDai8WohudVmM-3ZgGCVoLsloaqwb8b_vYs1wzwLz/s400/Sled-Headers-Door+118.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Clemet Clark Moore was a scholar, a published author of literary translation, and a poet. He seems to have been a serious and scholarly man of wealth, privilege, and influence. It is intriguing that this man of gravitas and serious mein is attributed the poem that helped solidify and define the American Christmas tradition of the 19th century.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><blockquote><strong>A Visit from St. Nicholas</strong></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;</div><br />
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,<br />
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;<br />
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,<br />
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,<br />
<br />
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,<br />
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap —<br />
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,<br />
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Away to the window I flew like a flash,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">With a little old driver, so lively and quick,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:</div>"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer and Vixen,<br />
"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donder and Blitzen;<br />
"To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!<br />
"Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"<br />
<br />
As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,<br />
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;<br />
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,<br />
With the sleigh full of toys — and St. Nicholas too:<br />
<br />
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof<br />
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I drew in my head, and was turning around,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot;</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A bundle of toys was flung on his back,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples: how merry,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;</div>His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;</div><br />
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,<br />
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.<br />
He had a broad face, and a little round belly<br />
That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:<br />
<br />
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,<br />
And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;<br />
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head<br />
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And laying his finger aside of his nose</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:</div>But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight<br />
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">—Clement Clark Moore</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The poem was first published in 1823 in <em>The Sentinel </em>newspaper of Troy, NY, and was immensely popular by 1845. There was even debate over whether Moore was really the author. That stems in part from the initial publishing being done anonymously. Moore included the poem in an anthology of his work published in 1844. </div><br />
The light and cheerful poem is quite different from his more scholarly and serious writing. He noted that it was written for his children, and only published at their insistence. Not only does this poem provide a glimpse into the development of American conceptions of Christmas as a secular holiday, but also an unexpected glimpse into the home life of a scholarly and private 19th century gentleman.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKrlg3Rg1-FSGLM-n6fnej5PnM3A9xj3OxOl0vz-T3a1W_bX4NUniUOapGdJV6JX3VBWo2a1iucIEk5e3YQKkX-kw84qW7JLF68ZHc2BCK98Tjmc9krU3xO-X0sNVkphWeaTFy5uceLV2/s1600/Dec.