New woodturning lathe.

Last year about this time I saw the new designed Delta Midi Lathe. I new then that I would like to get one although I really didn't have a need for it, I just liked it. My older Delta Midi is working fine and there was no way that I could justfiy buying another Midi since I really only use it for small turning and doing wood turning demostrations which I haven't done since injurying my leg that left me with a handicapp.

Last week I saw that Woodcraft had this lathe on sale. That was all I needed to know and so I bought it even though I didn't need it. I have the lathe all set up and did my first woodturning on it today, It not finish but I was very impress with how good the new lathe worked.

Well the truth is I needed some inspiration to get back to woodturning more which I have neglected for the past year. I even considered just giving up woodturning and devote most of my spare time to my Bee Keeping and Photography. Finally I dicided I could still do all of them but I know I am going to have to manage my time better.

In my next blog I expect to post some pictures of new woodturning and I like to know what you guys think of them when I do.

Snow and more snow

Our Home in Lancster SC

Honey Bees are hunker down for the winter

Our daughter and Son in Law

We really love them

We are having a snow ball fight

I can't beleive the snow we are getting this year and the winter has only just begun. The day after Christmas we got about 5 inches of snow and yesterday we got about 8 to 9 inches of snow with about a quarter to a half inch of freezing rain and sleet on top of that. I just tried to go outside and it is extremely difficult to walk in that stuff. There is no way I can get my car out of the driveway. I expect tomorrow too even be more slippery. I did manage to get a few pictures but I wish I could get around to take more but it ain't worth the risk.

A day trip to the mountains.

I drove up to the mountains to see the fall colors. I don't think the colors was near as good as in past years but I think I got there after the peak when the colors are at there best. I did not take very many pictures as I lost a adapter that I needed to take pictures using my tripod. Never the less I did take a few hand held pictures. It was only a day trip and a long one at that (448 miles). This really did not leave much time to take pictures anyway.

One good news is that I now have my large format printer back operational again. I now can print pictures to look at rather than just a image on the computer.

Dreams

This year while watching the Tour de France and the beautful countryside in France I was reminded of a dream I had for riding in France. In 2005 I had ridden my bike about 12,000 miles on the three bikes that I own. I was planning on doing a lot more tours in 2006. One was to ride all way across the USA from coast to coast, one was to ride cross country in Thailand to raise money for cancer of the blood research, Another one was to ride my bike on the west coast of France to see the WW ll battlefields. All of this was possible I had the money then and I was in the greatest shape of my 63 years of my life.

Elsewhere in my blog I posted a little about my accident on December 23 rd of 2005. That accident ended my dreams of bicycling touring. I broke my leg at the knee in 40 places and I have never recovered from that. For the first few months after that I did not give up my dreams of bike touring but after a while it became apparent that I would never be able to do the bike tours of my dreams. Although I could still ride a bike pretty good my walking left a lot to be desired and it still does.

It been about 5 1/2 years since that accident and watching the Tour de France has awaken my dreams of bicycle touring again. Riding across the US is out of the question and so is biking across Thailand but I have begun to feel touring on the west coast of France is a possiblity now. Riding the distance involved is the least of the problems that I will have to accompish this. The tour is much shorter than I am use to and I actually would like to ride for a much longer distance than the organized tours has on its schedules. Perhaps I can work this out and do more miles or kilometers as they say in France. I like to do about 300 miles but then that is all the way cross France. It not much bigger than South Carolina acording to the map, so I will just be content with staying on the French Coast.

Last summer I rode my bike sometimes averaging 35 miles a day in Lancaster on hills that I thought I would never be able to master. I did very well although hills was never easy for me even when I was in great shape. My average speed was actually a little higher on the hills than it was before my accident. I don't dred the hills as bad as I once did. France should be a piece of Cake to do on a bicycle. Sure as heck a lot easier than riding the hills in Northwest Kansas.

