Cruise companies usually discourage permanent liveaboards, especially if you have care needs. A one way ticket to Thailand is probably a better and cheaper option.
I've been thinking that if I got to about 70 and was still reasonably fit and cognizant then maybe it would be best to wonder off into the hills one winters night and let nature take its course. I believe this was a tradition in mediaeval Japan. I've no desire to become some incontinent old lady slowly withering away with dementia. Having a defined endpoint would also make financial planning a lot easier. And also might motivate one to complete ones life goals by the deadline, as it were.
Gene Hackman played a priest in the Poseidon adventure iirc. Died whilst trying to turn a pipe or something. Not quite Oscar Romero but still an admirable way to go.
ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
70?? Both my parents are over 70 and they're in very good shape. I'm thinking the cutoff for going into the woods is more like 90.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
@ffj, thanks for sharing pictures. I found them enjoyable, especially the opening on the window and door as I imagined walking by that place. Cruises are kind of like a Taco Bell taco versus a homemade one. Good enough under the right circumstance, overpriced, and full of overweight people.
@chenda and @zbigi
The age to consider a walk in the woods seems more dependent on variables rather than fixed time like “Logan’s Run.” I personally will be considering mobility, cognitive function, and ability to live independently. My seventh grade English teacher got early dementia and was living in assisted living before 60 years old (widowed, one child dead, another with severe multiple disabilities, the last busy with her own family and job). When she moved, she couldn’t drive and seemed to have lost her sense of self. She died some ten years later. I would have called it before going to a facility.
@chenda and @zbigi
The age to consider a walk in the woods seems more dependent on variables rather than fixed time like “Logan’s Run.” I personally will be considering mobility, cognitive function, and ability to live independently. My seventh grade English teacher got early dementia and was living in assisted living before 60 years old (widowed, one child dead, another with severe multiple disabilities, the last busy with her own family and job). When she moved, she couldn’t drive and seemed to have lost her sense of self. She died some ten years later. I would have called it before going to a facility.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
Yeah, I agree that whooping it up one last time and then ending it on deadline birthday or according to some other easy formula is probably best choice. Maude in "Harold and Maude" did it at 80, but my mother at 84 is still cogent enough to try to argue at me for the existence of Liberal Episcopalian Version God on the basis of very rudimentary woo quantum theory, and she still enjoys a number of activities (such as eating chocolate cake while watching some endless British Soap Opera on her IPad) although also quite decrepit in terms of mobility (moves forward at pace of slow snail with walker and sleeps in a zero gravity lift chair.) Her recent heart work-up was also very good, and she miraculously* does not suffer from metabolic syndrome due to lifelong heavy duty cake habit, so actuarial estimate takes her to 90.
*Actually, I believe the most logical explanation is that much more of the cake goes to her hips than median old lady. Definitely not of the flat-butt old lady contingent. This is also why I believe that it remains within the realm of possibility that being born in the first year of Gen-X, I may still be getting some action in my mid-80s, dependent upon the survivorship of males born in the last 10 years of the Baby Boom. However, I would only hit the cruise ship scene if somebody else was footing the exhorbinant $50/day bill. My current fantasy is more along the lines of E-Bike (or E-Tricycle!) camper lifestyle at $20/day leaving me at least a lush $156/month to spend on otherwise keeping myself amused yet maybe not contributing to burning down the planet. Although, my many and varied experience of waking up in the middle of the woods in the back of some vehicle with a my-size-proportional male leads me to believe that I will not be getting it on in my super cute little Hupi, unless I also manage to miraculously hook up with a very flexible master of Tantric sex, which I decided is still on my bucket list, since there are two chapters on the topic in the book on achieving Integral Lifestyle I am currently reading.
