Today was a special day mixed with interesting work. I met with the National Trust head of forestry here in my County and we talked about the mass of trees down. I couldn’t help but notice that rare quality of human life called humbleness as he shared how grateful he was that though the pay may not be the best, he loved having the opportunity to live as a lifestyle forester fulfilling hi vocational calling. I seldom hear these kinds of words of meaning anymore because I so rarely meet people who meet their calling and go for it no matter the cost. I spent three hours on my own digging through the undergrwoth, listening to the river and talking to myself in the woods. Climbing trees and looking at damaged specimens for my work, I saw nature at its best in removing weak or diseased specimens, limbs and so on to return them to the earth. The woods smelt wonderful after the holidays indoors and I wandered from spot to spot until I got too tired and ended up down at the seashore and then Penrhyn Docks. The tide swelled and eld back the river and so the river flooded the fields until tide turned and the wall of water turned in front of me. Soon the sea birds would scour the shoreline and probe the muds for food. Tonight as I type, the winds have picked up again and the coldness of the driven rain is whipping up a frenzy in heavy furore until it then then subsides.This last storm threw the trees together in a tumbled mass in a couple of areas I have yet to reach. Phil and I plan a trip there next week all being well.
Here is a massive scar this beech will have to handle.
As I walked I checked out the nesting boxes I put up earlier this year as small birds usually gather and roost for warmth during inclement and stormy weather like we have been having lately. The boxes work great and we have a short series on making them yet to edit for woodworkingmasterclasses soon.
The downed limbs are amazing when you look at them for texture. Rotten aspects of the grain inside the crotch caused this weakness and unfortunately it wasn’t seen from below, otherwise we might have had the chance reduce some of the damage.
This oak limb split from one end to the other, about twelve feet I guess.
Oh, and I paced out a 90-foot beech tree that fell near the secret garden up by the entrance. That’s an amazing sight.
I had bought a new Woden plane on eBay and paid highly for it because it was in pristine condition. I had been concerned because this was the first plane I had found in new condition with the box and instructions still fully in tact. The packaging was the best wrapping i ever encountered with brown paper taped to the outside, bubble wrap for the next layer, an inner shoebox wrapped in bubble wrap again and then inside the shoe box styrofoam panels. Inside this lining was another layer of bubble-wrap around the actual manufacturer’s box and inside that, peanuts, soft wrapping and the original wax paper of the plane manufacturer. I was very happy with this plane.
9 Comments
Paul,
You have had some rough weather across the pond recently, but hopefully some of the downed wood around you can be salvaged for woodworking purposes. I was in England in 87′ when the big storm hit and saw so many huge beautiful downed beech trees sawed into firewood logs instead of saved for useful timber. I found it very upsetting and wasteful at the time, and even today as the owner of a small band saw mill myself.
You mentioned that you might not do the road shows this year. We will miss you at the Saratoga, NY show in March then. What a find on the Woden Plane. Best of luck and Happy New Year!
Joe Bouza
I’m not saying I won’t do any shows, but just not circuits as big as the Woodworking Shows. While I am on here, the Saratoga show, which is actually the North East Woodworkers Association is the best show that I ever went to to anywhere and it is an absolute credit to all of its members. I wish every association could learn and do what they do. Phenomenal all around! I might fly out just for that show I liked it so much.
I envy your access to a forested area. As you probably know, Dallas, Texas, is short on forest. I grew up in Oregon I took the forest for granted. Now I miss it.
Nice plane!
This was one of those rarer finds I like eBay for some times. I recall a couple of years ago when I bought my first Woden #4 on eBay. It went for $19 and then I realised it was a US seller. I kicked myself when I saw the shipping price, but then I saw that the seller lived in NY and I would be there in two weeks so he shipped it to my friends there for $10 and I got my Woden.
You just pipped me to it on that Woden I was also bidding on it as I thought it an excellent example.