+8%252C+2009+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKrlg3Rg1-FSGLM-n6fnej5PnM3A9xj3OxOl0vz-T3a1W_bX4NUniUOapGdJV6JX3VBWo2a1iucIEk5e3YQKkX-kw84qW7JLF68ZHc2BCK98Tjmc9krU3xO-X0sNVkphWeaTFy5uceLV2/s400/Dec.+8%252C+2009+009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Warm holiday wishes from all of us at The Farmers' Museum.</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-81814113372519794872010-11-23T12:19:00.000-05:002010-11-23T12:19:57.913-05:00Mending Farm Tools at the Blacksmith ShopEvery tool that is used at the Lippitt Farmstead can wear and need mending. Some of the agricultural tools used with our horse and oxen at The Farmers' Museum have been in use since James K. Polk was President! At the Peleg Field's Blacksmith Shop, we use the same traditional metalworking methods to repair the farm equipment as was used in their original construction.<br />
<br />
Recently, the seed roller was brought to the shop by our ox team Jigs and Buckwheat. It had a broken metal bracket. We removed the bracket and began repairs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT0jwgdSmBNLMFSuyotfKJSCt-svhIMT1oKus04SuQOcCRUpaiRRtrouYmC4lqVfOW46kSY8X4q5ygZ2InUlLThtkq09Vqcq7Iu2wOGNSnk23mFlE3WTfIQbPrhnRVuI6GuU6SBsm8bcZ/s1600/Seed+Roller%252C+repaired+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT0jwgdSmBNLMFSuyotfKJSCt-svhIMT1oKus04SuQOcCRUpaiRRtrouYmC4lqVfOW46kSY8X4q5ygZ2InUlLThtkq09Vqcq7Iu2wOGNSnk23mFlE3WTfIQbPrhnRVuI6GuU6SBsm8bcZ/s400/Seed+Roller%252C+repaired+2010.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>The broken bracket had new steel forge-welded in place. Then the bolt holes were punched, and the bracket bent to the proper shape. That should be as good as new!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6NJjuuDCB62dgRXu0FhMiJSv0j850cPNZyqzuk5omwkHKk4AqoT0ZqXrBcVUljL6e85-kPue5FvF8yDOvn5GdzVodrugvEm4aF_3z0gA351Y9Z05aBQDKg5NakouLVXdBbosD3OAUGbJ/s1600/Nov+3%252C+2010+Seed+Roller+Mend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6NJjuuDCB62dgRXu0FhMiJSv0j850cPNZyqzuk5omwkHKk4AqoT0ZqXrBcVUljL6e85-kPue5FvF8yDOvn5GdzVodrugvEm4aF_3z0gA351Y9Z05aBQDKg5NakouLVXdBbosD3OAUGbJ/s400/Nov+3%252C+2010+Seed+Roller+Mend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Horse drawn farm equipment often had parts that deteriorated throug use and were designed to be replaced. Unfortunately for us, sometimes the company that made the replacement part has been out of business for a century! We can usually figure out how to make the needed part at the Blacksmith Shop. Over the course of a year we have done major repairs on the plow and the seed roller, and smaller repairs on the spring tooth harrow, ox cart, and ox yoke. This illustrates to us how necessary the Blacksmith would have been to a farmer in the 19th century.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Io9uzR3MX-C3CjRaeOkRgqvaHCS857SlzAAOl7RYsUAwelD4Z6qk6IOYegr1calR1StqHGU1TbtxiaWV9bXbiWyUyx2_NBp-lXFjYDBGBQH3P-l4MmXdd22Gu7eJ_gUdQKH_vd_jMHh0/s1600/Seed+Roller%252C+Repaired+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Io9uzR3MX-C3CjRaeOkRgqvaHCS857SlzAAOl7RYsUAwelD4Z6qk6IOYegr1calR1StqHGU1TbtxiaWV9bXbiWyUyx2_NBp-lXFjYDBGBQH3P-l4MmXdd22Gu7eJ_gUdQKH_vd_jMHh0/s400/Seed+Roller%252C+Repaired+2.jpg" width="301" /></a>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-52566636537738066242010-11-15T11:30:00.001-05:002010-11-15T11:48:32.610-05:00Draft Power: Fall work for the oxen.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Fall is a busy season for the farmers at The Farmers’ Museum. The last of the late summer crops are cleaned up and cleared from the fields. Our draft animals get used for a wide variety of work. Cutting corn stalks and hauling crops to the barn for the winter is one large job.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oxen hauling corn:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJyUFydnxnCsyuz9t5ADodfZdsr_q8eSvvaXrq4adLFWxU2HDaDZphx6Hs_seFy5VgBjE6pnGbO2o60tSqLigfAqaxWUYQYGoGL6HejxQFag83ifPKpMQBNR68hM0FsLm9k7pPJVsyZWi/s1600/Oct.+26,+2010+Oxen+with+Corn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJyUFydnxnCsyuz9t5ADodfZdsr_q8eSvvaXrq4adLFWxU2HDaDZphx6Hs_seFy5VgBjE6pnGbO2o60tSqLigfAqaxWUYQYGoGL6HejxQFag83ifPKpMQBNR68hM0FsLm9k7pPJVsyZWi/s400/Oct.