*Actually, I believe the most logical explanation is that much more of the cake goes to her hips than median old lady. Definitely not of the flat-butt old lady contingent. This is also why I believe that it remains within the realm of possibility that being born in the first year of Gen-X, I may still be getting some action in my mid-80s, dependent upon the survivorship of males born in the last 10 years of the Baby Boom. However, I would only hit the cruise ship scene if somebody else was footing the exhorbinant $50/day bill. My current fantasy is more along the lines of E-Bike (or E-Tricycle!) camper lifestyle at $20/day leaving me at least a lush $156/month to spend on otherwise keeping myself amused yet maybe not contributing to burning down the planet. Although, my many and varied experience of waking up in the middle of the woods in the back of some vehicle with a my-size-proportional male leads me to believe that I will not be getting it on in my super cute little Hupi, unless I also manage to miraculously hook up with a very flexible master of Tantric sex, which I decided is still on my bucket list, since there are two chapters on the topic in the book on achieving Integral Lifestyle I am currently reading.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
I've got a cover crop of red clover and kale growing nicely in my garden plot, compost in reserve, and a healthy beginning to my strawberry bed. This is success to me, and to the untrained eye it all just looks rather plain. It's hard to describe how much this state of my garden makes me happy and I am already excited about the new growing season next Spring. Contentment is attainable after all.
I've started my treehouse. All of the wood for the base is white oak which I chose for its strength and weather durability. Once it oxidizes it will blend nicely into the landscape of my woods. The downside of using this wood is its weight which is remarkable. I had to contrive a buggy system to get these timbers into the woods without breaking my back as each piece easily weighs a couple hundred pounds. I wanted to avoid treated lumber as it is expensive and ugly and not nearly as strong, plus I want an end product that looks like it belongs in the woods. You'll never achieve that with chemically treated pine. Speaking of treated lumber....
My latest build working for my Amish buddy. Every time I finish a project for him he magically comes up with another which culminated with me working yet another week for him ending yesterday. People are starting to rely upon me and that is a position I have to guard against. It's a nice compliment that others trust you and appreciate your work but I want to do other things with my time. I might have to set some boundaries soon as that treehouse isn't going to build itself.
We survived another presidential election. That so many people are questioning is highly encouraging as I think the media has officially jumped the shark. Everybody here knows that is my soapbox from which I clamor so I will say no more but I have hope an awakening is occurring. If nothing else, the sociological aspects of humans being human is fascinating.
I hope to begin my apprenticeship into saw sharpening soon. I am still reading about technique and the proper tooling. I have almost everything I need to get started but I need a couple of days that are "free" from other influences so I can concentrate. I am probably putting way too much thought into this and I should just get in there and fuck up a few times to get this ball rolling but I want to do this correctly as I have a notion in my head that this is a pinnacle achievement. I love the thought of competently resharpening my tools when needed so I will figure this out.
That is my life currently. I don't know if one could expect more to be honest but I have found that the task of achieving balance never goes away even when you have options.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
I envy your access to plentiful oak. Will the treehouse be stick frame? How high up and what size? If I'm remembering correctly you built one before. (at your old house?).
Is your saw apprenticeship DIY or are you learning from someone? Apologies if I missed this. If you're doing DIY, I'd be curious to hear what resources you're using to learn. There's a woman in Northern California who is supposedly the expert on saw sharpening in the west and offers classes in the spring, but logistically I've never been in a place to take it. I'm very interested in learning as well and am looking forward to hearing about your progress.
Is your saw apprenticeship DIY or are you learning from someone? Apologies if I missed this. If you're doing DIY, I'd be curious to hear what resources you're using to learn. There's a woman in Northern California who is supposedly the expert on saw sharpening in the west and offers classes in the spring, but logistically I've never been in a place to take it. I'm very interested in learning as well and am looking forward to hearing about your progress.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
Quite frankly, I think you are being used. The Amish are known for their woodworking skills and furniture making abilities. So if an Amish guy is using a non-Amish guy to do his woodworking, the non-Amish guy must be some kind of genius woodworking guy. So I'm thinking your Amish friend is taking credit for your work when his Amish buddies come over. This makes him a duplicitous Amish guy and you an Amish ringer. This type of nefarious bullshit could get him shunned from the community. I think you got some serious leverage on this lying ass Amish guy. This is what I would do. Next time this Amos asks you to do some work, quote him double your usual rate. When he objects you say, "Listen, Amos, do your horse and buggy buddies think you're doing this work?" I guarantee his face looks like he's staring at the Holy Ghost and he pays you to keep this secret going and now you got his irreligious balls for life.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
@theanimal
I went ahead and made some side plates to keep the joints from moving. A bit overkill but these things are now bombproof. There is going to be a lot of weight resting on these when I'm done.
