JavaMan: do you remember Quick Draw McGraw's alter ego "El Kabong"?!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quick_Draw_McGraw

He could take down a bear with a guitar, but only when swinging from a rope.

Ok now this threads getting good.. Quick draw McGraw really?? That's reachng

Quote from: Scotdark on September 17, 2015, 10:47:44 PM
Ok now this threads getting good.. Quick draw McGraw really?? That's reachng

That is sorta insulting but I realize some are trying to have fun here

Quote from: OlJarhead on September 18, 2015, 08:14:49 AM
That is sorta insulting but I realize some are trying to have fun here

Normally this type of behavior is linked to full moons........  earth quakes and change of season.  Oh ya and the Sockeye run!!!     Happens all the time.  Yeppers!!!  But you want to talk guitars Trigger - Willies old Martin rules.  It will be one that is elected into the Hall of Fame in its own right and merit! Seen it up close and personal this summer.     I am still having flash backs!!!  Must a been somethin' in the air!

LOL I was having a little fun with that "this thread is starting to get interesting" comment

So good to be back up here.  I realize I'm up here a lot and say that a lot but then that ought to say something!  LOL

http://www.graystove.com/
I've been looking for some small wood stove options for guest cabins.  This might be the way to go!

or, for light duty, this one is almost an order of magnitude less expensive

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/hq-issue-outdoor-wood-stove?a=1884248

That might work but I think the Gray is a much better built (re: longer lasting) and permanent type stove.

My thought is that one day I'll build those bedroom cabins and would like a small simple woodstove for them.  As well as when I get a bedroom addition onto the main cabin since it will be far enough away from the main stove that on cold winter nights it may need some additional heating (like minus 20 degree nights)

Kind of small but I love the Gray... I really like the rivets and contrasting colors.  I wonder if he builds any bigger/higher BTU models... that would look real nice in my cabin.

Quote from: nailit69 on September 22, 2015, 03:01:33 AM
Kind of small but I love the Gray... I really like the rivets and contrasting colors.  I wonder if he builds any bigger/higher BTU models... that would look real nice in my cabin.

I think they do custom work but the Vermont castings Aspen works pretty well and is even an approved stove in WA albeit expensive at $1k or so

Quote from: OlJarhead on September 22, 2015, 11:23:57 AM
I think they do custom work but the Vermont castings Aspen works pretty well and is even an approved stove in WA albeit expensive at $1k or so

I've got an older Sweet Home airtight that i'll probably repaint and use up there... it'll heat my shop up in about 20-30 minutes so im sure it will do good out in the Okanogan, been in the family for close to 30 yrs and I know it very well.

Recent visitor to the cabin

Eric I had one like that at the cabin (for the second time) but he was a little camera shy.  I had three logs left from the initial construction which I stacked along the drive.  They had been there for 6+ years to the point they had rotted.  The bear pulverized them looking for grubs. 



If you look in the upper center you will see one similar lying on the ground.  They were 6"X8" originally.  Since then he/she returned and rolled it over also.  But again it didn't enter into the view finder.  Oh yes I found undisputed evidence behind the cabin in the yard but I won't post it because it looks like Crap.    I showed a picture to my son and his comment was "thats a big bear" because of the size (10" X 10").  I told him maybe he just found a lot of grubs. 

Seems due to the sightings and recent activity that their population is increasing in this area.  Good mass this year.  I had a neighbor that came to the house the other evening and asked me to cut a tree out of the road leading to their cabin some 4 miles past mine.  Just before I got to the location I seen three running up the road in front of me as I rounded a turn just before the downed tree.  Note to self " take out the trash when leaving the cabin".

Yup, this is the year of the bear me thinks.l  I've seen more this year than in the last 6.

Hmmm....I do like bear done in a crock pot

Quote from: OlJarhead on October 10, 2015, 10:14:54 AM
Yup, this is the year of the bear me thinks.l  I've seen more this year than in the last 6.