+26,+2010+Oxen+with+Corn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our oxen have also been busy hauling other crops. They have hauled the fall pumpkin and mangle wetzel (fodder beets) to the barn for winter cattle feed. The oxen also played a major part in our <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/11/2010-tractor-festival-at-farmers-museum.html">Tractor Festival</a> in October to haul oats from the barn to the threshing machine, and then take the straw and cleaned oats back to the barn.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oxen hauling oats:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIyqK8AK2WzWXGm62aOrSWrUhHps7ixbFbpJJeiqbIYUjDofsS5Qh6_G2_hMA46ZFcTWBmjfSWo5aw8M093oiQrgU8tJIWA7sDVZLfw_bTDbiSNzE34KTIQIg3O4MAIrtkPyX45JTVrl0/s1600/Oct.+14,+2010+056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIyqK8AK2WzWXGm62aOrSWrUhHps7ixbFbpJJeiqbIYUjDofsS5Qh6_G2_hMA46ZFcTWBmjfSWo5aw8M093oiQrgU8tJIWA7sDVZLfw_bTDbiSNzE34KTIQIg3O4MAIrtkPyX45JTVrl0/s400/Oct.+14,+2010+056.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Another essential task is to clean up the fields, plant fall crops, and prepare for the future. The ground in the fields needs to be plowed and harrowed to prepare for the next spring’s growing season. These activities plow under and composts crop stubble and prepare the soil for the next crop. Jigs and Buckwheat (the oxen) have pulled the plow and the harrow to condition the soil and make a smooth seedbed. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This fall our main field is planted to winter wheat. This hardy crop sprouts quickly in the fall and develops strong roots before the arrival of winter snow. It stays alive but dormant through the winter. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkVgNsKhRu4Im-3aKBDpyp_7IYs8k0KUpzlxmdEt9tBvUriwLhDrEnTdw9852c37FbMB5Rtf42FQ4eZ-FhVmSA88Zp0nU-voKCqZ6ga5VvFWs6GFZoC0bnMoH3z_wX8YUn-OSigIzCoj3/s1600/Winter+Wheat2+11-10-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkVgNsKhRu4Im-3aKBDpyp_7IYs8k0KUpzlxmdEt9tBvUriwLhDrEnTdw9852c37FbMB5Rtf42FQ4eZ-FhVmSA88Zp0nU-voKCqZ6ga5VvFWs6GFZoC0bnMoH3z_wX8YUn-OSigIzCoj3/s400/Winter+Wheat2+11-10-10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In the spring ,when the snow melts, these winter cover crops grow quickly. They can be grown to full harvest before any other crop is ready. The oxen will be used then to haul shocks of wheat in from the field, and to again plow the field for the next crop.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jigs and Buckwheat at Field's Blacksmith Shop:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHuXfP0FtCT1OgtZbTPT-_of9O2MJZqz7dm-DSo5R4b-AYhv-XRkHm1UEDB5S85UOUFuVURoqCzuNB353A7jGFegd_We6HjuuB8zMZCZtaaXJrFsD40BNWXlmabS-dLK3wlAGcRHOsbj6/s1600/Oct.+26,+2010+Oxen+Team+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHuXfP0FtCT1OgtZbTPT-_of9O2MJZqz7dm-DSo5R4b-AYhv-XRkHm1UEDB5S85UOUFuVURoqCzuNB353A7jGFegd_We6HjuuB8zMZCZtaaXJrFsD40BNWXlmabS-dLK3wlAGcRHOsbj6/s400/Oct.+26,+2010+Oxen+Team+closeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jigs and Buckwheat have been put to hard work this fall. They are now fully grown, and are learning to do real work. They have plowed, harrowed, and rolled the fields and have done their duty hauling crops to the barn. You could say they have been pulling their own weight around the farm! Our next blog will look at the repairs we have done to the farm equipment at The Farmers' Museum in Field's Blacksmith Shop!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-43797766476176970892010-11-09T09:24:00.001-05:002010-11-09T09:24:00.479-05:00A Blacksmithing Conference: The SOFA Quad-State Roundup!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Where do blacksmiths go on vacation? To a blacksmith’s conference of course! The largest annual Blacksmithing conference in the U.S. is held in late September each year by the <a href="http://www.sofablacksmiths.org/">Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil</a> blacksmithing group. The conference is call the Quad-State Roundup, and is held at the Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy, Ohio.