I want to do a post and beam construction but I don't have a final plan just yet. Once I get these into place I'll put the floor system in and evaluate from there. I'm leaning towards cedar shakes for the roof and sides but they are quite expensive so we'll see. My goal is to have this structure blend into the background with a natural looking patina. Hence I am avoiding pressure treated lumber and/or paint or anything that is too gaudy.
Self-taught on the saw sharpening. I am reading a book called "Set and File, A practical guide to saw sharpening" for my tutelage. Along with a lot of YouTube videos. I've sharpened one saw already that is a modern blade with heat treated teeth. These teeth are very hard so I had to use a diamond file. And I did a fair job of it as it cuts so much better now.
Right now I am rehabbing two older saws that will be my test pieces for my better saws. Lots of rust that I removed with sandpaper and mineral spirits. I then buffed them out with steel wool and paste wax. I also polished the medallions but that is the extent of my efforts excluding the future sharpening of course.
And you can read the etchings again (both saws are Disstons):
To the right it says: For Beauty, Finish, and Utility this Saw cannot be Excelled
If I am successful with the sharpening I'll have to post my methods. I am still quite the student at the moment however.
@Henry
All kidding aside, this guy tends to shy away from detailed finish work. He is an absolute machine on rough carpentry but you can tell he really hates slowing down to do meticulous work. All of the Amish have beat into them that the harder they work the more virtuous they become. They don't take breaks and maybe take 20 minutes for lunch. So we have an agreement that I do specialty jobs at my pace and timing. A subcontractor so to speak. We agree to a price for the job and he leaves me alone and doesn't expect me to be running around like I just got my first job.
They also like to get up at the crack of dawn for some reason. Start work stupid early. Nope, nope, nope. There is nothing worse than waking up to pitch darkness so you can be at the job site as the sun is offering its first light. And it's always cold as shit too. Again, tell me what you want and I'll do it for this price. And my day starts around 9 a.m. and it ends when I'm tired of working haha.
And if you want to know an Amish persons name, look to the Bible. Some of the people I have met have interesting names such as Mahlon and Dorcus. It's always a hoot when you meet a young person and their name is Wilma. It's hard for me to wrap my head around such an old name and a young person.
I went ahead and made some side plates to keep the joints from moving. A bit overkill but these things are now bombproof. There is going to be a lot of weight resting on these when I'm done.
I want to do a post and beam construction but I don't have a final plan just yet. Once I get these into place I'll put the floor system in and evaluate from there. I'm leaning towards cedar shakes for the roof and sides but they are quite expensive so we'll see. My goal is to have this structure blend into the background with a natural looking patina. Hence I am avoiding pressure treated lumber and/or paint or anything that is too gaudy.
Self-taught on the saw sharpening. I am reading a book called "Set and File, A practical guide to saw sharpening" for my tutelage. Along with a lot of YouTube videos. I've sharpened one saw already that is a modern blade with heat treated teeth. These teeth are very hard so I had to use a diamond file. And I did a fair job of it as it cuts so much better now.
Right now I am rehabbing two older saws that will be my test pieces for my better saws. Lots of rust that I removed with sandpaper and mineral spirits. I then buffed them out with steel wool and paste wax. I also polished the medallions but that is the extent of my efforts excluding the future sharpening of course.
And you can read the etchings again (both saws are Disstons):
To the right it says: For Beauty, Finish, and Utility this Saw cannot be Excelled
If I am successful with the sharpening I'll have to post my methods. I am still quite the student at the moment however.
