Sled Building "Old School"

Garry Foster

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North Central Ohio
With all the snow we have I think I should have ordered a sled last summer. Here is movie that shows how Ben made one in 1980, and probably like they were made for several decades before that. It starts a little slow but is worth the watch...I think.

http://www.folkstreams.net/film,187

Buys 90 feet of wood for 21 dollars or so...

Garry
 
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I very much enjoyed that, thanks!

At about the 16 minute mark, his trick of using a saw kerf to guide the drill bit straight is worth filing away for future work! :D :thumb:
 
Always fun to watch the old tools being utilized.

Here's another that makes me wonder how he has all his fingers still attached. :eek::eek: The one shot looks like his fingers are within an inch of the jointer knives and still moving forward.
 
True, a lot of the things he did would be frowned upon now, but things have changed. At about 15:40 you see him ripping the staves to width, notice how he is using a low fence on the tablesaw, to give his hand more room. If he was using the regular tall fence most of use on our saws, then his hand would really be in a tight spot, not very safe at all. I'd still use a push stick myself :D

I'd really love to get the one hour show, I notice it can only be ordered in a VHS format.

Cheers!
 
Great video, Garry. I liked his surface planer. What's that running? 100 rpm or so? And also, that guy was carrying timbers around the shop that I'd probably have a hard time lifting, let alone maneuvering on a bandsaw.
 
True, a lot of the things he did would be frowned upon now, but things have changed. At about 15:40 you see him ripping the staves to width, notice how he is using a low fence on the tablesaw, to give his hand more room. If he was using the regular tall fence most of use on our saws, then his hand would really be in a tight spot, not very safe at all. I'd still use a push stick myself :D

I'd really love to get the one hour show, I notice it can only be ordered in a VHS format.

Cheers!

Stu
It's funny but when I watched this video the first time I thought of you. And my thought was "Stu" could do this!

Garry
 
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I'd really love to get the one hour show, I notice it can only be ordered in a VHS format.
Cheers!

Stu I noticed on the original folkstream site there were DVD's available.

And also, that guy was carrying timbers around the shop that I'd probably have a hard time lifting, let alone maneuvering on a bandsaw.


Vaughn thats exactly what i was thinking. Just how much of a wuss i am compared to these guys. Seeing him plane and handle the runners for that sled boy i felt humiliated just watching the video.:rofl:

I dunno its amazing how these guys show up our modern ways when you look at us with digital gauges and fancy router tables etc and they got a piece of wood and nail for circle template and a chainsaw.:D
Nothing replaces skill Eh! But i bet it aint the first sled he built.:)

Thanks Gary not only for the video but the site. It cost me a few hours.:D
 
Stu I noticed on the original folkstream site there were DVD's available.




Vaughn thats exactly what i was thinking. Just how much of a wuss i am compared to these guys. Seeing him plane and handle the runners for that sled boy i felt humiliated just watching the video.:rofl:

I dunno its amazing how these guys show up our modern ways when you look at us with digital gauges and fancy router tables etc and they got a piece of wood and nail for circle template and a chainsaw.:D
Nothing replaces skill Eh! But i bet it aint the first sled he built.:)

Thanks Gary not only for the video but the site. It cost me a few hours.:D
Rob
Your Welcome. I also recommend the one on the Rawhide worker..and I sent one earlier on a Cajian building a log piroqe.(canoe)
 
...Nothing replaces skill Eh! But i bet it aint the first sled he built.:)...

Did you also notice how much he got done in a day? At one point in the video, they say "On day three..." When I saw how much he'd done in the first two days, I figured that was about a week's worth of work for someone like me.
 
Spellbinding.
I think Ben's mill was the one featured in Scott Landis' "Workshop" book a few years ago.
I hope Ben had some watchers and helpers who picked up some of the old skills. I wonder how he kept the place from burning down.
Thanks for posting this.
Peter
 
Spellbinding.
I think Ben's mill was the one featured in Scott Landis' "Workshop" book a few years ago.
I hope Ben had some watchers and helpers who picked up some of the old skills. I wonder how he kept the place from burning down.
Thanks for posting this.
Peter

Well I am not sure he passed to much on but I think this is his old mill. I read an interview with him and he considered himself more or less a johnny come lately and gave all the credit to those he learned from.

http://www.bensmill.com/

Garry
 
Well I am not sure he passed to much on but I think this is his old mill. I read an interview with him and he considered himself more or less a johnny come lately and gave all the credit to those he learned from.

http://www.bensmill.com/

Garry

That would be a real shame because he had alot he could teach someone. A place like that you would have a hard time trying to drag me away from.

Another good video.http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=199It's about the furniture industry in the US and one particular manufacturer that finaly just couldn't compete with the imports.
 
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