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxc5kEhWvGAT-RboBVrlsP33ZfzhvEnjTDD-eIbWp4RXd5riCLHDSFYVhyGtyl7iIXlOMmhBS86gL46ekpp_Q5C1AHBBe-fLFp2j9RlH_5iA_Zi1jOVzRb4Q5QHc4Vp_AuoQ52wDit-5u/s1600/SOFA+-+Miami+County+Fairgrounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxc5kEhWvGAT-RboBVrlsP33ZfzhvEnjTDD-eIbWp4RXd5riCLHDSFYVhyGtyl7iIXlOMmhBS86gL46ekpp_Q5C1AHBBe-fLFp2j9RlH_5iA_Zi1jOVzRb4Q5QHc4Vp_AuoQ52wDit-5u/s400/SOFA+-+Miami+County+Fairgrounds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One of the attractions to the event is the sale of new and old tools. Hundreds of blacksmiths and tool collectors bring items to sell off the tailgate of their trucks or trailers. There were more old anvils, old tools, and new blacksmithing tools in one place than I had ever seen before.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbYn9XL0-oRTr7S4s2VSjLx9-QRZbcMBm-GsZ5MdBhBB086qhSBSChWOcqcK8HQBjW7_4KGtCj7mq3BDkMFU7Dv9sXtaCyx9-SjV_C_8JzeojSlbInsg_Sb9jXQdFSen9Y_pQQx2P4Vxu/s1600/Quad+State+Anvils+2+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbYn9XL0-oRTr7S4s2VSjLx9-QRZbcMBm-GsZ5MdBhBB086qhSBSChWOcqcK8HQBjW7_4KGtCj7mq3BDkMFU7Dv9sXtaCyx9-SjV_C_8JzeojSlbInsg_Sb9jXQdFSen9Y_pQQx2P4Vxu/s400/Quad+State+Anvils+2+2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The blacksmithing demonstrations are the heart of this event. Each year it has four presenters demonstrating traditional ironworking, bladesmithing, architectural ironwork, and artistic smithing. Each year there are different demonstrators doing work of the highest quality. The <a href="http://www.sofablacksmiths.org/conference2010/QS%202010%20Demonstrators.pdf">2010 Demonstrators</a> were Marsha Nelson, J.W. Randall, Caleb Kullman, and Whitney Potter. <br />
<br />
Caleb Kullman Demonstrating:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DOOZ9zaQXTfr2MhVuL8QcXwynNB84yT2CJEya1xajUTuMX3lwpFn3q6XF3oR0A7Ph4WdqC_j8qI_kKkmW9a-ANwv9K7HMmgqIdqqV-C4jGG3XzfQG-_S5xdvrftaD7sOJw3Vt4UeuTHV/s1600/SOFA+-+Caleb+Kullman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DOOZ9zaQXTfr2MhVuL8QcXwynNB84yT2CJEya1xajUTuMX3lwpFn3q6XF3oR0A7Ph4WdqC_j8qI_kKkmW9a-ANwv9K7HMmgqIdqqV-C4jGG3XzfQG-_S5xdvrftaD7sOJw3Vt4UeuTHV/s400/SOFA+-+Caleb+Kullman.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This year the SOFA organization dedicated a new stone and brick forge in the Traditional Blacksmithing building. The featured demonstrator was Marsha Nelson, a very talented blacksmith from Kentucky. The Farmers’ Museum is very proud to say that she is an alumna of our shop and worked with Master Smith Paul Spaulding in the early 1980s. Here is Marsha, the first demonstrator to use the newly dedicated forge:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOK22BWq1ev4NIXexCTqkDdNV84AGsne9FxBnZgVXwfcL6LeO_XjP_iX5rVTw6m56u3BuSqtcMud94GLT3kCvfUq0XMIXhrALOODhx8Mnz4zs-E4woozfWcHNyJT7cE6gleyTfmUsejGhq/s1600/Sept+27,+2010+096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOK22BWq1ev4NIXexCTqkDdNV84AGsne9FxBnZgVXwfcL6LeO_XjP_iX5rVTw6m56u3BuSqtcMud94GLT3kCvfUq0XMIXhrALOODhx8Mnz4zs-E4woozfWcHNyJT7cE6gleyTfmUsejGhq/s400/Sept+27,+2010+096.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Marsha’s demonstration guided the watchers through the making of forged cooking utensils. Spatulas, forks with flow-in brass ornamentation, and ladles were demonstrated. She was a very popular demonstrator, and the three sets of bleacher in the workshop were often full.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Marsha demonstrated forging a cooking fork:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpCkQlnd8MwLN_twcnv6VAJ3krQj2RFoFI-zRTeI28DlpyOYv1gxECdYLApz5MquLQzG9OfjBkwq0s06CWz7SEAPEy8K0aqTWYRfojFCD436FNKMV_vGYc3ij7AydbFHg5R87CrLx7rn4/s1600/SOFA+-+Marsha's+fork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpCkQlnd8MwLN_twcnv6VAJ3krQj2RFoFI-zRTeI28DlpyOYv1gxECdYLApz5MquLQzG9OfjBkwq0s06CWz7SEAPEy8K0aqTWYRfojFCD436FNKMV_vGYc3ij7AydbFHg5R87CrLx7rn4/s400/SOFA+-+Marsha's+fork.