Bicycle & Barn

Photo From Here:

Big sprocket there. Motor pacing started with "Mile a Minute" Murphy. He managed to go 60 mph behind a train on sheets of plywood between the rails. The current motor paced speed record is 167 mph, set by Fred Rompelberg. Before that, the record was 152 set by John Howard in 1985. I don't know much about Fred Rompelberg, but John Howard is nothing but a stud. He did the Race Across America, competed on three Olympic teams and won the Ironman. Pretty impressive resume, that. It's amazing what the human body can accomplish given good genes and an all consuming desire to excel.

That's not me. But I did get some work done on the barn yesterday. I got one of the beams lifted up into position and the stretchers lifted up and fastened into place. I didn't get quite as much done as I wanted but the chest was starting to get sore so I figured I ought to quit. Lots of crawling over and under to get the 2x12 stretchers lifted up and screwed into the bottom of the trusses. I'm putting five of them in to space the lifting beams apart and to keep them from wanting to shift or roll over when the crane picks thing up. Plus, they'll keep the beams up tight against the floor after the top gets set down on the walls. I'm going to put some clips on the beams also to help hold them tight as well. I'll need to be able to cut the crane loose with out them coming down after the lift or else they'll need another 8-9 foot of cable/chain when they make the lift so they can unhook. Depending on the weather, they're calling for rain today, I'd like to get the beams finished up. I need to police up the area and get everything off the floor and then take the roof sheets off.

Getting real close to lift-off.

Photo From Here:

I need to finish about a dozen projects so I can get me one of these.

I did finish up the spreader bar the other night at Open Shop. It's 17 feet long, so now I need to figure out how to get it home. I could bring the trailer with the spiral stair on it back to school and then load up the spreader bar. I need to get that into school anyway. I wanted to get a couple of other things out of there first, however. I could throw it in the back of my truck. With the tailgate down the bed's about 9.5 feet long. I've got my bicycle rack in there so I'd have something to tie it off to. Just hang a red flag on the end hanging out and take the back roads home. Probably the way I'll go. Maybe today, even.

I'm looking into turning some Indian clubs from the big elm that came down along with the barn this summer. I need to get a little more info on turning green wood so they don't split after I get them done. I know they sell some stuff to paint the ends of the piece with to slow down the drying process but I don't know much more about it than that. I need some practice turning things, so even if they split, it wouldn't be a total loss. I've got a grinder and sharpening set-up coming for the Woodshop. As soon as that comes in and I get the lathe tools sharpened up, I want to get the boys working on some spindle projects. My sister-in-law gave me some wood turning magazines to look through. Like every other skilled trade, so much to learn and so little time to do it.

I'm hoping to have the lifting beams in place this weekend. It will depend on the weather and the back/chest thing. I was doing real well and then I over did it last weekend and have been real sore all week. I have to get the barn job going again regardless. It's been a month since I've done anything. If I get it done, I would have a nice place to park the Moto Guzzi. I'm sure it would look good in there.

Ramping Up

A Rose is a Rose

Spreader Bar

Things are starting to come along in the Woodshop. I got the fence on the jointer set to 90 degrees. It was set on about 80 and the adjusting mechanism wasn't allowing it to move. I took it all apart and got things unstuck but it still needs a little TLC. At least we can use it and the edges of the board are square to the face. The router is now functional but it too needs a little more work. One of the previous teachers made a really nice cabinet/table for it but after he left it got knocked around a bit. I need to order a replacement knob and screw for the router to be able to adjust the depth of cut like you're supposed to be able to. We got one of the sleds for the table saw finished up as well.

We're starting on making a few things but I can see that anything requiring math is going to be a struggle. I'm not sure what happened with how they teach mathematics but a lot of these guys can't do simple arithmetic. Most shop math is pretty simple arithmetic with a little geometry thrown in once in a while, at least on our level. I did a little exercise to have them compute the length of material required to make a picture frame and some of them really had a hard time. Makes you wonder what they've been doing for the last ten years. But if 13 year olds can't tie their own shoes or button their shirts, why expect 15 year olds to do 4th grade arithmetic? Regardless, I see a wooden boat project in our future.

We're working on the spreader bar for the barn project in the Weldshop. I need to get back on that project post haste. The Building Trades instructor will pour the concrete for the ramps this fall for me, so I need to get the top put back on the bottom. Money wise, I'll need to pay the tab on the big wrecker, buy a new man door and a few replacement sheets of siding and the concrete but the insurance settlement was pretty generous, so I'm good there.

I'm working on some designs for a router and miter saw table for in there after I get the siding on. The boys in the Woodshop should be able to build those. I can then get my table saw and bandsaw out of the basement along with the jointer I bought from my sister-in-law up on top and I'll have my very own wood butcherie. I might buy myself a planer sometime down the road. I'd like to have a wood lathe as well. I'll have to see where my interests and finances take me.

