I don't have the right kind of camera, nor the knowledge (yet) about how to send pictures to Forestry Forum, but I'd like to post a news update about what's going on in my neck of the woods:
1. In October 2010 my son from Oakland, CA came for a visit, and I was able to persuade him to help me cut some black walnut logs that had been in my shop for 2-3 years. We cut them into 1" boards, about 6-9" width. I had to buy a DeWalt thickness planer on sale from Lowe's, and they give a 10% discount for retired military (Hooah!). Because this machine is part of my forestry project, I am able to get a 30% income tax deduction as well -- I really had no choice but to buy the machine, did I? Anyway, with my son's help, we got my WoodMizer LT40 fired up, and cut the logs into useful boards, and then planed them into some very pretty wood. My daughter is redecorating and renovating her kitchen, and wanted a reading nook, so I converted the walnut boards into very pretty bookshelves, and now she can retreat to this nook and quietly read, and escape from the sturm und drang of her regular life, which she appreciates a lot. Somebody fired a .22 LR bullet into one of the logs, long ago, but the steel blades of the planer were not damaged by the lead of the bullet, so it simply left an interesting mark on one of her shelves.
My wife and I had to put down a much beloved but geriatric dog about 2-3 months ago due to multiple uncorrectible severe health problems, so we went to the local animal shelter today and adopted two puppies. The shelter people said the puppies are golden retriever/border collie mix dogs - but who knows what they actually are. Anyway, they came home today, and with the same W-M LT-40 I was able to saw an eastern white pine log into boards I could use to make a barrier to keep the new puppies in an area in our house without carpets, where they will live until they are house-broken.
Clearly I'm not sawing logs or making boards in the volume of some of the contributors to this forum, but I submit this information to illustrate some enjoyable and useful small-scale work using a sawmill and a thickness planer. I'm enjoying retirement a whole lot. I officially retired on March 1, 2010, and have been telling people that it took me about 20 minutes to adjust to retirement. Now I get a check in the mail each month which pays me for not working.
David L.
Welcome to the FF David. :)
Welcome aboard David. When you get the picture posting down pat you will be a senior member x 10
Welcome to another woodworking brother, what part of WNC are you from?
I live in Altapass, close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and about 2 miles ESE of Spruce Pine, in Mitchell County.
Welcome, Daivd
Quote from: davidlarson on January 27, 2011, 11:03:39 PM
I officially retired on March 1, 2010, and have been telling people that it took me about 20 minutes to adjust to retirement.
I did the same 6 months ago and am busier than when I worked.
Bob