Yesterday morning I did the farm work outside, turned everyone loose and then came back in and started input paperwork data to the computer. That always takes a long time because the laptop I bought for the business is snail slow! I ran a check on it for updating it and it doesn’t have enough hardware or memory to put Windows 8 in it and you can’t get the other programs, so I will load QuickBooks into my freebee Windows 8 laptop that I got and start using it for the business.
After I finished in the afternoon, I went to the basement and began working on the spinning wheel. I finished the turning and put the cutoff ring in place, removed the wheel from the lathe and took the mandrel off.
It was then ready for me to cut the center out of the wheel. Too bad this one is pine, but I wanted a soft wood for the first wheel, so I could resolve all the cutting issues before I tackle hardwood turning issues. At least I’ll know any problems which occur on the next wheel, is wood related and not design related. I got two HUGE pieces of beautiful Maple wood from my supplier on the way to Vermont the other day when we took the car up there for service. There are pictures of this wood below. There is enough to make two complete wheels there. All for forty bucks!
We got some news today that surprised us immensely. Rosebud, our mini donkey has been getting heavier and heavier (or broader and broader) and we were afraid she was eating too much. I kind of thought she was looking quite a bit pregnant, but what do I know? I thought she was hanging really low and broad, yet narrower toward the top…pregnant like, you know, so Vick called Arthur, the breeder we bought her from and asked if she could possibly be pregnant. He said they had her with a Jack last spring for a week, but didn’t think she took. He also said that if we sent pictures to him, he could tell us immediately. We sent two pictures and got a definite YES, she is pregnant!
She should foal within three weeks, so he thinks.
We also got confirmation from two different farms, that we are definitely getting a Cotswold sheep and either a Teeswater or a Wensleydale sheep later this spring into June… Excitement down on the farm…
I cut the center ring out of the wheel before going to bed (see picture) and today, I’m putting the project on hold to expand a bit.
I have a third lathe I need to put into service, to use as a spindle machine. Then I will have the homemade flywheel lathe, a spindle lathe and a hub/base-plate lathe. With three lathes, I won’t have to constantly shut down and change the lathe tooling over. All this is planned to make the operation work better, where I will be able to make spinning wheels much quicker. I’m right on schedule and if I can move the junk from the basement and the shelves they are on to the storage shed, I can place the third lathe in place and get back to the project. I will probably finish the spindle spokes and make a hub for the wheel and have it finished by the end of April to be right on schedule. I really think I will finish it early. (if I get another motor for the third lathe by Sunday)
This will be my third lathe. I need to mount a motor on it and remove the surface rust and lube everything good and I can then begin turning spindles, legs the mother-of-all assembly and maidens. If you like what we talk about and the pictures we show, why not become a follower? Join at the right by clicking on "Join this site". Also, feel free to leave a message anytime…about anything I write. Skip
072597 Cluckin' "A" Critter Farm, LLC
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