Hmmm....I do like bear done in a crock pot

I usually don't care much for the meat but there is an exception.  One of the old timers wife that my son plays music with has got the patent on edible bear meat recipe.  She uses a cooking bag, roast beef seasoning and bakes the shoulder.  Delicious!  But the key according to her is to absolutely trim all the fat off first.

Not unsimilar to what I've done:  cook shoulder in crockpot for 4 hrs after trimming fat.  Cook in beef gravy and seasonings

Meanwhile back at the cabin:

I wasn't sure I posted this before but here is a shot of the new battery bank installed right before the fire.  I put the caps on during the fire (at a point I thought I'd be ok) and actually am pretty darn happy with them.

Managed to mill up two cookies today.  One is pretty badly checked so may not be usable but as these are the first I've done it was a bit of a learning experience.  I plan to plane, stain and varathane.  Then if all appears good to go with them I'll put some mortices in them and stick legs on them for end tables or stools.


Had a hankerin for a sandwhich made with fresh bread today so I made the bread   1/4 Spelt flour the rest white.  Darn good!  At half the 1st loaf already! lol


My recipe is VERY easy to make and I have to admit I love the fact that I have it on hand and ready to mix up, rise and bake whenever I'm here.  Sorta just adds to the fall trips

Recipe:

5 cups of flour (bread, all purpose, whatever.  Best if made with 4 cups of white and one cup of spelt, wheat or rye for flavor)
1 TBS & 1tsp of Fast Acting Yeast
~2tsp of sea salt (no iodine)
2 cups warm water.

Mix well then knead in bowl until easy to pick up (might be a little sticky -- but should be light to the feel)
Knead some more on an oiled surface until you feel it's a little rubbery (or stretchy might be a better word)

Place in pans to rise (or make a ball and let rise on a cast iron frying pan) until about double in size.
Preheat oven to 425F

Bake for ~30-35 minutes (bread should be 190F in the center when done but I've made it for so long I just bake until I decide it's done which is about 30 minutes at that temp unless you want a crispier and thicker crust then 35 or so.

Let cool for 15 minutes or more and enjoy

It's been a while!  I've been back and forth to the cabin but haven't done much work other than installing the cutoff switch on the Genny and doing a little winter prep.  However I have been getting some woodwork done at home:


This will be an end table for the cabin.  I'm making one for each side of the bed but they can double as, you guessed it, stools   Truth is the small log I made the cookies out of was just my first time doing this and in the future I'll be doing larger cookies, trust me


Another angle -- I'm gluing up the legs etc here and will likely also pin them a bit.  I'm still learning how to get a good tenon with the Lumberjack Tenon Cutters as they are somewhat adjustable and one can make the tenons a little small.


While the round tables will be burl coated (thick poly) this 'coffee' table I'm working on is being coated with Spar Varathane instead.  Here it can be seen with 8 coats.


Loving it though  

Anyway, lots going on when I have the time just not lots at the cabin   Yet.

Oh and the generator started working again out of the blue!  I'm still waiting to have the controller replaced under warranty but it was delayed because of the fires.

A few pics of the table.  Can't wait to get it coated and start on the next one.

Starting to shape up!


Some minor air bubbles still in there but very hard to see and this is my first ever 'burl coat' so I'm very happy with it.


One coating is like 60 coats of varathane   It's awesome!

I should note that the legs are not coated except where they were dripped on.  I'll be spraying those with Spar Varathane when the main coating is fully cured.

If you use a heat gun or a hair dryer it'll remove most air bubbles when still wet... Not sure if you knew that or not

Thanks!  I didn't know that!

Looks great, where did you get your tenon cutter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VYeJQfoYDM
Saw this today.  Gotta admit I love it!  I have been thinking about trying to plane down the larger of the two 'cookies' I cut for end tables and after grinding off some of the epoxy to fill cracks I decided to do a little research and saw this video.

Now it's time to make a similar sled for my tables   I plan to make one big enough to work on 24" cookies because I hope to get a chance to make some as well as on large slabs (like 24" x 36" x 3") for coffee tables etc.