I have decided to do some research on bike touring in France to see how much it would cost me to do it. I would love to be able to do some bike touring in France. I know my wife will think I am crazy but if I don't do it in this life well I will never be able to do it.

I still have to do a lot of research about cycling in France and so I will see how this goes. Maybe I will, Maybe it will not be possible but I hope not. It a dream that I really like to fulfill.

The world is full of dreamers. And rightfully so, God created us that way. But at some point in our lives, we have the choice: to keep the dream for sleeping, or to wake up and live it.

This is wooden turn box made from Cypress wood. I stain with blue gel stain. This is the first piece that I have made that I did not leave in it natural color. Cypress is not all that pretty of wood in it natural state. It looks really good to me when it is stained.


This is my last wood turning that I have made. Actually I finished it about a month ago but just now getting around to posting it on my blog.

I saw a piece that was made very much like this and like it so well that I had to make one similar to it for myself.

I not really into doing much wood turning now. I am not inspired to do anything now. The lid can come off this piece as well to allow things to be stored inside of it. However I really did not make this to be functionally, just decorated.

Honey bees and etc.

I hadn't realized it been so long since I lasted wrote anything in my blog. We have now gone from it being a frigging cold winter to a nice beautiful Spring.

I started a new hobby and like always I get into something that is expensive. I am now a Bee Keeper. About three weeks ago I went to Pickens SC and pickup two 3 pounds packages of Bees. That is about 20,000 bees which is enough to start two Bee Hives.

If wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all. One of the Hives of bees flew the coup so to speak and just disappeared. I have no idea where they went. However the one remaining Bee Hive is doing very well so far. I ordered a replacement of another 10,000 bees and will get next month which is the soonest I can get them.

I sure hope these new bees don't disappear on me as that can get quite expensive. I love honey and I am looking forward to eating honey made right in my back yard.

To change the subject I have not been able to get much wood turning done this year. I getting pretty discourage at not being able to sell any of my work in my hometown. I am for the first time since I started turning about 14 years ago considering quitting wood turning and sell all my equipment. I had expected or hope that is that I would be teaching wood turning in my home town like I used to do where I live before moving to Lancaster. So far nothing has come of this.I guess I will wait another couple of months to see if that possibility ever gets anywhere before deciding to quit but I even if I do teach wood turning I still may quit and sale most of my equipment and put the money in something else like Bees.

I have a lot of things that I love to do and it just a matter of pursuing the ones that produces the most pleasure and fun. If this Bee keeping is successful I may get a lot more hives and sell honey instead of wood turnings. Admittedly I haven't been able to promote my wood turning at any shows since I haven't been able to sell my other home and my wife is still living there until it does sale. It looks like that is going to be forever.

Bee keeping does have it draw backs as Bees are so susceptible to diseases and mites that can kill all the Bees if I don't stay on top of there health. Being new at this I have a lot to learn. However I am getting kick out of watching them at work. They really work hard.

Snow around home (This post is all screw up)

Could this be Cotton hanging off the tree limbs? I remember when I worked in the cotton mills cotton as it was being made into cloth would float in the air and get suck out of the air vents into the outside and settle on trees fences or whatever was outside. This picture reminds me of that.

It is actually snow that is clinging to the berries left on the tree.

Last summer I planted some fruit trees beside our home. They looked all covered up by the snow in this picture.

Bradford pears trees as they are so pretty when they are flowering in the spring. They are equally as pretty when they are snow covered.



Speaking of our Tibetan Terriers here are my two best friends. They don't like the snow at all. I had to persuade them to even get out into the yard. It funny because there descendant came from the high mountains of Tibet where it snows like heck and it is very cold.

Goldie all by himself. He is really laid back and nothing ever bother him. He really a good dog but it does take time to get used to anyone he does not know. Once he does he is there friend.

Shania is in a hurry to get back in the house and is looking at as if to say why am I taking my time letting her back in. She hates the snow.





