Wow, did I write that? Let me try again -- that last sentence should read:
You haven't lived until you've tried hand-cranking a cantankerous engine when it's below 0, the oil is thick as grease, and you've got to get the thing fired up because you need to use loader.
Stopped to see this uncle back in 1983 time frame on a sales trip thru Indiana.
Hadn't seen this uncle since 1955 and at the time he was approaching
80+.Had gotten rid of almost everything on the farm except for an old weather beaten shed where he still kept the tractor.
After a visit, he walked me out to the shed and the tractor which sat there with a rusty Campbell's soup can upside down covering the exhaust pipe.
The can kept the birds out of the exhaust pipe.
"There are only two things I'll always keep, my wife and this tractor", he told me.
My uncle removed the can, walked around to the left side of the tractor where the flywheel was located and reached into the tractor, flipped a couple of valves/switches and assumed an almost straddle position in front of that flywheel, cradling it in his hands.
Cocked his head to get his ear closer to the tractor and began to gently rock that flywheel back and forth.
Suddenly, a quick drive of a leg, a turn of the shoulders, and the old Deere came to life.
It was almost as if a sex act between man and machine had been committed right in front of my eyes.
I had just witnessed what a 50 year relationship between a man and his tools was all about.
Lew
That post was absolute art.
Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Lew
"Lew Hodgett" wrote
We put cans over the (vertical) exhaust pipe to keep the rain out of the engine.
Yep, I used to work on a dairy farm three miles down the road. Old man Swanson was a machinist with a complete machine shop who loved old machinery. Working there was like working in a museum.
He had an old tractor without a steering wheel. Everything on it was levers. It was a massive one cylinder engine with a giant flywheel on the side. Interestingly enough, no matter how cold it was, this old one cylinder was always start.
I too am a BIG fan of Norm's NYWS. I credit him for getting me interested/started in woodworking. I try to record all of his NYWS shows if I am not home when he comes on. I could care less if there are several reruns. I could watch his shows again. I hope he stays on for another 20 years or more. I also enjoy Scott Phillips too. The new Woodsmith show is also interesting A lot of the old time WWrks' criticize Norm, but I think he is a good mentor for us novices and intermiate woodworkers.
I have to say, I was laughing pretty hard at Vic's response. I wasn't in this one, but it was a pretty nice way of saying "screw off".
Then I saw yours, and laughed even harder.
I had some repairs done (badly) by Sears that needed to be redone. I went down there ready to tear their lungs out, and all the damn manager did was agree they screwed up, then asked if he could get away from me so he could get the guys started on fixing the problems.
Some people just take all the fun out of everything.
BTW... keep posting Vic!
Robert
"Joe" wrote in news:t5Guk.8940$ snipped-for-privacy@flpi145.ffdc.sbc.com:
The only thing that annoys me about reruns is when they show the same select few over and over again. While I enjoy watching the new episodes of NYWS, I don't enjoy watching them 3 times a day 4 days a week. There's a lot of good air time that's wasted on PBS's secondary stations. Repeats are great, especially when you come in late on the first episode, but there's a limit on how many are practical...
Puckdropper
Yo, Robert! (BTW, there is STILL a large salmon swimming around in Georgian Bay with my name on it. He bumped the bottom of the boat a few times just to piss me off, did a few 'Flipper-style' tail-walks while giving me the fin, but all I could catch was cold.)
Now, about Norm. 'Is anyone else getting fed up with Norm?' was the original question. It's kinda like watching Flatley doing his Riverdance...once. Kinda impressive, but once you've seen it...you've seen it. He is not playing to the pros, but he is playing to an audience which includes guys and gals who 'get the bug' by watching him. Many think that they are able to do what he does, and in many cases they are. I think that is a wonderful thing. But, none of that takes away the fact that Norm is a corporation with a great marketing machine. I don't believe that it goes unnoticed by the Milwaukee people that Norm isn't using any of their tools; they'd like to knock that DeWalt drill out of Norm's hand, I'm sure. I'm sure Makita would like some product placement as well. (IF, in fact, he does or doesn't use those brands, I haven't watched Norm in years.) How much would would Harbour Freight pay to see some of their schlock on Norm's bench? What an endorsement. Personally, I get my important input from Woodweb and here.