@Henry
All kidding aside, this guy tends to shy away from detailed finish work. He is an absolute machine on rough carpentry but you can tell he really hates slowing down to do meticulous work. All of the Amish have beat into them that the harder they work the more virtuous they become. They don't take breaks and maybe take 20 minutes for lunch. So we have an agreement that I do specialty jobs at my pace and timing. A subcontractor so to speak. We agree to a price for the job and he leaves me alone and doesn't expect me to be running around like I just got my first job.
They also like to get up at the crack of dawn for some reason. Start work stupid early. Nope, nope, nope. There is nothing worse than waking up to pitch darkness so you can be at the job site as the sun is offering its first light. And it's always cold as shit too. Again, tell me what you want and I'll do it for this price. And my day starts around 9 a.m. and it ends when I'm tired of working haha.
And if you want to know an Amish persons name, look to the Bible. Some of the people I have met have interesting names such as Mahlon and Dorcus. It's always a hoot when you meet a young person and their name is Wilma. It's hard for me to wrap my head around such an old name and a young person.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
It's interesting that you are interfacing with the Amish. It's also a testimony to your woodworking ability. I'm wondering as an ex fireman, how hard it is for you to watch your mouth. I don't think anyone has ever said "Go fuck yourself Wilma" unless I missed that episode of The Flintstones.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
Maybe you could build yourself a Baltic/Scandinavian style shake/shingle splitter? These are not terribly complicated machines. Slice them on this kind of knife/plane - as opposed to sawing as often happens - and you can get _a lot_ of life out of aspen/poplar or even pine this way!ffj wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2024 7:46 pmI want to do a post and beam construction but I don't have a final plan just yet. Once I get these into place I'll put the floor system in and evaluate from there. I'm leaning towards cedar shakes for the roof and sides but they are quite expensive so we'll see. My goal is to have this structure blend into the background with a natural looking patina. Hence I am avoiding pressure treated lumber and/or paint or anything that is too gaudy.
I have a bit of a collection of info on these. Here's a few:
- https://youtu.be/JBTOLVLF7AM?t=468
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNSYAWvk3M8
These are planed/cut off a log, 72cm long, 8 to 9 mm thick, up to 15 cm wide, and nailed on three layers thick for a roof, or two for a wall.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
How interesting that this Amish guy is both self-aware enough to sub-contract and allow you the freedom to be you. (Having grown up in and around similar work traditions, it is hard to sidestep.) How you conduct yourself has earned his respect. For the Amish, what would moving toward ERE look like?ffj wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2024 7:46 pm…this guy tends to shy away from detailed finish work. He is an absolute machine on rough carpentry but you can tell he really hates slowing down to do meticulous work. All of the Amish have beat into them that the harder they work the more virtuous they become. They don't take breaks and maybe take 20 minutes for lunch. So we have an agreement that I do specialty jobs at my pace and timing. A subcontractor so to speak. We agree to a price for the job and he leaves me alone and doesn't expect me to be running around like I just got my first job.
They also like to get up at the crack of dawn for some reason. Start work stupid early. Nope, nope, nope. There is nothing worse than waking up to pitch darkness so you can be at the job site as the sun is offering its first light. And it's always cold as shit too. Again, tell me what you want and I'll do it for this price. And my day starts around 9 a.m. and it ends when I'm tired of working haha.
+1 for an awakening
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
@Henry
I adapt to my surroundings quite well. It's a skill that took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out that pays dividends. To my credit, I've only let out a couple of "fucks" since I've worked with him, and both were exclamatory, almost involuntary when something went wrong, haha. Sort of like the ability to chat somebody up even if you'll never see them again. I wasted a lot of years not paying attention to making others feel comfortable.
I do want to say one thing about stereotypes such as all Amish are good at whatever. They are just people that work hard. And are limited at what they expose themselves in their daily lives. That shows sometimes in their construction methods and not in a good way as they haven't kept up with the times and modern changes. What works well in barn construction doesn't always translate to higher end homes.
