Moses Yoder
05-15-2014, 6:13 PM
The comments on the cost of ebony in the coffin smoother thread brought to mind the acquisition of the wood, I thought I would share the story. Wood Central had a gathering of members about ten years ago just north of Indy IN. It was a 4 hour drive for me if I remember and I took a tent and spent the night camped out. As a woodworker I make a comfortable living, above average for woodworkers, but there is very little extra income and most of that is spent on my wife's hobbies and clothing. My skill with money is such that in order to remain living with my wife I am allowed a small stipend and am forbidden to carry credit cards or any other form of money. My gas money comes out of my stipend, the rest I spend as I wish. So here I am at the WoodCentral gathering, ready for a day of learning from fellow woodworkers, including a planing competition, finding myself really hyped. About 9:30 am Saturday morning I was observing the festivities in my lawn chair when I thought I would wander around and see what was to see. I saw a couple guys gathered around a truck down the lane and went to investigate. Here were two sons who had lost their father a while back and were getting rid of his wood stash. He made blocks, about 1-1/4" square, for kids to play with. They mentioned that they had thought about burning it but then decided they could possibly make some money with it and get it into the hands of people who would use it.
I began looking though and the first thing I noticed was the chunk of ebony. It is 2" thick, 2-3/4" wide and 8-1/2" long. It looked just right for a Krenov plane. In thinking about it I decided that to do the wood justice it would have to be built like a traditional plane but in looking at pics today I realize it is not tall enough for a traditional coffin plane. I think I will build a Krenov plane with it after all, with the pin and such to make it work at 2" thick. I definitely do not want to cut up a beautiful chunk of wood like this into Greene & Greene accents. I can easily buy 4/4 new ebony for that; this chunk is special to me and as such I want to use it to build something for myself that I will appreciate. The price on the ebony was $20, they knew it was valuable.
The next chunk I saw is some type of rosewood, 3" x 3" x 28" for $5. In reading through the thread on coffin smoothers and looking at my wood, I think I will use part of this chunk to make my traditional coffin smoother and the rest to make a razee smoother. All the thoughts on special wood, appreciation, etc. on the ebony fit this wood as well.
The last one I saw I think is Lignum Vitae. It is the most dense wood I have ever picked up. 3" x 3-1/2" x 23-1/2" for $5. I have no idea what I am going to do with this chunk. All the chunks are covered in paraffin I think, some type of wax, and have very little checking or cracking.
Here I was with a stack of wood priced at $30 and worth a thousand dollars to me, and me without a cent in my pocket. I asked if I could mail them a check. They said well that's a lot to ask and I agreed. They asked me if I really had no money on me. I was desperate and pulled out my wallet to make sure and then realized my wife had given me the ATM card to pull my stipend before I left a couple days before and I had never given it back. I went to the nearest bank, pulled out $30, and the wood has been patiently setting in my shop ever since. When my wife saw the wood and my excitement, she forgave me the money spent.
289414
I began looking though and the first thing I noticed was the chunk of ebony. It is 2" thick, 2-3/4" wide and 8-1/2" long. It looked just right for a Krenov plane. In thinking about it I decided that to do the wood justice it would have to be built like a traditional plane but in looking at pics today I realize it is not tall enough for a traditional coffin plane. I think I will build a Krenov plane with it after all, with the pin and such to make it work at 2" thick. I definitely do not want to cut up a beautiful chunk of wood like this into Greene & Greene accents. I can easily buy 4/4 new ebony for that; this chunk is special to me and as such I want to use it to build something for myself that I will appreciate. The price on the ebony was $20, they knew it was valuable.
The next chunk I saw is some type of rosewood, 3" x 3" x 28" for $5. In reading through the thread on coffin smoothers and looking at my wood, I think I will use part of this chunk to make my traditional coffin smoother and the rest to make a razee smoother. All the thoughts on special wood, appreciation, etc. on the ebony fit this wood as well.
The last one I saw I think is Lignum Vitae. It is the most dense wood I have ever picked up. 3" x 3-1/2" x 23-1/2" for $5. I have no idea what I am going to do with this chunk. All the chunks are covered in paraffin I think, some type of wax, and have very little checking or cracking.
Here I was with a stack of wood priced at $30 and worth a thousand dollars to me, and me without a cent in my pocket. I asked if I could mail them a check. They said well that's a lot to ask and I agreed. They asked me if I really had no money on me. I was desperate and pulled out my wallet to make sure and then realized my wife had given me the ATM card to pull my stipend before I left a couple days before and I had never given it back. I went to the nearest bank, pulled out $30, and the wood has been patiently setting in my shop ever since. When my wife saw the wood and my excitement, she forgave me the money spent.
289414