Nice plane. One can’t help but ponder its life – how did it survive all these years, never being opened.
Happy Birthday Paul….and many thanks for your investment into those of us who want to learn real woodworking. Since meeting you two years ago at the Woodworking Show in Baltimore, I have been able to learn and do things I only dreamed about for nearly 50 years. This has changed my life – and the list of things that you have taught me would be quite lengthy. Suffice it to say that I appreciate all you are doing and am very grateful you have chosen to be generous with your knowledge. Thanks again and many Happy Birthday wishes from my wife and I….
That is one very nice looking plane that appears to be in mint condition. I have never heard of or seen this particular make until I have seen Paul use them. All of my metallic’s are either vintage Stanley’s, Bedrocks and Keen Kuttker K series ( similar to Stanley’s round side Bedrock ). Those Woden’s look like a great plane for sure.
I hate to see the damage caused by the storms also and hopefully Paul will be able to procure some of it so it all won’t end up in a land fill or used as fire wood.
Steve
Hi Paul,
There is a woden #7 try plane in very good condition on ebay at the moment, I may have a crack at bidding for it myself? Then I have to ask myself .. ” Do I really need this as I already own a record #7 and I don’t use that as much!! I get by with my #5 …. but its tempting!!
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Paul,
You have had some rough weather across the pond recently, but hopefully some of the downed wood around you can be salvaged for woodworking purposes. I was in England in 87′ when the big storm hit and saw so many huge beautiful downed beech trees sawed into firewood logs instead of saved for useful timber. I found it very upsetting and wasteful at the time, and even today as the owner of a small band saw mill myself.
You mentioned that you might not do the road shows this year. We will miss you at the Saratoga, NY show in March then. What a find on the Woden Plane. Best of luck and Happy New Year!
Joe Bouza
I’m not saying I won’t do any shows, but just not circuits as big as the Woodworking Shows. While I am on here, the Saratoga show, which is actually the North East Woodworkers Association is the best show that I ever went to to anywhere and it is an absolute credit to all of its members. I wish every association could learn and do what they do. Phenomenal all around! I might fly out just for that show I liked it so much.
I envy your access to a forested area. As you probably know, Dallas, Texas, is short on forest. I grew up in Oregon I took the forest for granted. Now I miss it.
Nice plane!
This was one of those rarer finds I like eBay for some times. I recall a couple of years ago when I bought my first Woden #4 on eBay. It went for $19 and then I realised it was a US seller. I kicked myself when I saw the shipping price, but then I saw that the seller lived in NY and I would be there in two weeks so he shipped it to my friends there for $10 and I got my Woden.
You just pipped me to it on that Woden I was also bidding on it as I thought it an excellent example.
Nice plane. One can’t help but ponder its life – how did it survive all these years, never being opened.
Happy Birthday Paul….and many thanks for your investment into those of us who want to learn real woodworking. Since meeting you two years ago at the Woodworking Show in Baltimore, I have been able to learn and do things I only dreamed about for nearly 50 years. This has changed my life – and the list of things that you have taught me would be quite lengthy. Suffice it to say that I appreciate all you are doing and am very grateful you have chosen to be generous with your knowledge. Thanks again and many Happy Birthday wishes from my wife and I….
That is one very nice looking plane that appears to be in mint condition. I have never heard of or seen this particular make until I have seen Paul use them. All of my metallic’s are either vintage Stanley’s, Bedrocks and Keen Kuttker K series ( similar to Stanley’s round side Bedrock ). Those Woden’s look like a great plane for sure.
I hate to see the damage caused by the storms also and hopefully Paul will be able to procure some of it so it all won’t end up in a land fill or used as fire wood.
Steve
Hi Paul,
There is a woden #7 try plane in very good condition on ebay at the moment, I may have a crack at bidding for it myself? Then I have to ask myself .. ” Do I really need this as I already own a record #7 and I don’t use that as much!! I get by with my #5 …. but its tempting!!