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This is the front view of our home on James Island in Charleston. The Magnolia tree to the right has snow on the trees leaves and it really looks like that they are Magnolia blossoms. It sure looks pretty to me.











In Charleston we have some Grapefruit trees and orange trees as seen in this picture.

Lidded Vase

This is another lidded vase that I made out of Cypress wood. I guess I would have to consider this a prototype. I think I will make another one similar but change the design somewhat as I think I can make it look at lot better or least in my minds eye I can.

As I said this is made from Cypress wood and because it a very soft wood It presents some problems that I have not encounter before in turning. However once I get more experience using Cypress I think it will become another good wood for me to use in turning.

I like to hear from other woodturners that have turn Cypress wood and what do you think of it.

This is approx. 4 inches in Diameter and a little over 12 inches high. The final is made from purple heart.

A nice surprise, turning a Bald Cypress Goblet

Every now and then I get a pleasant surprise when I turn wood. The picture at the left is one of them.

Not quite a year ago I was given some Bald Cypress to turn. My one and only previous experience with Cypress was not that good. It a very soft wood and I was not too impress with it for use as a turning. When I got the cypress it had just been cut so I just seal the ends with sealer and left it to dry in my shop. Yesterday I decided to test it to see how much moisture was still in it. The meter show 7%. I was surprised it was that dry and still even more surpise that the cracking was not nearly as bad as I had expected that it would be.

So there was nothing to do except that I had to see how it would the wood would look and how much trouble I would get in warp-age or cracking after it was turn. Neither these presented a problem as I soon found out.

Since I did not think the wood would be good for turning I didn't take much care with finishing it and chose something simple to turn like a goblet. Well as I said I was pleasantly surprise and the wood did look better than expected and it turn very well. Makes me wish I had got more of it.

Well now that I know what to expect from the wood I will have to take more care and thought in design when I turning my next piece. I like nice surprises and this was one of them.

First woodturning of 2010

Well I finally have got back to work wood turning. This is my first piece for the year 2010 and the first turning I have made in over 8 months.

I had friend give me a log last year and I decided to use it to make a vase a little different than some I done in the past. Since I have not turn any in the last few months I also wanted to keep it simple to get the hang of it back.

The biggest problem I had is where in the heck did I put all my tools when I last used them. I think I took more time hunting them than I did actually turning this piece. I think I need some new tools anyway.

This wood has some beautiful coloring in it and my friend told me it was Bradford Pear. I turn a lot of Bradford Pear but never have seen any like this before. I had fun turning this but the next time I do one similar to this I plan on being a little more creative in the design. Got to think about this.

A lot of wood turners name their creation something. I haven't name any of my work and wonder if I should start doing that. Not sure what I should call this if anyone has any ideas past them on to me in the comment place below.

Local color

It been too long since I last posted. I haven't done much to even have anything much to post about. After New Year I do hope to get back to wood turning with a vengeance.

I just finish watching the movie "Local Color. Many times I have said they just don't make movies worth two cents anymore. This movie is an exception. It about a young man who love to paint and wanted not just be painter but felt like that is what he was meant to be. He met a old man who happen to be a great artist and he wanted to take some art lesson from him.

Well you will just have to watch it to see what I mean. It comes on satellite or cable and I am sure it will be on again sometime soon. Maybe you would need to lover of art to like and to understand this movie but for me it went to my heart. I feel a lot like the young man who thought he was meant to do something great and that something was to be a great artist.

I would be happy to just be known as a great wood turner even though I am not but it is dreams that keeps me alive. Art is what moves the world and with out art the world would be very dull place to live. To be able to create something beautiful that other people will appreciate is what makes life worth something at least to me it does.

Watch it when it comes on again, I bet you will like it as well.

Performance

I have mapped out a 12 mile road course for me to use to train on my bike. It is all about performance. I want to get my legs working better for a old geezzer and hopefully loose some excess fat that I have.