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She brought to the demonstration a piece made during her time at The Farmers' Museum, complete with our shop touchmark:</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_fLCi3oLOlAYY3axjjKen8da_ltZG_IV0dAZU3jMwlZOQ1VDtxDU7jd1qjZ8Ux_rsUVR5rmCyQ2_N04cVJMsSyvYpyMVJgJ3OIzM6vQo1cLQ3stcg5nFh_zL40HkEuiP3yoIfYmPLPH6/s1600/SOFA+-Marsha's+Stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_fLCi3oLOlAYY3axjjKen8da_ltZG_IV0dAZU3jMwlZOQ1VDtxDU7jd1qjZ8Ux_rsUVR5rmCyQ2_N04cVJMsSyvYpyMVJgJ3OIzM6vQo1cLQ3stcg5nFh_zL40HkEuiP3yoIfYmPLPH6/s400/SOFA+-Marsha's+Stamp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Skimmer with beautiful pierced brass bowl:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkCczFfkeqZJfCJXcdKcPOo2YqhH1yggQE_3qz_YkIbF65qzdAcaUT_Uxk4MFy_Ryz_QnFL4qcvXXbyxfIA9semYouFeyCzppGxLcH8ScEQfYNwoN5mgwketOf6_XwRGehfM_cD1rEmtM/s1600/SOFA+-+Marsha's+Ladle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkCczFfkeqZJfCJXcdKcPOo2YqhH1yggQE_3qz_YkIbF65qzdAcaUT_Uxk4MFy_Ryz_QnFL4qcvXXbyxfIA9semYouFeyCzppGxLcH8ScEQfYNwoN5mgwketOf6_XwRGehfM_cD1rEmtM/s640/SOFA+-+Marsha's+Ladle.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Spatula with flow-in brass ornamentation:</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bams-XoN9sUvw1Dw3Saw9_iU2Z7E4_BZn77N3wc27uw-T_u9fiJ9GYV45j6tuK5N24oWvddMlScdRVeG9s5VrTN4PXQcMaSA46bv-Q6HbRmMzL5RpIp8-H8YTKSQfMVD532K3pS_px5q/s1600/SOFA+-+Marsha+Spatula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bams-XoN9sUvw1Dw3Saw9_iU2Z7E4_BZn77N3wc27uw-T_u9fiJ9GYV45j6tuK5N24oWvddMlScdRVeG9s5VrTN4PXQcMaSA46bv-Q6HbRmMzL5RpIp8-H8YTKSQfMVD532K3pS_px5q/s400/SOFA+-+Marsha+Spatula.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The conference never seems long enough to see everything. In addition to the tailgate sales and the wonderfully organized blacksmithing demonstrations, the conference is a place of great comraderie among smiths. I renewed old friendships and met a lot of people.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My thanks to the Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil and the dozens of volunteers that make the Quad State Roundup such a wonderful yearly event.</div></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-42701106141048318262010-11-02T14:05:00.001-04:002010-11-02T14:41:21.914-04:002010 Tractor Festival at The Farmers' Museum<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Columbus Day Weekend of 2010 saw a new event at The Farmers’ Museum. For almost 70 years our Museum has been preserving and demonstrating aspects of farm life in the 19th century. But now the 20th century is also part of our nation’s history. The new Tractor Festival showcases the tools, methods, and equipment used in the last century on American farms.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The day dawned frosty and cold. Columbus Day happened to fall on 10/10/2010!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAJWDAp1db3NoxXM-dXAlB1IqcIychq8XHI654k1Hx16L3oJubekXw0_VhD8-qHAds1P8y6yqt0W-EUTERtoZhGh9GWvmFqngTRisOCVYqfAJ5sHLPenz-j6iD2unpelmUmh4BmhQE_ez/s1600/Tractor+Fest-+Frost+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAJWDAp1db3NoxXM-dXAlB1IqcIychq8XHI654k1Hx16L3oJubekXw0_VhD8-qHAds1P8y6yqt0W-EUTERtoZhGh9GWvmFqngTRisOCVYqfAJ5sHLPenz-j6iD2unpelmUmh4BmhQE_ez/s400/Tractor+Fest-+Frost+sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
Our Farmers outdid themselves. Oxen Jigs and Buckwheat hauled tons of oats from the barn to the thresher. The day could not have been more beautiful.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKzPNXdOXTxk7gz-NThBJWsmaZi-aSZLvuBsdI1xcnUrmoLamHdVIh45WJN4hz-D0qxVmH6z3IIyk8M6DVfvieGt1b_SEumIzM_Mtovfj6ZIK34DVkPckTlgEruV918Yez5T0WZ9VgUW-/s1600/Oct.+14,+2010+044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKzPNXdOXTxk7gz-NThBJWsmaZi-aSZLvuBsdI1xcnUrmoLamHdVIh45WJN4hz-D0qxVmH6z3IIyk8M6DVfvieGt1b_SEumIzM_Mtovfj6ZIK34DVkPckTlgEruV918Yez5T0WZ9VgUW-/s400/Oct.+14,+2010+044.jpg" width="301" /></a><br />
<br />