@loutfard
Did you notice that the first fella is missing his index finger? Every shingle making machine that I've seen scares the hell out of me. Now you can make them out of straight grained white oak and a froe which would be cool if I could find the time to develop that skill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbAlxDIjLF4
You know I might grab a few off cuts at the sawmill where I got my lumber and experiment. I would need to find a froe first but that could be fun. Thanks for an idea!
@Frita
I first offered my services to him as side help well before he took me up on it. I think what changed his mind is when I volunteered at one of their "work bees" and helped build a house for a fellow friend. I was the only normie there and what was funny was that every time I turned my back on the job I was doing an Amish fellow would start doing it. Finally I just carried lumber as these guys were so used to working with each other that I was in the way. Anyway he saw that I had skills which I am sure eased his mind about using me.
Oh their money systems are interesting. First of all, they are their own bank many times. This includes loans and finances for health bills. None of them have conventional insurance unless required by law. What they do is as a congregation and part of a larger church network they pay hospital bills out of a fund and at the end of the year they tally up the total expenditures and send each household a bill for the past year. It's much cheaper than having regular insurance. They also travel to Mexico for advanced health care as it is cheaper and they can pay cash.
None of them value wealth in financial terms. They work to live, not to amass a lot of money. In fact, they would probably donate any large windfall they would unlikely receive. Their houses are very plain. None of them worry about people cheating them or stealing from them. In fact, they view this as an opportunity to show their charity. The guy I work with has thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment just lying around unguarded around his property and anybody could just take what they wanted. He doesn't worry about it. Their time on earth is temporary and a trial to get into heaven.
Keep in mind these are only my experiences as there are many different sects of that you would call "Amish". I know they benefit greatly from an earned and unearned image but again at the end of the day they are just people. Some of their more conservative views would probably upset most modern people but most people like to dwell on the romanticized version of what they think they represent.
I adapt to my surroundings quite well. It's a skill that took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out that pays dividends. To my credit, I've only let out a couple of "fucks" since I've worked with him, and both were exclamatory, almost involuntary when something went wrong, haha. Sort of like the ability to chat somebody up even if you'll never see them again. I wasted a lot of years not paying attention to making others feel comfortable.
I do want to say one thing about stereotypes such as all Amish are good at whatever. They are just people that work hard. And are limited at what they expose themselves in their daily lives. That shows sometimes in their construction methods and not in a good way as they haven't kept up with the times and modern changes. What works well in barn construction doesn't always translate to higher end homes.
@loutfard
Did you notice that the first fella is missing his index finger? Every shingle making machine that I've seen scares the hell out of me. Now you can make them out of straight grained white oak and a froe which would be cool if I could find the time to develop that skill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbAlxDIjLF4
You know I might grab a few off cuts at the sawmill where I got my lumber and experiment. I would need to find a froe first but that could be fun. Thanks for an idea!
@Frita
I first offered my services to him as side help well before he took me up on it. I think what changed his mind is when I volunteered at one of their "work bees" and helped build a house for a fellow friend. I was the only normie there and what was funny was that every time I turned my back on the job I was doing an Amish fellow would start doing it. Finally I just carried lumber as these guys were so used to working with each other that I was in the way. Anyway he saw that I had skills which I am sure eased his mind about using me.
Oh their money systems are interesting. First of all, they are their own bank many times. This includes loans and finances for health bills. None of them have conventional insurance unless required by law. What they do is as a congregation and part of a larger church network they pay hospital bills out of a fund and at the end of the year they tally up the total expenditures and send each household a bill for the past year. It's much cheaper than having regular insurance. They also travel to Mexico for advanced health care as it is cheaper and they can pay cash.
None of them value wealth in financial terms. They work to live, not to amass a lot of money. In fact, they would probably donate any large windfall they would unlikely receive. Their houses are very plain. None of them worry about people cheating them or stealing from them. In fact, they view this as an opportunity to show their charity. The guy I work with has thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment just lying around unguarded around his property and anybody could just take what they wanted. He doesn't worry about it. Their time on earth is temporary and a trial to get into heaven.