The first time I rode the 12 miles I used my old Cannodale converted into touring bike. it took me about 59 minutes the first time. I now have ridden the 12 miles about 6 times and have gotten the time down to 46 minutes 55 seconds using my racing bike.That is about as fast as I can do it at the present time.

My goal is to get it down to at least 45 minutes for the 12 miles. To do this I have to get better on the hills which I hate. Several of the hills are very steep at least to me they are very steep. I would guess at least two hills are about 8 percent grade for nearly a half mile. When it hot my head is like a pressure cooker and the heat really built up which slows me down some. When it cooler like in the 70 I can go up the hills faster but not a lot. My bad leg is my greatest handicapped and that is why I want to train on hills. Hopefully I can get more strength in that leg.

Bicycle riding is a joy and I do like riding a bike as hard as I can sometimes. If I had a riding partner then a more leisurely pace at times would be more enjoyable. Well I don't have a ridng partner so I ride to suit.

Below is a map of my 12 mile training ride. I only do this about once a week with longer rides the rest of the time.

The video is about performance riding bike. It sort of describes me.

My Cannondales stable of bikes

I never have taken a picture of all three of my Cannondales which I enjoy riding so much. I got them out of the garage and set them up in front of my house and here they are.

The first bike on the left is a Cannondale full suspension Jeckle 800 Mountain Bike. It built like a tank and can run over about anything that can be found on a rugged Mountain trail. I don't ride this bike much anymore as with my handicap left leg I just can't ride the bike as it was meant to be ridden.

The Bike in the Middle is my first Cannodale that I bought back in 1994. I rebuilt it in 2005 and converted it into a touring bike with European butterfly handlebars that I really like. It cost about as much to convert it as it would have if I bought a new one. The only thing orginal on it is the frame and brakes. This bike is fun to ride and I ride it a lot as it so comfortable to ride. However it is a few miles slower under most circumstance than my road bike on the right end. I injured my leg while I was in the process of rebuilding so I have not ridden it on any tours. May not ever get the chance to do now.

The red bike on the right end is my Cannodale R 2000 Road Racing bike and it is fast. I have ridden it on many bike tours in 15 states. The first year (2005) I did about 6,000 miles on it before getting injured,(not on the bike)I guess you can say this is my favorite bike as it like driving a sport car and handles real well. Although it is a racing bike similar or just like the Cannondales they used in the Tour De France I use it only for touring. I admit in some tours I did enjoy racing some with other that I was with on the tours. I won some and lost some.

It been almost four years since my accident that shatter my left leg and left me unable to ride a bike as good as I once did. Although my injury did not stop me from riding my bikes I can't ride none of them nearly as well as I once did. I have moved to a new home where the roads are hilly as heck and these is really testing me on the bike. I have never been good on hills but I can't avoid them now. The bad things is I can't stand on the pedals anymore to get that extra boast going up hill. Having to set down all the way up a hill now make going uphill extra hard but I am doing it.

The Cannodale Jeckle has hardly been ridden since 2005 and I guess I might as well sell it as I can't ride it the way is was meant to be ridden.

A nostaglia bike ride this past weekend

Last weekend I took a nostagic bike ride around the neigborhood I grew up in back in the 1950s and 60s. The picture here is what by today standards could have been called a mall. It had a country store, barber shop, beauty shop, a clothing shop and not sure what else. It was in the barber shop that I got my first hair cut as I was preparing start in the third grade of school in 1950 . The Barber shop was called McManus Barber shop and is where I got all my hair cuts until I moved away in the late 1960s.

This picture is right beside the mall so to speak is where the McManuses Lived. This is also where I had my first motorcycle accident racing to beat my wife back home. I would guess this was back in around 1965. A little boy ran out in front of my and to keepfrom hitting I had to put the brakes on real hard to try to miss him. I got stopped in time but I also fell over and spit my left arm through the joint. Long time in healing.