The Rumsey Williams wooden threshing machine was made in nearby St. Johnsville. For several hours each day the Farm staff and volunteers threshed oats from the straw. The oats were bagged for animal feed and the straw returned to the barn.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIka2LZqcCDG0adFwvT-9OtrdE1gaC5J9Wqx6CkRJPnlRRIVVgfjpQVZy_w9L3cQOzaiMmlDXda4ITsL8OQtpLBEVDs_edUSSTmlbl9GATDPxInUqU9o-xe2EG4C-MfrHhjfvn-NMNjB7/s1600/Tractor+Fest+-+Threshing+Straw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIka2LZqcCDG0adFwvT-9OtrdE1gaC5J9Wqx6CkRJPnlRRIVVgfjpQVZy_w9L3cQOzaiMmlDXda4ITsL8OQtpLBEVDs_edUSSTmlbl9GATDPxInUqU9o-xe2EG4C-MfrHhjfvn-NMNjB7/s640/Tractor+Fest+-+Threshing+Straw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dozens of volunteers brought their restored classics and working modern tractors and farm machines. There were too many to show them all here, but they ranged from machines made in the 1930s to the present. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbug2lKijyIy7KduXJcOvhm9mgWII51t20C6cCzGI0wYjM08DmThskCAwGBKVwbqRijHna2E750s4xP6IqpA-uLkeefSItnVjCrgjW3dowv60SzUANWjYmy9RyDMzDGHgPABIDyjdTDNQ6/s1600/Tractor+Fest+-+Tractors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbug2lKijyIy7KduXJcOvhm9mgWII51t20C6cCzGI0wYjM08DmThskCAwGBKVwbqRijHna2E750s4xP6IqpA-uLkeefSItnVjCrgjW3dowv60SzUANWjYmy9RyDMzDGHgPABIDyjdTDNQ6/s400/Tractor+Fest+-+Tractors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A John Deere was present with a restored two-row corn picker! This machine attached all around the tractor and allowed it to pick field corn from stalks standing in the field! These were complex machines, and now are replaced by combines and corn choppers. It was great to see an example of this tool survive. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvTilrFTVKsC3hjztm6nUc6XEA_7SaQ25CA9SR-9PavQNopiNaV7lFJ0fa_yOMF-vmg3pje6r4ZEnAH94jtxq_rVJaOH4tUj-74LU_uKSKS5ThaMRarkwJAcyeAloCI3VfkuSKguwlDOu/s1600/Tractor+Festival-+JS+Corn+Picker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvTilrFTVKsC3hjztm6nUc6XEA_7SaQ25CA9SR-9PavQNopiNaV7lFJ0fa_yOMF-vmg3pje6r4ZEnAH94jtxq_rVJaOH4tUj-74LU_uKSKS5ThaMRarkwJAcyeAloCI3VfkuSKguwlDOu/s400/Tractor+Festival-+JS+Corn+Picker.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The largest tractor was a the local Cooperstown Holstein Corporation's John Deere with grain wagon. It was almost as big as our Farmhouse!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9DH079r4o86JGDAMRftGP7CKlshz92OwG4YKXVf5-yKp9WIqzyKCRZFNYgwkh9rvan6ae4QYZWpD_iRf4S49z3fIQE79rPwPOar6cWwcjrKK41JOGuTvDfCEXwuakkmCwGe1oSvhMTTq/s1600/Tractor+Fest+-+Big+JD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9DH079r4o86JGDAMRftGP7CKlshz92OwG4YKXVf5-yKp9WIqzyKCRZFNYgwkh9rvan6ae4QYZWpD_iRf4S49z3fIQE79rPwPOar6cWwcjrKK41JOGuTvDfCEXwuakkmCwGe1oSvhMTTq/s400/Tractor+Fest+-+Big+JD.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Tractor Festival will be an annual event. Be sure to join us on Columbus Day Weekend 2011 (October 8 and 9) for an even more exciting event.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-60509705335387123992010-09-29T09:11:00.000-04:002010-09-29T09:11:00.365-04:00The Scottish Pistol Project: Part V – Engraving the Stock.The Scottish Pistol Project continues!<br />
<br />
Our research project to make a pistol in the style of the 1740 <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/07/scottish-pistol-project-part-i.html">Pitcarn Pistol</a> has continued through the summer of 2010. During the <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/07/scottish-pistol-project-part-i.html">first year</a> of summer Saturdays the team rediscovered how to make the hollow steel stock. The <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/08/scottish-pistol-part-iii-welding-barrel.html">second year</a> they forged, welded, and reamed the barrel. The <a href="http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/09/scottish-pistol-part-iv-lock-mechanism.html">third year</a> they made the intricate parts of the lock mechanism. Finally, in the fourth summer of the project, they have been fitting, assembling, and engraving the components. Here are two pistols that have been filed smooth and white but are not yet engraved.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSz1TBFhrxdsAgTHkggarP1DIO84bVu59y-KNaeyTVSLFmtCJgVmkgaSTSj1mjkllsnLTkHIg-Kzaraq2HZDjwJGwXdlB-gEGfb0feU65xWIZQ_sHjS6MZFnAVu1DJnG7JiqVDuXDFeCpR/s1600/Sept+18,+2010+two+pistols.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSz1TBFhrxdsAgTHkggarP1DIO84bVu59y-KNaeyTVSLFmtCJgVmkgaSTSj1mjkllsnLTkHIg-Kzaraq2HZDjwJGwXdlB-gEGfb0feU65xWIZQ_sHjS6MZFnAVu1DJnG7JiqVDuXDFeCpR/s400/Sept+18,+2010+two+pistols.