Keep in mind these are only my experiences as there are many different sects of that you would call "Amish". I know they benefit greatly from an earned and unearned image but again at the end of the day they are just people. Some of their more conservative views would probably upset most modern people but most people like to dwell on the romanticized version of what they think they represent.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
@ffj. Very interesting. Do you know how they fund old age care ?
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
There are ones with decent safety mechanims. I don't have it with me at the moment, but there is a UK tinkerer who built one with that.
These hand operated ones often get made out of shock absorber systems.Now you can make them out of straight grained white oak and a froe which would be cool if I could find the time to develop that skill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbAlxDIjLF4
You know I might grab a few off cuts at the sawmill where I got my lumber and experiment. I would need to find a froe first but that could be fun. Thanks for an idea!
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
What a great experience, I am happy for you. My dad was an agricultural engineer and became connected with the Hutterite and Mennonite communities from that. I appreciate many things about each of them. Communities who comprise of members who don’t cheat and steal, are non materialistic and pacifists, probably don’t have a lot of modern worry. I find the Bruderhof, an offshoot of the Hudderites, interesting (and most appealing of the bunch).
An acquaintance has a place in Wisconsin surrounded by Amish. (They rent her farm land and look after the house while she is out west.) She told me that many have dentures young as their Amish “dentists” tend to treat many conditions by pulling teeth. It sounds like their system for medical care is more in line with modern care. I have also read a couple stories of severe untreated mental health conditions that didn’t end well, though that happens in the general population too.
I had this question too. According to my acquaintance, children care for their parents in old age at home. They may live in the same farm house or build a little cottage next door. It sounds more like things used to be in the US a generation or two ago.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
@loutfard
Aha! That is pretty cool actually. The cheapest in price froe I could find online that was quality was $150.00. All of the antiques ones nearby are pretty junky and rusted beyond repair. I wish I could borrow one from somebody and test it out before I committed real money or time building one. Thanks for a really good reference video.
@Frita
It seems like I watched a doc on the Bruderhof sometime in the past. Seems like they were fairly liberal compared to the other adjacent groups?
Oral care is pretty poor amongst the groups I've seen. Young people with gingivitis that made my gums hurt just looking at them and tooth loss fairly early because they clearly don't brush enough or floss ever. And I don't know why as they are fastidious in other areas of their lives. They do pull a lot of their teeth but the tooth is rotten most times. And it's cheaper just to pull it versus expensive reconstruction.
@Chenda, Frita
Old age care is the family watching the elders as far as I know. I'll ask my buddy though next time I see him as that is something we haven't discussed before. I would be surprised though if they put them in a home somewhere unless it is run by their group. I haven't seen any mental illness yet but again I am limited in my experience but I should ask about that too.
Aha! That is pretty cool actually. The cheapest in price froe I could find online that was quality was $150.00. All of the antiques ones nearby are pretty junky and rusted beyond repair. I wish I could borrow one from somebody and test it out before I committed real money or time building one. Thanks for a really good reference video.
@Frita
It seems like I watched a doc on the Bruderhof sometime in the past. Seems like they were fairly liberal compared to the other adjacent groups?
Oral care is pretty poor amongst the groups I've seen. Young people with gingivitis that made my gums hurt just looking at them and tooth loss fairly early because they clearly don't brush enough or floss ever. And I don't know why as they are fastidious in other areas of their lives. They do pull a lot of their teeth but the tooth is rotten most times. And it's cheaper just to pull it versus expensive reconstruction.