Well, what can I say - that's what we're here for... the comedy relief.
Before everyone gets to upset, please note that many of the hotshot tools are donated to the program by the manufacturer/retail sales store. That's how he got the BIG belt sander. The carved wood sign was donated also. What gets me is David Marks and his marvelous MULTI-ROUTER. He sells it for something like $3,500. That and his favorite wood finish: TUNG Oil
Dave N
Not to mention painting out the green on the power hand tools.
Dave N
Robert;
It should also be noted that Norm isn't above commenting that he just learned a new trick or new technique from someone. I know that I learn something from every show I watch, even one that I have seen a dozen times. Norm is a TEACHER as well as a CRAFTSMAN. He's just luckier than you and I.
Dave N
The OP who started this thread complained about Norm's use of his dedicated molding machine. It should be noted that half the time he uses his router/router table to create his moldings. A lot of Norm's shortcuts are for programming purposes, such as the notorious BRAD nailer instead of clamps. The brads permit him to continue with the project instead of waiting hours for the glue up to cure. However if offered I would not refuse a free molding machine. HI HI..
Dave N
Norm has, does and will do just that. He has many times made a multipart molding on some of his cabinets and does a great job.
Dave
Question Lee> How did you get into my shop and when are you going to return it... HI HI...
Actually my shop tool list does look just like this one and cost about as much. Of course the other half thinks it cost more. Actually it does but only after she gets back from the store. HI HI...
Dave N
That's still in the kitchen where I go to reacquaint myself with the spouse and try to contain her shopping urges.
Dave N
Yeah - everybody knows the stuff is donated. That's what makes us all jealous...
That good sir, is why I am not a fisherman. I can't stand being sneered at by animals farther down the food chain than I am. And I have to say, if you caught a cold, that's more than I caught my last couple of trips.
I think his projects have elevated a bit, though. I remember when he was building magazine racks, and stuff like that.
I think he gets a lot of those neat tools in there to generate some interest, and to mix it up a bit. I think some of them are employed to get the ratings up by keeping folks around that think they might see something that is at least interesting.
But isn't that the genius of Norm and his producers/directors/project coordinators, etc.? You HAVE to make the projects seem that at least some of them are within reach. I can't imagine watching anyone every week that made projects that were profoundly complicated, ones I knew I could never make.
And as far as the corporate part goes, I agree. I have heard about and been asked by hobby guys what I think about specific tools that Norm has and uses. Some folks think that certain tools are only made by one company. So when they see a PC biscuit machine in Norm's hands, they think PC, not DeWalt, Makita, Lamello, etc.
I cool with the idea that Norm has those guys sponsoring his shows. I isn't one of Hollywood's big expense shows, but it can't be cheap for its niche market.
I read an article long ago about the relation of Norm to Russel Morash, his sponsors, etc. Even Norm said he was surprised at how much his show cost to make and distribute. He allowed too, that on some of the more complex projects he built them twice before he built the show model! So three times in all.
According to Russel, he said that they are not 100% funded by their sponsors, but that they make up a large part of their budget. He was acutely aware though, that he could be replaced at any time by another cooking or gardening show in any given market, so he and Norm work hard to make as good a show as they can make. (As a sidebar, while fighting it out in our local market, we had no NYY for a year or so until they could come to terms.)
Our local PBS carried Scott Phillips for a year or so, The Furniture Guys for one year, and have totally missed on other shows that sounded interesting. So it is Norm, TOH, and cooking on Saturdays around here. That make Norm hit and miss for me.
Seems his big sponsors, Porter Cable and Delta, try to cover all the bases for his tool needs. I have seen a tool from time to time that has a piece of tape on it where the logo should be. I think that means someone dropped out or they didn't get the tool from PC to him in time for taping.
Outside of my local amigos that might be using certain tools, there are absolutely many more valuable opinions here and Woodweb than just about anywhere else.
Robert
Last time I was in the Bay, "Perry the Pike" and his buddies ruled those waters.
Had to get into the open waters of Lake Huron on a boat with down riggers to get any salmon interest.
Lew
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