WDH Danny Hamsley

[GAB]

The wife and I stopped in at Danny's on our way to Jakes in either '18 or '19 I can't remember which year.
I had a maple tree close to the road that I knew was going to be trimmed slightly above ground level for the widening of the road.  So as an experiment I tapped it in the spring and after the contractor trimmed it I put the log on the mill with the tap hole vertical and took slices of either 1/4 or 3/8 inch thick marking each piece and taking pictures.
We brought these slices of maple with us and showed Danny how a tap affects the wood in a maple tree and the discoloration of the wood for a length both above and below the tap hole.  He told me I was the largest ambrosia beetle he had ever seen.  I got the impression he had never seen that before and was intrigued.  I left the samples with him to do as he pleased with them. 
Danny I was not offended by your beetle comment and I wish you eternal peace.

[beenthere]

RIP Danny. You will be missed big time. 

[firefighter ontheside]

I'm so saddened to hear that Danny has passed away.  I first knew of Danny over at Lumberjocks woodworking site and then of course ran into him again here at the Forestry Forum.  I don't remember when I first got his phone number, but I texted him often about wood ID and questions in general and he always gave me the best advice and assured me that I should ask him any questions I had.  I will miss him very much.  Rest in peace my friend.

[taylorsmissbeehaven]

I am truly sad to hear this new. I never met him in person but he messaged me with help on a problem I had years ago. He was a true friend. His family will be in my thoughts, Brian

[stanwelch]

RIP my friend. You will be missed

[barbender]

Danny was truly the best that the Forum had to offer. Immensely knowledgeable but humble, humorous, and wise. I respected his opinions very much, and he was the last word on any tree ID. That's not even touching on his former life as a procurement forester. 

 It's a small world in the forestry and logging community. A friend I have that worked in middle Georgia contract cut for a fellow, who did a lot of work for Danny when he was a procurement forester. My friend has been back up here logging for quite some time, he was thinning pine the other day and told me he hoped the forester showed up pretty soon to do some plots to check the basal area. I told him, "Danny down in Georgia swears by thinning that pine hard. Take it down and let him tell you to lighten up if he doesn't like it." If the Itasca County forester showed up to a job that was thinned to a BA of 70, I'd tip my hat to Danny😉

[goose63]

This is very sad news.

I met Danny at my first pig roast right off the bat he talked to me like I was a life long friend I will miss him  :( 

[Hilltop366]

Dang....

I always check out a WDH post, it is going to be very informational or very funny or both. He is going to be sadly missed here but I can't imagine what it is going to be like at his home.

[SwampDonkey]

This is very sad news indeed. Man, you just never know when things are going to come to a screeching halt. I will miss him and his wisdom immensely. He was a fine man to have known all these years. I saw him 3 times at the pig roasts. I know everyone that got to know him is going to miss him a bunch.

[Walnut Beast]

He had just posted about his beautiful dog he loved. That pup is really going to miss him

[firefighter ontheside]

Yesterday morning he posted about finish for a table.  I just saw that I had asked him how the finish holds up to wet glasses on the water based finish.  Sadly, he is never going to answer.

[scsmith42]

I am stunned and greatly saddened to learn of Danny's passing.

Heaven has gained a good man.  We are all richer for having known him, yet poorer for his loss.

RIP my friend.

Scott

[Resonator]

Ouch! This is sad news to hear. smiley_cry



I was fortunate enough to meet Danny, and play music with him at the 2019 Pig Roast. We had fun that weekend, we'd never met or played before, but became friends right off. He sat across from me and just watched what chords I played, then accompanied on the bass. He was one of the best players I've known. He couldn't make it to the Pig Roast in 2021, but emailed me that he wanted to play again in the future, and work on some songs together. He will be missed, as a musician, a moderator, a walking encyclopedia of wood knowledge, and most of all as a friend. Rest in peace Danny.

Will the circle, be unbroken,
By and by Lord, by and by
There's a better, home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky.