I got an e-mail from my buddy Kevin yesterday - Kevin is the one who had the good sense to get out of the classroom last spring and start on his PhD. The e-mail contained an link to Children's Technology and Engineering journal for those teaching at the elementary level. I'll admit I didn't even know such a journal existed until he sent this along. This issue of the journal deals mainly with integrating art with engineering and technology careers and the importance of this, especially at the elementary level. It's a very interesting concept and one that has been over looked for way too long. That's why I threw the picture of the rose in there. Man does not live by fabrications alone. Kevin co-wrote the article on page four, by the way. I'll be glad when he gets to be king.

An all education post and nothing too negative. Sometimes things actually work like they're supposed to.

Can't Use a Hammer

Grumpy Unk sent this along to me: "Why Your Teenager Can't Use a Hammer". It's a real good little article, won't take but a minute or so to read it, so be sure you do. One line I find especially interesting:

“We see 13-year-olds who can’t do up buttons or tie laces,” she says. “Parents just avoid it by buying Velcro and T-shirts.” Items that—not incidentally—chimpanzees could put on.

You'd think a kid 13 years old would be embarrassed enough by the fact that a friggin' chimpanzee can tie his own shoes but he can't that he might want to spend ten minutes mastering the skill.

The article also points out the role the hands play in the development of the mind. The same thing Doug Stowe is always preaching about in his Wisdom of the Hands blog. Interesting article, sad, but interesting.

So button up your shirt, tie your shoes and get outside and enjoy the weekend.

Belfast #3

Tommy and the Two Tones


These were the guys playing at Pollywogg Holler. Real good musicians. Played a nice assortment of stuff - all of which I liked. I got a chance to talk to the lead man, I'm assuming that was Tommy. He said some of them have been playing together since high school. I put a link up in the first Belfast post if you're interested in buying a CD of their music. I think I might, it's good stuff.

Jimmy and Jen Getting Some Licks In


Tommy and the Two Tones were kind enough to let Jimmy and his sister play a number. They did the Georgia Satellites' Keep Your Hands to Yourself. Nice job - crowd loved it. Jimmy won over even more fans there.

Cabin Steps


All the buildings at Pollywogg Holler were some type of cabin. All nicely done. There's no outside electricity there. The musicians were being powered by batteries charged from solar panels. I also noticed a pump that was powered by a weed whacker. I'd like to be a little more self-sufficient like that. Maybe a dual power set-up with batteries for backup or for most of the lighting. Just use the grid for appliances. Most people out there don't have AC but that's a must at my house. That would take a huge investment to be able to get enough wind and solar to keep everything running like it is now. Still, something is better than nothing.

New Cabin


Along with the regular cabins, there were a couple of three sided things you could stay in. I would imagine they had a tarp or something they pulled across the front at night or if it was raining. Just a really cool place.

Original Sign


This was the sign capitalizing on the fact that John L. Sullivan trained in Belfast with William Muldoon. Muldoon was no light weight either. He was the Greaco-Roman wrestling champ, an innovator in the field of physical training and culture, and an actor. He later owned a big health clinic in White Plains New York. He only had 6 weeks to get Sullivan into shape for his fight with Kilrain and Sullivan arrived on crutches, he was in such bad health. The story of Sullivan's training and fight is very interesting. The fight itself, even though it lasted over two hours, was kind of anti-climatic. Kilrain stayed away from Sullivan as much as possible and went to the ground whenever he could, as well. He still took a hell of a beating and his seconds poured so much alcohol into him he was drunk by the time the fight was stopped. I'm about three quarters of the way through the book I got at the book signing about Sullivan's training and the fight. The fight was illegal and as such everyone got on a train and left New Orleans for an undisclosed location. Sullivan was the first athlete to earn over a million dollars and long johns are named after him.

Checker Marathon with Landau Roof
Bitchin!


This old rust bucket was sitting across the street from the barns. It's not often you see a Checker Marathon anymore, they don't even use them for taxi's now, probably because they quit making them in 1982. I've known a couple of people who actually had these things as a family car but this is the only one I've ever seen with the landau bars on the roof. Gotta wonder what they were thinking.

100 Years Old Exercise Stuff


Here's three pieces of equipment that still haven't gone out of style for boxers. The dumbbell is the one pound version but there were some other, heavier ones there. There were some 25 pounders that had the round balls on the end like you used to see in the cartoons. The item on the right is a hand/grip strengthener. Instead of the new style with the hairpin spring, this one had compression springs. I suppose you could change the springs to increase or decrease the force required to compress it. The big guy in the middle is a chest expander. You can pull on it a couple of different ways to work your arms and chest. It would be pretty simple to make one and it's effective.