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>They are still a work in progress. The engraving is done by hand in the blacksmith shop using a chasing hammer to strike a tiny chisel called an engraving chisel. Here is the engraving on one side of the pistol.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLAONclHXiG-453sdFEHlHNZ3V045xO21v-kBIM_Kn67_CUklS7hg6GyqeL68AQ28KuMxBN6PZIMdJ_m2yAh3PfIkSz_3aQPkld_-stF5k8tRmTir24rOc9HQmo4IobIOGk0iPCGlEeXW/s1600/Sept+18,+2010+Engraving+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLAONclHXiG-453sdFEHlHNZ3V045xO21v-kBIM_Kn67_CUklS7hg6GyqeL68AQ28KuMxBN6PZIMdJ_m2yAh3PfIkSz_3aQPkld_-stF5k8tRmTir24rOc9HQmo4IobIOGk0iPCGlEeXW/s400/Sept+18,+2010+Engraving+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Here is the detail of the engraving on the rams-horn butt of the the pistol grip. This work is exacting and slow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPM-YBR-_IyAgkEjQvL5Y9vnY5fVWwZaq7lWdpmP7HVltv8RpWUZbD7XKOpFskW0JSNVslGFL4S-OV4Os9xqrRh5Bl0iuyoZ7tWYI9Xm5Q8e9H0ihYJKng8tAwIp8taks1iG8tgVW6RNp/s1600/Sept+18,+2010+Rams+horn+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPM-YBR-_IyAgkEjQvL5Y9vnY5fVWwZaq7lWdpmP7HVltv8RpWUZbD7XKOpFskW0JSNVslGFL4S-OV4Os9xqrRh5Bl0iuyoZ7tWYI9Xm5Q8e9H0ihYJKng8tAwIp8taks1iG8tgVW6RNp/s400/Sept+18,+2010+Rams+horn+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This shows the engraving down the spine of the pistol grip. The piece is continuously curving which makes the engraving very difficult. As the angle of the metal changes, the angle of the engraving chisel must also continuously change.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKdXl925cLOUOfRk9Br1wMLKvHUxm_9QtD2J6mUbYHrdsFCptcevpxVumBN0V4MIH9Wi7sr3bfeyNjh4wSPmKRmWEIVWqciQzJhO6nkjhR8z2zZuzCY65ev4vn5rRgjLtl8PvPngMcflW/s1600/Sept+18,+2010+Grip+engraving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKdXl925cLOUOfRk9Br1wMLKvHUxm_9QtD2J6mUbYHrdsFCptcevpxVumBN0V4MIH9Wi7sr3bfeyNjh4wSPmKRmWEIVWqciQzJhO6nkjhR8z2zZuzCY65ev4vn5rRgjLtl8PvPngMcflW/s400/Sept+18,+2010+Grip+engraving.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The work on the pistol is continuing on Saturdays through the end of October 2010. If you visit The Farmers' Museum, come to the Blacksmith shop and see the techniques used in this project!</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-55862422495452307912010-09-24T11:10:00.000-04:002010-09-24T11:10:07.981-04:00Cleaning in the Blacksmith ShopIt was busy summer full of projects and visitors at Field's Blacksmith Shop. Now that fall is here, it is time to tackle the dirt and clutter that accumulated in the corners and the windowsills. A shop using coal forges has a lot of dust and grit. On most days our doors are wide open for the public to visit as well . That contributes to grit and leaves blowing into corners of the shop. It take some work to get it all cleaned out!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lPwqe4TPac1whfH27Ju4S0gscMxKVd8VXao82rr8HtMDuALUTDwyREMou8c-_41JbV1oMkGgTPgZGpRAs_4wgSewNyQ_YUXe0aiNZjMRYTY-GDiKV44UYYvDQg3lRj3e-dhLrTZ3ar34/s1600/Sept+15,+2010+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lPwqe4TPac1whfH27Ju4S0gscMxKVd8VXao82rr8HtMDuALUTDwyREMou8c-_41JbV1oMkGgTPgZGpRAs_4wgSewNyQ_YUXe0aiNZjMRYTY-GDiKV44UYYvDQg3lRj3e-dhLrTZ3ar34/s400/Sept+15,+2010+009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Our museum's maintenance department is very thorough at keeping our shop looking good. Over years of work, many parts of projects, scrap iron, and display pieces had accumulated on the flat surfaces in the shop. Recently, we sorted and stored several hundred pounds of tools, scraps, and half-completed projects that were cluttering the windowsills and corners. That provided room for the cleaners to get to our beautiful windows. Coal smoke and dust had given them a frosted glaze. The Maintenance crew gave the windows a thorough cleaning. The result was a startling improvement! I hadn’t realized the windows were that dirty.