[123maxbars]

Every time I opened up a unique log on my mill Danny was the first one to see it before anyone else. We shared pics back and forth via text over the years of our good finds. If I came across a nice log I would always share it with him and he did the same with me. 
A funny story of sorts, I would sometimes send him a bark or leaf pic when I had trouble identifying a log/tree. He would sometimes reply with a paragraph of information and a scientific name that went over my head. I would then reply, "Danny is it cherry or not?"  

I am grateful to have known him and that I got to see him again this year at @customsawyer  place. His knowledge and passion for wood is un matched. I will miss him very much. I could go on and on about him.... 

[Bruno of NH]

I'm shocked and saddened to hear this.
He will be missed by many.
Condolences to his family and friends. 
I wanted so much to meet him a Jake's or the Pig roast at some point.
RIP Sir

[DR Buck]

I am truly saddened to hear this.  Danny was a great person in all respects.   I always looked forward to talking with him at the pig roasts and other gatherings.
I will miss him very much.

[Scooby Doo]

My heart is broken into so so many pieces!! I looked forward to his HUGE HUGE hugs that would pick me right up off the ground and squeeze so tight every year at the annual Pig Roast!!! He was the sweetest kindest man that I have had the honor of meeting! I would most definitely call him family!! You will be missed by so very many people!! May you rest easy!! 

If there is anything that myself or the rest of the Forum Family can do please do not hesitate to reach out!! I am really at a loss for words!!! So sorry to all!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Stacy

[rusticretreater]

How fragile life is.  Much sadness.

[bigblockyeti]

I'm beyond words.  Danny is one of the reasons I joined here.  He used to be very active on Lumberjocks and his insight was unbelievable, he just seemed to know everything.  He helped me tremendously when I was searching for my first mill and helped not only myself but everyone else in quickly identifying any species of wood, always instantly for anything that grew in the south east.  Even though I never got to meet him in person, he will be dearly missed.

[doc henderson]

very sad, and way too soon.  he was a gentleman and a scholar.  He cared for all those around him.  was kind and gentle.  I am glad my wife got to meet him at Jakes.  Godspeed Danny.

[bigblockyeti]

He was active here just yesterday too.  I regret not earlier taking a look at his gallery, WOW!  What a bunch of beautiful wood.  Does anyone know if there's a plan of sucession for Hamsley Hardwoods?  I think I've seen the same young man that might(?) be his son in a few of the pictures.  Is there a way to find the post attached to a particular picture in someone's gallery to bring a little context to what's going on?

[Magicman]

A happier time:  Sawing Walnut with Danny , Danny's Reply , and Delivering Danny's Walnut

[Dave Shepard]

Seldom am I at a loss for words, but I can say nothing that could describe how I feel right now. 

[Dand104]

I didn't see this till I got home, I have been going over to Danny's for a few years now and over the past two years he's been kind enough to let me come over and give him a hand and teach me more than I ever expected about milling. This spring I told him my interest in tree identification cause he not only got me interested in milling, but wanting to learn how to identify trees like he was able to. He showed me a book that was co-authored by one of his teachers when he was in school learning and I immediately went out ant got myself a copy to help learn. He told me he'd start taking me around his place whenever I'd come over after that to help get practice identifying. Unfortunately, I have had a busy summer and was only able to make it out there one more time since then for getting quizzed on.

It has been the biggest honor to get to know Danny and learn from a treasure trove of knowledge, but even more than that it was an honor to be able to call him a friend, although he would introduce me as his apprentice anytime someone would stop by while I was there helping and learning. I will miss him more than I can put into words!

Rest in peace Danny, you will be greatly missed.

 

  

[Wlmedley]

Hated to hear this bad news.Although I never met him he answered several questions I posted no matter how trivial they probably seemed to a man with his knowledge.He was one of many on this forum I was hoping to meet.I've heard that you are never truly gone until the last man speaks your name.I would say that his will be spoken for many years to come.