The path to the magic forrest ?

Not all who wander are lost.
Apparently all the itinerant timberframers are, no posts here for over a year.

Tom

All the itinerant's I know are pretty busy, probably too pooped to post.

...Where am I...? I think I'm lost..
Oh, Toto! I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!

Most of the itinerants that I know give me a hard time because I use a computer for shop drawings and spreadsheets to keep track of inventory and frame parts. I dont expect to see them here.

I usually have a couple of months of down time in the winter since I work mostly outside. I had several irons in the fire this fall and they all went cold. Scheduling has consistantly been the biggest problem with being an itinerant.

Welcome to the magic forest TG. Beware of the twisted timber this is the land of the Great Stumpkin.

Make believe or reality?



Oh, good. It's reality.
I thought I was losing it there for a sec.

Love the Great Stumkin... What sort of demonic weed is his smoking?

That does bring up a question, do you know any itinerate wood carvers?

I've got this newel post I want to finish off by carving.

I just haven't decided how I want it carved.

Stumpy has the only joint we could make from the new drawings the archidorks sent.

Smoking has cartain health risks for stumpkins.

Wow! Great photograph.

VERY cool!

T.G. is that a Hunddeger on wheels parked under the candy canes?
Now there's a thought, Itinerant Hundeggers.

Coming Soon to a Shop Near You

Raph. your newel post project looks fun. You should be able to carve that yourself. I would finish the handrail and remove the sapwood with a drawknife before you decide what to carve. The wood will show you what it wants to be. Just step back and look at it for awhile. Just looking at the picture you posted, I see a Horse looking back at me, but then my daughter is wanting to get horses.
What species of wood is it, pine? That should carve nice. I usually end up having to carve somthing really hard like Osage (lasts really well outside in the garden). Tom

Thanks for starting this thread, Tom.
And for noticing the lack of moderator on this folder.....
I like looking up and seeing " Itinerant Traveller Discussion "
We all wander down the road occaisionally to do our work.

CARE AND FEEDING OF STUMPKINS

Stumpkins have large appetites and will devour joinery off cuts like a wood stove with no door and no damper! They will live much longer if not overfed. They are very well behaved socially and like to be the center of attention at parties. They have also been known to consume hundreds of empty Pabst Blue Ribbon cans. Stumpkin feeding is hot work, keep plenty of cold frosty ones on hand.

Stumpkins love small children, and will play with them for hours. They will also mesmerize them and lure them too close to the fire, so please keep an eye on the little ones.

Stumpkins should drink in moderation, more than a fiew shots of their favorite mix (93 octane and two cycle oil , 50:1 ) and they'll explode!

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Warning: Felling hollow trees to make stumpkins destroys valuable wildlife habitat.

DISCLAIMER

Felling of hollow trees is extremely dangerous! High risk of Kick-Back! The carving of stumpkins involves plunge cutting with a chain saw.
"Stumpkin Floss" is not usually a low-kickback type of saw chain. Wear appropriate safety equipment and USE EXTREME CAUTION.

Work Smart, Be Safe, Have Fun. Tom

Actually the newel post is Red Oak 8.125" square and 12'9" long. It was lot's of fun getting it in there.

Looks like one of your future Stumpkins is having a snack...

That's just my buddy Carl, he must have dropped his beer. How anyone can drink that much Pabst and still be so fit is amazing.

Tom

Any stumpkin consuming more than one Carl is guaranteed to be over the sap/alcohol limit

J.E.B.

I see this forum now has a moderator. I must have made someone nervous. Hi Curtis, I hope I haven't been a bad boy this close to Christmass. I would be happy to moderate, if you need a volunteer. Tom

I do enjoy looking at the pictures in this thread....
Not all who wander are lost, indeed.

Hi Tom,
Another interesting thread indeed.
One must remember that the pen is mightier than the chainsaw, and perhaps more dangerous.

I had Joel add me as moderator for the time being, I have enough itinerant hours on my ticket to qualify.

Hollow stuff can be very dangerous as noted. I like a nice safety chain built for boring and a hard nose bar. This is not work for the easily distracted.

Best to the family and Carl,

Curtis

Another great picture and interesting timing I was plunging through an 18" Hickory today and got to thinking about this thread, after I was through.

I definitely have to change chains on my MS660 as soon as I've got my 066 back up and running and definitely before tackling Stumpkins or plunging posts.

I guess you'ld have to call my chains pro-kickback chains rather than anti-kickback, or perhaps semipro-kickback as they are low profile. But they are all ground ten degrees so you've got a real jack hammer if the back side of the bar gets too involved in the plunge. They'll also turn limbing into a real blood sport if you aren't paying attention.

Milton mentioned a "safety chain built for boring", who makes this chain? I'd thought the number one drawback of a safety chain was you couldn't plunge with them.

I know that Baileys had a safety chain for their carving bars (1/4" pitch). Maybe it is different from the Sthil safety chain, It doesn't plunge well at all. Sometimes I will make the initial plunges with my 036 without low kick back chain. Then switch to the MS250 with safety chain for "flossing".

I picked up an 026pro on eBay for doing things like "flossing", but it has issues and also is an 026 with a "pro" sticker added later. :rolleyes:
Right now it's a project I'll get to it when I have time or money again.

I used to have a nice little Remington about the size of the MS250, it ran a 3/8 pitch low profile chain on a hard nosed bar. That was a nice saw to work with, I had its nose working in a lot of Cedar for several years.

Does your 026 have the decompression release on top , I think that is the diference between the 026 and the 026 PRO. Both are good saws.
Tom

No compression release and it's not got the adjustable oiler either. I can live without the decompression but being able to crank the oiling up and down is kind of important.

The "Pro" sticker is also not in a position I've seen Stihl place them, but I'm not a "Stihl historian".

The current oiler is one of the saws issues, it'll get oil on you, the timber, and the ground but the chain is running a little to dry.

It does have the heated handles option, which I thought was a nice bonus, and that part actually works correctly.

Greetings all:
In my reference to boring chain I was speaking of chain that I bought in PA. The Stihl dealer was used to selling chains into the veneer choppers market where boring makes money, the wood is hard and the saws are plenty powerful.

Stihl Duromatic (hard nose no roller) and rsc3 and rmc3 chains are what I am familiar with. AS with any special operations: just ask the guys and gals that sell and use the stuff.

All chain companies will sell you their best for any task.

All that said: never blame the tool or the advice of others, and never stand down range of the top of the chain. Plunge cutting is scary stuff,the lucky get a second chance to fail, chain speed is but one key to the task. If it isn't sharp, stop now.

Happy carving,
Curtis