Newest video

Running the Sawmill for the First Time

Well today was a exciting day.

This morning Dad and I got up early so that we could move the sawmill up to the building site, and skid a log up there while the ground was still frozen.

Moving the mill was easy, since it's a portable mill, but moving the log took a little more planning.

 Since we don't have a tractor, or any heavy equipment to skid logs with, I figured my truck would be able to pull them. My truck is a Dodge 1500 4x4 with a 5.2 V8, so I figured that it would have more than enough power to pull the logs, but Dad wasn't all to sure.

 Thankfully though, with the truck in 4 wheel drive low lock, it was able to skid the 10 foot log easily enough. I'm not sure though how many more logs we will skid like that, since it really tears up the ground. I am thinking of building a skid to set the front end of the log on so that it doesn't tear up the ground so bad.

Enough said, here's some pics of today's work.

Yes, I'm still here

Hey there everyone. 
I'm sorry about not posting anything for a long time, but life has thrown a few curve balls at me.
Not sure if I have told yall here on my blog, but about 7 months ago, I quit my job working at the boat shop, and started my own online business. My business name is "Ky Homestead Supply", I have both a eBay and Amazon store, but eBay is where I sell most of my products.
 I know that I posted a video about Quad State, but here are a few photo's I took while there. 

Our Selling Booth

The Camp site

This Dragon was set up next to our booth. It was a amazing piece of work.

I really enjoyed the demonstrations by Brian Brazeal.

Now our camp site was about 100 feet from a vet clinic, where there must have been 20 dogs that wouldn't ever shut up.  After a night of 1 hour sleep, I drank a lot of coffee that day, and then slept in my truck the next night.

You might be a Kentucky red neck if.....

 The next morning, a few men from surrounding camp sites asked me if I was from Kentucky or Tennessee LOL.
Over all I had a great time at Quad State, and hope to go back next year.
 When we got home though, my friend, Dave Custer and I parted way's, after a severe disagreement on how business between us in making hammers should be conducted, but I couldn't agree with the way he conducted his business. It ended in loosing a friend, this saddens me, as I have never lost a friend. 
 In a way though, parting way's with Dave, has been a good thing. It has made me learn more about what a real friend is, and made me a better blacksmith.

Also I ask that you please keep my Dad in your prayers, 2 weeks ago, he suffered a mini stroke behind his left eye, and has lost a good bit of sight. He will go back for a check up on the 31st, and will find out if he can start driving again or not.

SOFA Quadstate

About 2 weeks ago, my good friend Dave Custer, and I went to a blacksmithing conference called Quadstate, in Troy Ohio.
We had a awesome time, and while there, Dave and I competed in a blacksmithing competition.
Here is a video that I just uploaded about the event, and of use competing.

Technology a thief

Please share this with your friends.

Technology a thief?

 This past weekend I have been thinking about how much time I spend on the computer and/or on my phone, and I didn't like the answer I came up with.

Now, I'm not a couch potato by any means, but most of my "off time" (coffee before work, lunch, afternoon coffee break, and at night after supper) I spend on the computer. Mostly on Netflix, youtube, facebook, and a couple of online forums I enjoy.

So technology can be a thief of your time, and talents that take time to practice. I used to be pretty good on the guitar, and could pick a little on the banjo.

Now the other day I decided I wanted to learn how to play a new country song that I had heard on the radio. So after supper, I got on the laptop and found the chords and lyrics on a website. I tried playing along with the song off my phone, but playing chords that I once found easy to play were now almost impossible!!!!

So not only have I allowed technology to steel my time, but also a talent that is somewhat important to me.

I realized all this on thursday evening, so on friday morning I had to go to town to get some cat litter from the store (I had stepped in a bread pan full of used motor oil that I use for tempering knives... what a mess), and while I was in town I decided that it has been far to long since I had read a book cover to cover. So when I got to the library I picked up a book that I have been wanting to read for quite a while. It was "Walden, By Henry David Thoreau", and after reading just a few chapters I realized that I didn't get this book just by chance at this time.

In "Walden" Mr.Thoreau talks about how little a person actually "NEEDS", and how petty technology really is.