@Chenda, Frita
Old age care is the family watching the elders as far as I know. I'll ask my buddy though next time I see him as that is something we haven't discussed before. I would be surprised though if they put them in a home somewhere unless it is run by their group. I haven't seen any mental illness yet but again I am limited in my experience but I should ask about that too.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
It's a winter wonderland. We've actually dodged a bullet as this past Sunday they were calling for 3/4 inch of ice which had it happened my property would have suffered a natural disaster and we would have been out of power for weeks. So I prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. I topped my vehicles off with fuel, had plenty of food on hand, tuned up the kerosene heater, stored extra water in our laundry room. I had plenty of alternative cooking devices. But alas, we received 1/4 inch of ice that caused minimal damage (mainly branches falling on my fences) and we never lost power. Quite the blessing.
It was still nasty outside so I've been working on indoor stuff. I taught myself how to properly splice rope with consistent results. I had dabbled in this before but this time I got it right every time. I made 8 anchor slings for the rope work of the treehouse build and two dog leashes. All a great use of an old rope and it gave me great satisfaction in repurposing instead of throwing away.
Before the snow storm I was quite busy with several projects. I've just got a fire underneath my ass for some reason in getting so much done. I think it has something to do with my age. I've crested the hill and am traveling downward and I am starting to feel like it is now or never if I am to experience some of the things I have always wanted. The treehouse continues to be a slow endeavor as it takes a backseat to my other responsibilities. But I've managed to get the yokes onto the trees, no small feat as these weigh about 350 lbs I would guess. I made a video on the process if anybody cares how I did it. But right now they are just sitting there frozen, with myself waiting on better weather to continue.
Before the storm, I was working on two projects: replacing the last 400 feet of old fencing on my property and building an air conditioned room within my shop so I could work in inclement weather. I didn't take any photos of the fencing work as I've shown the process before but it has been a lot of work due to the condition of the old fence line. The room within the room was much simpler as I just added on to my mushroom pre-condition room so I had room to work. That mini-split I installed for the mushrooms has been wonderful for my new workspace. Such a nice feeling to walk in a room at 64 degrees F when the surrounding air is 20. In the summer I'll keep it around 75 while the shop is 100. I feel spoiled.
Anyway, I've accomplished one of my goals this winter, sharpening handsaws. The new room has been instrumental in me completing this task. I've actually turned the entire space into a sharpening center, working on hand planes, chisels and the like. I get into a zen like state working on these tools, like the new life for an old rope, I really enjoy making these old rusty tools sing again.
How about that light? Ha! I love it and best of all it was free from my neighbor. The hardest part of sharpening these saws with the small teeth is seeing what the hell you are doing. They are small and all look the same and it is very easy to lose your place. But after a lot of reading and jig making and watching how-to videos I finally sharpened a couple saws with great results. My test piece is an old chunk of oak dry-hardened. The saws just cut through effortlessly.
Here are two jigs that keep my angles close and consistent:
In other news friends and family continue to irritate me and I've realized there is nothing I can do to really change anything. They refuse to actually accept and implement my great advice
so they can continue to complain about avoidable situations. All kidding aside, it's a bit maddening. Sometimes I feel like I am living on another planet with completely different outlooks on everything but at my core I just feel normal. I have one friend that habitually boxes himself into a corner and then desperately calls me for help again and again, all the while telling me that he should have listened to me. I explain to him that Hellen Keller could have seen what was going to happen to him but it doesn't matter. Another friend today was proud of the fact that he just bought a $35,000 car at 13% interest while he currently is out of work. Congratulations to the brother who had to co-sign for him. I have a neighbor (who I like which complicates things) who refuses to care for himself whose sister (who lives out of state) calls me to check on him. I keep a key to the house so I can one day find his body. I just hope it happens in the winter.But I don't let the bastards keep me down. It's a good life. Oh, and I bought a tractor. Suck it, ere.
Re: ffj's Early Retirement (round 2)
Cool saw sharpening adventures, ffj. I am two generations away from tiehacking and those who had those skills.
And congrats on the tractor, that’s how I learned to drive (as a child). Did you get an older one you can fix yourself or opt for creature comforts?
And congrats on the tractor, that’s how I learned to drive (as a child). Did you get an older one you can fix yourself or opt for creature comforts?