October - What's on your Work Bench?

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
All~

Not as much carving as I would like - but I did have to scramble to finish 2 birds - the Killdeer and the Whimbrel - for a local fundraiser. The juried art show supports farmland preservation. I will have these 8 pieces in when "Landscapes for Land's Sake" opens over Columbus Day weekend.

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When I am not preparing our fireplace in the house for its insert - should arrive later this week - I have been working on the pilothouse and other appurtenances for Cassiopeia - Craig Kessler's 25-foot T-Craft that will become the "mother ship" for our open water rig on Long Island. This bowsprit will make handling the anchor much easier and safer on the winter bays.

It started as a sketch last month - and numerous consultations with seasoned baymen.

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Here she is all painted and ready for installation:

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I am a little nervous about the "keeper" on the front. I have flared the bottom outward and served it with 2 layers of old decoy line. We'll have to watch it at anchor and see if it chafes. (It can always be replaced after the "shakedown" season.)

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This Storage Bench has some history. The box itself was the toolbox I built for my old 1983 Ford Ranger. The truck finally died around 1996 - but I kept the box up in the loft ever since. I had made a crowned lid for the original - so I re-purposed some old mahogany stern sheets from a long-forgotten sailboat for this new flat top - a bit tarted up for a gunning boat....

So far, the only out-of-pocket expense has been the paint and the solid brass piano hinge - to be installed later today.

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Photos of the fireplace insert will follow.

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve~

All the works are fixed price - no auction. On the other hand, now that the birds are in the custody of ASA (Ag Stewardship Association), I think they are unavailable until the public opening on the 11th.

Send me a PM if there is something you like - I can hook you up with the ASA staff.

All the best,

SJS
 
a change of pace from decoys or shorebirds. I have the piece of wood and wire I am mounting it on and the walnut base all ready to tie it all together. Hope to finish it up by the end of this month, it is only now in a base coat to build up from.
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Red Mallee Burl


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Texas Ebony


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Live Oak. I came across a nice piece of live oak in my wood pile and decided to give it a try in spite having been told it did not turn well. Actually it was not that difficult and made a kind of unique call.
 
Here is a work bench shot of a few woodies that will be delivered in time for local opening days...just made it! All are cork, cedar heads. Painted in Traditions acrylics. The base of the field model is a block of red cedar from a construction site.

 
Steve... Two thoughts on your bowsprit as my garvey has one also. First... and as I quickly found out... if you are running a length of chain on your anchor, there are two shackles that will need to feed smoothly through that "space" between the keeper and the roller. My shackles on my anchor were just slightly too large and did not feed at all. the smaller replacements are ok, but still occasionally get hung up... and usually on the worst of days. The smaller, the better. Second... like mine, the anchor shank needs to make a 90-degree turn to be secured. This if fine on calm days, when you or a mate is on the bow, but on a nasty day, someone is going to get wet up there, and its no fun watching that anchor swing wildly. I have not had mine long enough to have an icy front deck, but i'm sure it will warrant extreme caution when retrieving the anchor. Please let us know how you make out. Scott
 
Scoot~

Thanks for your thoughts - we have the same concerns.

How far does your sprit (distance to the roller) extend beyond the stem of your boat?

We will be using a traditional fisherman's (kedge) anchor without chain. However, it does have a heavy ring that is more than the 3 inch width I built. Our plan is to extend the sprit 30 - 36 inches beyond the stem so that the anchor cannot hit the stem itself once it is snubbed up. IF it works as planned, we will avoid the icy foredeck altogether. We shall see.....

All the best,

SJS
 
memorial blue jay is completed. Carved from bass, glass eyes and painted in oils. Base is walnut and mount is mesquite root from west Texas. Definitely out of my comfort zone for a non-decoy. I will admit it was fun to carve and paint.

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Been putting the finishing touches on eallen eiders and my restle coated eiders for our jersey shore eider slam

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Mine vs Toldeo
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Steve... with only about 9" from the stem forward on mine, you can immediately imagine my swinging anchor issues on foul days. Total length is about 53 inches, with some teak added to protect the foredeck from the chain. Probably attach some type of anchor chain snubber (clip and short length of rope to attach to the cleat?) for better security as well. Pictures attached.... ScottView attachment Bow 1 of 3.jpgView attachment Bow 2 of 3.jpg

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Some day I'll finish a decoy again.....

One I started last weekend, ready for paint



One I started this weekend. Ready for eyes and final sanding.

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Worked on some keels. about 10 oz of lead inside each one.

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My 84 yo dad came out for some sun after I cut the front lawn today. I don't think he'd seen me carve anything before, so I grabbed a chair, knife, head blank and a seltzer and started whittling. I avoid using my foredom every chance I get

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Made a bunch of these during the week (look for a classifieds post later in the week if you like them)


 
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At the start of the month, the Ward Foundation / NEA gang got together for dinner and a group picture. Taking their birds out to Salisbury this week.
Here they are with the Frond-style, cork blackducks that they did.


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Here's a close-up of the head of the bird I consider the best of the bunch. Wish I could have produced something like this on my first attempt at a decoy!


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Done by one of the women who took the class.
 
Jim~

All nice work. You make keels the same way I do.

Question on your anchor - Did you make the mold?

All the best,

SJS
 
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