Cut lumber for my old Shop Teacher

Chuck White · July 22, 2009, 02:49:18 PM

Last week I got a call from my old high school Wood-Working Shop Teacher.
He wanted to know if I could saw out some basswood for him.
I said "sure", when will the logs be stacked and ready. He said they'll be ready by night-fall!
Well, Sunday morning I pulled in with the WM and he came out of the house smiling.

Got the mill all set up in about 15-20 minutes and he said boy that's quick. I said "about average"!
Anyway, the first log went on and he said "full inch", I said that's what we call 4/4, he said OK.
I finished that log and he had a nice little pile of boards! He smiled and said "mor'n I thought was in that little log"!

Anyway, I got done a few hours later and he had 600 bf of random width 4/4 boards and he was happy.
He thought that ole Wood-Mizer was about the coolest thing he'd ever seen.

Sorry for all the ramblin', but these are the kind of jobs that a sawyer dreams of getting. Really made my day. 8)

Chuck

edit: Actually made me feel really great inside. This is especially true since he taught me so much in High School.

Raider Bill · July 22, 2009, 04:47:12 PM

What a great story! I remember my old shop teacher as a real nice guy. Turned out he was in North Africa with my Uncle during WW2. He knew it at the time I was in school but never told anyone. Sure kept me out of trouble in High school. Well some of it anyway.

beenthere · July 22, 2009, 05:11:10 PM

Chuck
Invite him in to the Forum. He could be a real asset here.

Might even find out a bit about you as one in his class. :

:

8) 8)

;D ;D

Don_Papenburg · July 22, 2009, 09:15:07 PM

WELL that sure put a damper on him inviting the shop teacher in. ;D

DanG · July 22, 2009, 10:21:10 PM

Yep, that is a great story indeed!! When you think back on it in the future, Chuck, I bet you find that it made a whole lot more than your day! 8) 8)

sawmilllawyer · July 23, 2009, 12:54:24 AM

Well Chuck, you gonna or not? My wood shop teacher died of a heart attack many years ago. Would have been nice to have cut some logs for him though.

SwampDonkey · July 23, 2009, 03:29:30 AM

Shop was great! Oh, we had to read up on some tools and stuff, but it was more practical and a lot less book learn'n. The exams were based on common sense and multiple choice. I don't remember anyone having trouble on the tests. ;D But, our teacher wasn't much of a teacher or a carpenter.

Mom mentioned something about fashioning a wooden peg and not hurting the dog. She grew up and went to school with the guy. :D

ladylake · July 23, 2009, 06:12:42 AM

Sure met a lot of nice people sawing over the years. Over here I'll stick with inches, 4/4 5/4 6/4 etc doesn't cover 5/8 3/4 13/16 7/8 1-1/16 1-1/8 etc very well. Steve

bandmiller2 · July 25, 2009, 07:31:26 AM

Most shop teachers are regular guys closer to us than the acidemic types.Their is no better compliment for any teacher than seeing you use what they tought you.[I never really picked up the spelling thing]Frank C.

james04 · July 25, 2009, 08:38:32 AM

I recall my eight grade shop teacher taking our class one notch higher than what was expected. We first had to learn the basics of drafting and then we got to build a wall mounted cabinet clock with glass doors. Oh it was bass wood we by the way. He felt poplar was not good enough. Well my mom still has that clock and I am amazed every time I see it. Thinking that that teacher really had some nerve to expect eight graders to build something so advanced. I am always great full for what he taught us.

It is a shame that the shop programs have been removed from allot of the schools. After all you cant expect to make a living with your hands.

James

ARKANSAWYER · July 25, 2009, 05:15:59 PM

Oh the days of Shop! One time we had a large trash can and would stand back by the welding bays. We took the table saw out into the middle of the floor and with the blade about 1/2 " up we would push small chuncks of wood onto the blade from the back side. They would "shoot" across the shop and we would see if we could catch them in the trash can. Oh what fun! No wonder they took it out of school.?

farmboy1tn · July 25, 2009, 10:05:04 PM

my shop teacher was a great teacher and teached for many years till the school system said it was to dangerous to continue offering the class. he should turned out many carpenters a craftsmen over the years and alot of them became well know bussiness men.

tyb525 · July 26, 2009, 01:58:04 AM

No shop at my school :( Where did my love for sawmills and all things wood come from, anyways? :D

ScottAR · July 26, 2009, 03:25:48 AM

Shop was the only reason to go to school when I was school age.
Twas the place I learned about "doing" things instead of dead
presidents and where to commas and periods...

That other stuff is important just not as interesting.

Our town is building a new high school and I was very pleased to
find a big chunk of blueprint that said "ag shop" on it...

Can't everybody be a paper pusher... Someone has to get dirty
eventually...

backwoods sawyer · July 26, 2009, 09:36:44 PM

Between forestry l and ll, shop l, ll, lll we took trees all the way from planting, to harvest, to the mill, to finished product. Oh and being in the timber capital of the world, there are a lot off big mills, and logging companies demanding better educated, high school and collage students. Having a couple good teachers that do not allow horseplay, and are willing to go beyond the basics makes it a worthwhile experience. I always enjoy milling for a high school class.