# Just a few pics from a past life



## Swallow (Jan 13, 2010)

Since retiring I've decided to get back into wood working big time as I still have the inside of my house to finish. Oh sure I kept my hands warm on weekends by making custom laminated re-curve bows, pool cues and split bamboo fly rods but nothing all that heavy.

Anyhoos after reading some of the posts I dug through some old photos that were taken from the very last job that I did as a pattern maker, I was seventeen at the time and getting ready to enter university.
The job was for a steam engine restoration project namely to completely rebuild a 35 horse power John Able steam tractor of which there were only 3 in existence. There were no blueprints only a complete assembly of parts and some pictures. Some of the photos are missing but I did manage to find these.

If memory serves the bull gears in the first few photos were 69 inches in diameter and the transmission gears were not much smaller. All of these patterns with the exception of some small parts were made from the best grade Honduran Mahogany No. 1 Pattern Makers Select. I'm not sure if one can still get this quality of timber, it's a shame really as it was always such a joy to work with. After my farther passed away and the business was left to me I simply didn't have the time or the inclination to run the shop so I shut it down some fifteen years ago. Luckily I did manage to abscond with some four full lifts of full ten quarter stock and they have been in storage ever since. Should come in kinda handy now that I have a bunch of furniture to build.


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## DerekO (Jan 20, 2010)

That is some rather neat looking stuff.


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

Good looking patterns, I used to work on the other end, on the parts made from patterns. Retired tool and die & mold maker. 

should have stayed in that career this second one while being a little easer on the body, is tough on the stress level. "Network Engineer" :bad:


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

jd99 said:


> Good looking patterns, I used to work on the other end, on the parts made from patterns. Retired tool and die & mold maker.
> 
> should have stayed in that career this second one while being a little easer on the body, is tough on the stress level. "Network Engineer" :bad:


I'm with ya there, jd.. it's less stressful chasing bits you can at least *see* around when they get lost! Been there, done that, if a former life!


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## Swallow (Jan 13, 2010)

There are more but the site doesn't seem to want me to post more than four and uploading via dial up is well BORING.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

That is great work, You are correct about the wood, I remember in high school shop I "sorte of" did a project out of mahogany, not like what you get today at all.


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