Indian Clubs


These things are the berries. I don't know why they fell out of favor, they're an extremely effective way of working the muscles of the upper body. They come in a variety of weights - the ones in the photo run from one pound to six. I worked out a few days while I was there and I incorporated them into my routine. Good way to tone and stretch the arms and back. I'm going to see about making some in the woodshop this year. I did a little checking on the internet and found some for sale and it appears they may in fact be making a comeback. I'd like to have a couple of three or four pounders. I'm going to start looking for some stock - good practice for me on the lathe.

The Barns


Here are the famous barns. They were moved to this site a few years ago from a spot about 1/2 mile away. They've been painted up and restored and if you know anything at all about boxing, you know they are sacred. The statue out front is John L. himself, of course. There is no electricity and no one wants to burn the place down with candles, so it's dark in there come night time when the ghosts come out to play.

The second night we were there, Scott had a fire outside and we all sat around and yakked and even played a little music. Right after we hit the sack, I'm upstairs in the rubdown room and I here voices downstairs. I figure someone came in and is talking to Jimmy. I put my boots on, grab the flashlight and head downstairs. Not a soul around! The last night, Matt is sleeping upstairs and he hears voices. He comes down, shines the light around, everyone's sound asleep. The same thing I experienced. The night before I hear a thump, three times in a row like the noise my boot would make if I dropped it on the floor at about a two second interval. Later that night I hear the same thing again. I asked Jimmy in the morning if he'd heard anything in the night and he described exactly the same thing I heard. The night previous to that I wake up when I heard someone calling my name. I heard something I can't quite decipher from Jimmy's end of the barn and figure he's just dreaming. He tells me in the morning he had this terrible nightmare, and he never has nightmares, and in the nightmare he's calling my name and he can't talk because it's like he had a stroke. He was trying to call for help because some big square with light all around it was coming at him.

We're all convinced now that the barns are spooked. Whether it's the ghost of John L. or William Muldoon, I don't know, but something's going on in there. Regardless, I want to go back. It was a great trip, I met some nice people and I had a lot of fun. If you're ever in the western part of New York, you need to stop and check out Belfast and the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame.

Belfast #2

Spike's Roses

Jimmy at the Anvil

Spike Looking On

Tough Guys

Press Conference

Jimmy in Tights

Jimmy & Annie

As stated previously, we had a great time in Belfast. I took a lot of pictures and Jimmy's wife and sister were video taping everything to put a documentary of some sort together. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone got a picture of the coolest looking tattoo I've ever seen. This young guy showed up there with John L. Sullivan's picture on the top of his arm with St. Pat's church spire in the background and Belfast written along the bottom of it. I'm not all that big on tattoos but I really liked that one.

Matt, one of our fighters, came out to spar with Jimmy. His dad brought him out on Friday after leaving about midnight, took a 30 minute tour of the place and then turned around and headed home. Nothing like a father's love - not many of them would do that.

The sparring sessions were the highlight of the day normally. We usually had a few people checking things out even though it was a work day. We got quite a few old farts who used to do a little boxing back when Hector was a pup. Once it's in your blood you just can't shake it.

The local press gave us a lot of coverage. We had several newspaper articles and Jimmy and Scott did a live radio spot that was really nice. This is quite the labor of love for Scott. He's got a lot of time and money invested in this operation and hopefully he'll get some kind of return on his investment one of these days.

I'll post the final installment in a couple of days. You'll get a few more photos and the ghost stories. Pretty scary!

Belfast

Made it home from Belfast today about 4:00. Great week we had. Met a lot of nice people. Did some interesting things and got woke up by the spooks inside the barns a couple of nights. Spent my birthday at Pollywogg Holler listening to Tommy and the Two Tones, went to Spike Jones' house to do some blacksmithing, helped Jimmy while he was splitting wood, and got everyone set up on the sparring sessions. I'll be posting some pictures and adding more about the events of the last week in the next few days but the guys from Enchanted Mountain Martial Arts Academy warrant special mention.

Scott, the owner of the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame, somehow connected with these guys to come up and spar with Jimmy. A bunch of young guys, most with some type of military background it seemed, and I personally am real glad they're on our side. Nice guys, all of them. Extremely polite, very pleasant to talk to and be around, but real tough guys. I don't mean guys that are real tough but guys who are the real deal tough. Physically and mentally tough. The kind of guys who are so tough they are nice because they have nothing to prove to anyone and know themselves well. Master Barry I'm thinking is cut from the same cloth as well. I'm proud to have met all of them and really glad they came out to spar.

Enough for now.