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Qyd9KIVyu-IT1ypAECJWxPxuJfYvASSOHmV5Lo2xzLMeCbcaw6dBwLE9kel-0CrHRGWCjSnHC_hl03wJNy67I4kB63I-jfTdCPInC7leSVJyBBwZWGxBiwXKmdX39NuK8qS1w11KklCn/s1600/Sept+15,+2010+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Qyd9KIVyu-IT1ypAECJWxPxuJfYvASSOHmV5Lo2xzLMeCbcaw6dBwLE9kel-0CrHRGWCjSnHC_hl03wJNy67I4kB63I-jfTdCPInC7leSVJyBBwZWGxBiwXKmdX39NuK8qS1w11KklCn/s400/Sept+15,+2010+011.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A youth volunteer spent the morning of one day sorting and sizing the nails we made this summer. He neatly stacked them in the appropriate bin. Now we are ready to provide nails for internal building restoration projects and repairs. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize_74MaadoBxcQABEHQOgt2nVmwDTAlZCBgYwjlEEj4pvoADRU-wXZyNB6tPTspfpGYRwKoXWdToMPUeo0NBCuyeP24Tilr3k2zOXlOnj87ZMck3foYdNN-o3-7lWJufz7Zk8_qYlokb3/s1600/Sept+15,+2010+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize_74MaadoBxcQABEHQOgt2nVmwDTAlZCBgYwjlEEj4pvoADRU-wXZyNB6tPTspfpGYRwKoXWdToMPUeo0NBCuyeP24Tilr3k2zOXlOnj87ZMck3foYdNN-o3-7lWJufz7Zk8_qYlokb3/s400/Sept+15,+2010+015.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9D-vs0biEx6OhiVJ0Pu41zVhbiIBfXtBtJC-d0ZpxsNFolVR8p-S9b4Y9j5WT8KVhG17zZfnNjtFXnX0H_YmpqNlxwLw3H163CRE0ZWxzjdijZ2BJYkMM4kXF-b7Qj6Q4xUjVO3HQc-2U/s1600/Sept+15,+2010+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9D-vs0biEx6OhiVJ0Pu41zVhbiIBfXtBtJC-d0ZpxsNFolVR8p-S9b4Y9j5WT8KVhG17zZfnNjtFXnX0H_YmpqNlxwLw3H163CRE0ZWxzjdijZ2BJYkMM4kXF-b7Qj6Q4xUjVO3HQc-2U/s400/Sept+15,+2010+016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The fall cleaning improved the working conditions in the Field's Blacksmith shop. Light is always at a premium in a historic shop. Now we have more elbow room and more light with which to see details of our work.</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872150604140127876.post-42219557933938308272010-09-08T11:14:00.000-04:002010-09-08T11:14:20.147-04:00Fall is in the air at The Farmers' Museum.The summer of 2010 set a lot of heat records here in Cooperstown. July equaled past August records for the number of very hot days, and then August was even hotter. But now in the wake of Hurricane Earl a Canadian cold front has swept through town. The high temperature dropped from 97 to 67 in one day! Our staff are busy with all of the chores that need to be done before Fall fully arrives.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-y2gbRdMvL1d0RmK6aJ020cqdwHTsNRU1mRtxCJBykOfJjxfdeCXa6jgzCNUMGu_9Yt-kG_KLZG1pW4K5q8BuV4zJ9_lk6Xh-8m6YOf0uzesnWTnkefhg2yXmqiOFlW9SKDZHdcx4gSi/s1600/Sept+6,+2010+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-y2gbRdMvL1d0RmK6aJ020cqdwHTsNRU1mRtxCJBykOfJjxfdeCXa6jgzCNUMGu_9Yt-kG_KLZG1pW4K5q8BuV4zJ9_lk6Xh-8m6YOf0uzesnWTnkefhg2yXmqiOFlW9SKDZHdcx4gSi/s400/Sept+6,+2010+011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The end of summer tends to be right around Labor Day in this part of New York. The trees are turning to fall colors. Sunrise is coming late, and the shadows are still long as I roam the Museum grounds in the morning.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1coIbESe4cG7-Lyd1b2kmUrB9-71TmFByw85_6i_OJUQLE6MbezjLNLAIYT3b0GKVG-axnf2tiFJ5bbBDeRsOsdv48J7tgOwVZitfh4dvxW79SiiVQAuIrxPCWQF-6D9FTGEtcNGEGS0k/s1600/Sept+6,+2010+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1coIbESe4cG7-Lyd1b2kmUrB9-71TmFByw85_6i_OJUQLE6MbezjLNLAIYT3b0GKVG-axnf2tiFJ5bbBDeRsOsdv48J7tgOwVZitfh4dvxW79SiiVQAuIrxPCWQF-6D9FTGEtcNGEGS0k/s400/Sept+6,+2010+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The hay and corn are turning from green to rich brown and grays as they dry in the fields. Our oxen have been putting on their winter coats even though the days were in the 90s! Autumn is coming regardless of the weather today.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUo1Kna3qGZofsm9DpgPCfusYX4ACvA3fOqV1HwVb_hTAXaRrTE9yZHZPJI57d0W3VfdQcOZyp2GOii3gUsK7EtsGKmhBHneUwF8tp6CZjKAZe5as_3u2k1EXJ3wsRaTmwuZk7b-86TFiN/s1600/Buildings-Sept.+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUo1Kna3qGZofsm9DpgPCfusYX4ACvA3fOqV1HwVb_hTAXaRrTE9yZHZPJI57d0W3VfdQcOZyp2GOii3gUsK7EtsGKmhBHneUwF8tp6CZjKAZe5as_3u2k1EXJ3wsRaTmwuZk7b-86TFiN/s400/Buildings-Sept.+013.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529652131916903550noreply@blogger.com0