This is the home I grew up in. I lived there from 1948 to 1962 with my family. It was a little crowded at times.

In 1962 I got married and left the nest. This is a recent picture and it looks like the house is not lived in anymore. Not much has changed except that the lot is getting over grown with trees and shrubs.

The picture below is of a very old oak tree, It is located just behind the house I grew up in. I climb this tree hundreds of times. At the very top of the tree I could see the town of Lancaster which was about 2 miles away. I once was hanging from a limb upside down about 25 feet off the ground and fainted. I woke up lying on the ground but was not hurt, miracles do happen.

This my favorite tree and I wish I could buy it and move it to where I live now. The home I am living now is about six miles away.

This is a picture of Lynwood Methodist church that I attended when I live on Lynwood Drive. It was in walking distance of our house.
Since moving back to Lancaster last year I have attended this church several times. My wife and I plan on splitting time going to this church and to the church she attend in Elgin when she growing up in Lancaster. This churh still looks pretty much the same as it back in the old days.

This is Lynwood Drive, the road that led into town. The Town is about 2 miles away at this point. I have ridden this road probably thousand of times on my bike while growing up. I have enjoyed the bicycle ride around my old home place and riding this road again was a real treat. I think the last time I rode a bicycle on this road was back in 1959. A lot of teenager to day have there own cars now but back thenI had only a bicycle to get where I wanted to go.

This was a very nostagic bicyle ride that brought back a lot of memories. I continued on riding my back to town on the very road picture above which is two miles from the point I took this picture from.

Now comes the bad part about my nostagic byclce ride. As I rode though the town I turn by the old courthouse and then BANG, I ran over some debri and got a nail in my back tire which went flat as a pancake. It usually only takes a few minutes to fix a flat but in this case a few minutes was not in the cards. I use a CO2 bicycle inflator to pump the tire back up. The inflator malfunction and I was only able to get about 25 pounds of air pressure in the tire. These narrow tires need 120 pounds of pressure. Lancaster does not have a bike store anywhere that I am aware of and I sure did not look forward to walking home. I can't go to a service station as the valve on my inner tube are presta valves and no service station has a pump that can pump up a tire using presta valves.

I knew of no one that I could call for help on my cell phone so I reluctantly decided to try and ride my bike bike home which was 8 miles away.

I was sure it would only be a matter of time beforeI had a blow out. I rode very slow to avoid a pinch flat and I did make it back home safely without having another flat,

Bad thing about riding by myself is I know no one in lancaster to call to help me if I get into trouble. Be glad when we sell our home in Charleston so My wife can finally get up here for good.

Bicycling across Kansas

This week the bicycle ride across Kansas it taking place. In June of 2005 I did this bike tour and love and hated it. It was the most grueling long distance bike ride I had ever done.
The last four days of it was all hills and bad weather. I wasn't used to riding up and down steephills one after another and rains and wind was horrible along with lighting, hailstorms and whatever you can imagine..

In spite of the exhaustion that I experience particularly on the last day I still want to do this bike tour again. In spite of my leg handicapped I believe I could do it if I train for it. For now I will have to be contend to read about the good times everyone is experiencing this year.

Kansas is mostly flat in the west part of the state but the easter half is nothing but long steep hills. It is thrill going down them sometimes reachingf 55 miles but uphill I sometimes was as slow as 5 miles hour, just barely fast enough to keep my bike upright. although I have done a lot of bicycle tours in about 15 states this one is probably my most memorable one as is tested me to the limits of my abilites. It ain't easy for this old man in his sixties to ride 600 miles in little over a week not counting 200 or so miles I rode the previous week.

I sure like to do some more tours and plan on trying some once I sale my home in Charleston and my wife joins me living in Lancaster full time again.

The pictures make it look like the weather was always good. Goes to show you pictures can be deceiving. Well we did have good weather for the first few days but after that it was terrible. Temperatures was as low as 50 degrees to a high of 105 degrees.