Autumn 2008

Having left me at the end…

… of June arse in the air giving it large on the saw trying to get a bit of stock in, the inevitable happened. I broke the saw.

I’d noticed a bit of black smoke and a nasty smell but had put both down to Brian. Eventually I stopped ignoring it and the loss of power on the saw drive and realised it was the centrifugal clutch that was burning out.

I then discovered getting a new one is not easy as I’d hoped as we had a non standard engine on our Lumbermate and a different sized clutch.

Without major hassle but a …

… lot of expense a new clutch arrived from the USA but shortly afterwards the main frame of the saw developed a large crack and we had to ship it back to the Blacksmiths for a serious bit of welding.

Pictured above are the two old refurbished work machines. Brian is the one on the left. You can see the shiney centrifugal clutch centre on the saw but Brian’s pacemaker is covered up – deo gratis.

Gordon was coaxed out …

… with his timber trailer in July. A combination of enough local jobs, cost of diesel and his eye on a new digger had left him unenthusiastic about moving timber.

He is of a mind to flog his trailer but his good nature overcame him eventually and he agreed to move the Apsley Sycamore. The day before Rob had felled a large Scots Pine in Longparish. He convinced me it would fit on the trailer no problem with the Oak and Sycamore.

I’d heard this sort of breezy confidence…

... before so I was not too surprised to find the trailer two thirds full by the time Gordon got to Apsley.

Rob didn’t want the Pine so I’d decided to give it to Mark at Andover Down in return for cutting up the

Oak pictured about to be grabbed by Gordy and his mega grabber.

You really don’t want to have to …

… move, lift or do anything much with large logs without a mechanical lift. We’ve managed in the past with winches, levers and lots of people lifting but it’s a mug’s game and guaranteed to turn your discs to a nasty mess.

Loading a heavy bit of Oak isn’t easy, even with the weight of the Pine anchoring the trailer it can tip over and is not a toy for the unskilled operator (me), hence why I don’t want to buy it.

Hampshire Wood Suppliers…

… Rob felling, Mark sawing, Me flogging and Ant making things are all separate but it’s good to have business associates who will help you out.

The Pine was a good example where Rob got it away from his job for free. Gordon was able to do two jobs close by, Mark got some free timber and I got my Oak cut up and some Brownie points.

Which reminds me of the old joke: What’s worse than a girl guide in your trousers? A Brownie in your pants.

If you look closely you can …

… not in fact see the two lumps of walnut I had left there in April for Mark’s attention. The reason you can’t is that the week before someone came along wanting walnut so Mark cut it and flogged it for £160.

Sadly, not for the first time this didn't reach my pocket as I felt sorry for Mark as repairs to his big saw and some new blades came to roughly twice the repairs to my saw and I knew he was skint. Easy come easy go, eh.

Talking of Walnut...

... I still have plenty, some of it is stunning and don't forget as I don't charge VAT you will be hard pushed to get timber of this quality cheaper in the UK so come and have a look. I have just two 10 long quite wide (can't remember exactly) 1" boards that would make a unique table.

After 150 years …

… in St Mary Bourne the Blacksmiths closed their rather rusty doors for the last time in September.

The Mew family have been there since 1917, Len the current boss a mere 49 years. He thought about staying another year but I expect when he was offered a decent lump of cash from a property developer he probably thought sod it I’ll mark the anniversary from a cruise ship in a sunnier part of the world.

Being a bit of a townie…

… I used to think that there would be plenty of work hammering shoes on those big four legged things that block up the road whilst their owners who pay no road tax (well I’ve never seen a disc on a horse) wave their arms at you to slow down when you are already doing 20 mph.

But, apparently it’s a farrier not a Blacksmith who services these single horse power nuisances- you can tell I’m a fan, eh.

They were Jacks of all trades…

… Len and his brother Rob doing anything from very ornate gates and railings to lawn mowers & of course ours and everyone else's breakages.

Not to mention punctures (I said not to mention, sshh)- we’re going to have to find someone else to sort our regular flatties.

Len told me that what he wouldn’t miss most of all was standing in a a field in the cold and mud struggling with a bloody great tractor wheel- he’s got a point, the Landrover often defeats me.