Christmas on Grey Mountain Chapter 10 The work shop was full of activity has each of them worked on different projects. Adam was busy working on a bench after hearing Gabby talking about not having benches to set on for hand sewing and other needle crafts. He had gotten the plans from his grandfathers files. They had originally been used to make two mourners benches for the Morgans Hollow All Saints Church Tommy was doing another. Greg was working on a bobsled for Gabby and Tom. Ric was working on small tables for the women to put their sewing baskets on. Hank was busy on a large curio shelf to replace the one they had to remove from her study. Her new office would be her Dads old study which unbeknownst to Laura he had completed on her book tour. He had told her that he had misplaced the key. It was now in a small wrapped cedar box setting under her tree. Most of the equipment was manually operated. The lathe was controlled by a large paddle. A large pulley had a wide leather belt connecting interchangeable pulleys to control the speed. The rip saw was run by a thread mill and the power was supplied by either Laura’s or Hank’s horses. Drill press was electrical and the routers were also. The rest of the hand tools were manually operated except for a table saw. A long tool cabinet lined one wall of the shop. Work benches sat in the center of the shop. An old wood desk and file cabinet was tucked away in one corner. Pete was rounding a hickory 2 by 2 post into a rod for Gabbys new loom. He looked around and smiled. Out of all the things Pete had missed most about Maine was this work shop. He had originally had wanted to be a cabinetmaker but after watching Doc. Greer putting a cast on his leg, he found his true calling. Still he loved this big wood shop and couldnt understand why Laura wanted a bigger one. Hank, Laura said something about the old mill yesterday. She wants to make into a bigger wood shop? Yah. Since most of the small towns now have very restrictive historical ordinances much of the materials for moldings, banisters and railings cant be found in the large home improvement centers. The Old Saw mill will be restored and I will be using it to make what cant be bought at the centers. Adam nodded, I read about that in the Sunday magazine of our paper. New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine are toughening up on construction and development. The key word is restoration and not remodeling. Its really a good idea because so much rural land is quickly disappearing. “Yah, Gloves Mill, Logan Harbor, Morgan’s Hallow and Appleton are restoration only now. There can be no development.” Hank said. “What happen to the folks in Riverton?” Pete asked. “They are revising their zoning laws. It is a slow process because of constant court challenges. Thankfully they have won all of them so far.” Greg nodded, “The state supreme court isn’t known for over turning zoning laws. I guess what is bad news for Home Depot and Lowes is good news for Hank and Laura. Greg laughed. Hank joined in the laughing, Yah much more work for me. I will need to hire some strong wood wrights to help me part time. Tommy nodded, We have enough on our plate but we will pitch in when we have time. I already have been talking to a couple of young women that are interested in working for me. They are master cabinetmakers but from what I have seen you and Adam are close to earning that title. Hank explained. Hank, you are family now so we will still help you. Adam said. I will be very grateful for your help. Hank told him. Adam and Tommy went back to work on their benches. They had quickly learned to operate the manual equipment. Their eyes had widened when Hank opened up the wood shop. It was bigger than the ones they had been using at home and school. When he opened up the tool cabinet, they whistled. Pete finished rounding the post and measured it with a calibrator. It was small enough to sand and cut in half. Hank stopped and helped him cut the rod. When that was done, he clamped them back together. He took a brace and bit and drilled fourteen holes. He sanded the rod and set it aside. He took a wide piece of oak and drew two large circles in it. He drilled holes on the center big enough for the rod. Adam watched him then looked at him. Wont you need two more holes to put a pin to hold the rollers? Nope the pins on the outside will hold the rod and rollers in place. When using hand tools you have to be careful not to split the wood. Pete explained. I see, the quilt will be held by the bolts on the inside and the roller pins will help hold it too. Pete nodded, Nope wooden rings, now I have to make a roller for the bottom and the framing. I will make the center frame pivot so that it will be easier to move the quilt. I am also making it for different size quilts. I have all the dimensions in Dads and Uncle Toms plans. Even the queen and king-sized quilts? Tommy asked. They added those sizes right when they started making them. Greg explained. “That is what is called advance thinking.” Greg laughed. Adam shook his head, “No, that is called knowing Grandma and Aunt Peg.” Greg looked at Adam and smiled, “My way sounds better.” Like the girls. Adam and Tommy had formed part of a chain of tradition. Adam wanted to be a master cabinet maker and he was well down the path on reaching his goal when he met Andra. She had convinced him that being a lawyer was more practical. She had been so convincing that he even considered dropping his wood shop class the next semester. Now that she was gone, he felt free. “Dad, I want to be a master cabinet maker and wood wright.” He said. “Well I can’t say I didn’t suspect that. You’ve always been very good with wood working.” Greg said. “Adam, becoming a master wood wright requires that you become an apprentice to a master.” Hank told him. “And working the old way requires a strong dedication to tradition.” “I know that. Seeing what you have done to the farm as inspired me to fully use my talents.” Adam explained. “A true craftsman skill comes from what is inside of you.” Hank said, “Both you and Tommy have the skill.” Adam looked at the bench he was working on. It lacked any ornamentation. The sides were plain. He went over to the file cabinet and found some templates but none of them fit the purpose of the bench. He saw a computer setting on the desk. He turned it on and discovered that it didn’t use a password. He googled sewing clip art and was rewarded by a large selection. He decided to try it another way. He typed in “woodworking templates sewing designs.” He smiled at the result and quickly selected some for the back and sides. He printed them out and shut down the computer. He found some carbon paper in a large drawer in the desk. He sat the sides and the back on the work table. He took his pencil and traced the templates onto the unfinished oak. Hank smiled as he watched Adam work, “You like to carve too. That is good. The carving tools in the cabinet belonged to your grandfather. I cleaned and sharpened them. I did not use them because I had not earned the right to do so.” Greg laughed, “It’s wonder that Laura didn’t kill you for that. Adam, you get to test them. Your grandpa would love the fact that you want to give the new benches a personal touch.” “Well, the ladies deserve to have quality benches to match their skill.” Adam said. He took the carving tools from the tool cabinet and started carving. It took him three hours to finish them. He turned to his uncles, “Ok gentlemen, this the best that these hands can do.” The four men walked over and stared at the carvings. Tommy came over and whistled, “Adam, you are almost as good a Hank.” Hank shook his head, “No he is the better carver, it took me six hours to just do one carving on the mantle.” Tommy nodded, “Adam, let’s work together on the benches. We can get them done faster and you are better than I am with carving.” Adam looked at his younger cousin, “You just need some more experience. I’ll help you with yours. Let’s assemble mine and we can stain and put a flat polymer on it. Gabby won’t like a gloss or high gloss on it.” Tommy smiled, “Let’s get to work.”
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 10:03:32 +0000
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