I know that some of yall have heard me say this, but for everyone elses benefit, I'm gonna say it again. If most modern day technology is supposed to be "time saving devices", then why don't we have more time to spend with our family and friends?

Please give this some serious thought and share it with your friends.

As for me, well I'm still enjoying the writing of Mr. Thoreau, plan on spending more time with the people I care about, and reacquainting myself with the guitar and banjo.

New Improvement

A "Little" Surprise

Jeep Stories & Makin Hay

Hey yall,

I know I have't been on here much, but I  been SOOOOOO busy with the new construction business!!!! It seams that my life right now is, get up at 4:30-5:00, work on the house at 7:00 to 3:30, go home and work till dark on the farm, go to bed, and do it all again. But I am thankful for the work!!!!!!!!!

Also the jeep is at the repair shop...................... That didn't take long did it?  LOL  So far it's broken down on me twic, once on Saturday down on the low water bridge and another time on the highway on my way to the construction site.

At the low water bridge, the jeep was running GREAT one second, and the next, it just died and wouldn't start back, so me and three friends (who had walked down there earlier) pushed it off the side of the road. One of them said "I think it's the injectors", when she said that I about died laughing. Oh well, she won't be a mechanic. LOL Then a cop pulls up and asks if I'm broke down................ Thought about sayin, "naw man, I'm just sitting here tryin to start my jeep for no reason", I didn't say it, but I was temped!!!!! ;)  After he found out that we all had phones, he went on a call with the promise of coming back. And he did about an hour later (we were still sittin there tryin to figure out what was wrong with it), he just sat there in his car watching me work on the jeep with make-shift tools. Finally I asked him if he had a tool kit in his car, and he did, so while I worked on it some more, he looked through my jeep, and ran my license plate!!!!! That kinda irked me and my friends, but I didn't really care. Then after trying to start it again, he say's "I think your battery is dead".................. ok, it doesn't take a mechanic to know that if your engine is turning over, that the battery isn't dead!!!!..... It was all I could do to keep from laughing. By this point, I gave the took kit back to the cop, and told him that I would get my dad to come and tow me home, so he just said "ok" and left. After that one of the girls walked up the road to get her dad and a tool kit, and after he and I worked on if for about a hour, all it turned out to be was a blown fuse!!!!!!! I think he and I both were frustrated with ourselves for not checking that first!!! LOL oh well.

Unfortunately the second time it broke down, it wasn't such a easy fix. I was on my way to the job site going as fast as the jeep would go (50mph), when it started making a bad clicking sound, and by the time I was 1/2 mile down the road the clicking was a LOUD rattling shaking the whole jeep. That time Dad did have to come get me, and I think it was a throw out bearing going out. So right now it is in the repair shop getting a new clutch, pressure plate, slave cylinder, and throw out bearing.

Also, dad finally broke down and bought a square hay baler!!!!!!  Since all the roads to all our fields need seriously needs repair, so thankfully our neighbor gave us the hay in his field. So we paid a gentleman to cut and rake the hay, since we don't have a mowing machine, and rake. The hay we got is good quality, and we put up 180 in the 4 acre field.

A Perfect Moment in Time

OH how I love spring time in Kentucky (except the allergies).  I know it is here to stay now.
I know this because on my way home driving in the truck down are little one lane road, I stopped next to a neighbors cow pasture and saw fire flies for the first time, I then I listened to the bull frogs in the distant pond, then  just as I was about to drive away, I heard the call of a Wiper Will far off in the woods.
It's moments like these that I forget about how troubled the world is, and wish that time could stand still in that moment.

Just a little "down" time on the farm

Talk about some kind of tired!!!!   Finally with some "down" time from carpentry work, I was able to get some much needed work done around here.  With my weather channel app saying that it was going to rain around 1:00, I figured I best work in the garden. So I tilled the whole garden (most of which hasn't been planted yet), then planted some green beans. By that time it started raining, so I headed into my shop to do some MUCH needed organizing and cleaning. By about 3:00 the rain had passed, so I planted   some Beets, Lettuce, Lima beans, and 5 rows of corn. All of which was heirloom seeds (non GMO). By the time I called it quits it was 8:00...... Talk about a full day!!!!! After this little "break", I'm ready to get back to WORK!!!!!!!!!! LOL