Five Barns '07 has come and gone...

[Mark Pruitt]

...and it was an excellent gathering! After a while, hopefully someone will show up with more pictures including the group picture (hint, hint), but let me tease you with a few of my own.

Here are some of the pieces that were on display. No way I can elaborate on them but they speak for themselves.




Here is a pic of Joe Fisher turning a winged piece from mulberry crotch (I think I remember the species correctly):

...and the piece ready to be removed:

Joe, it was great to see you again!

[Mark Pruitt]

Bill is getting ready to see Big Blue go out the door next month, so he turned a propellor to see if it could fly.
Turning the outside:

The piece is now reverse-mounted. A quick look at how it is spinning prior to hollowing:

A "still" shot of the workpiece as Bill explains the process:

Hollowing the inside:

...and the completed piece! (The one on the left is the one Bill was turning in the other pics.)

[Mark Pruitt]

On Saturday we visited Bailey Wood Products, a sawmill in Kempton PA, and were given a tour. Here are just a few pics from that tour.

A trunk of a walnut tree has been milled and is stacked in its original orientation:

Here, a log sits waiting to be milled:

One flat surface has been sawn and the log is now flipped 90 degrees before proceeding further.

These blades fit the saw shown above. Massive! You doin't want one of these bad boys coming toward you.

Finally, here is a huge bandsaw. Huge by my standards anyway. It wasn't demonstrated, but I liked it so well I thought I'd throw it in.

There was MUCH, MUCH more to that tour, but those are the only pics I can offer. Hopefully someone else will show up with more.

[Mark Pruitt]

Finally, here is one picture that the quality is absolutely terrible, but I just HAD to include it. This is a precious little girl (and I regret that I do not recall her name) who is standing on a box at Bill's mini lathe, learning to rough turn a spindle. Absolutely priceless. (I took the pic from outside, through a window. Bill, you really need to clean that window! )


.....and that's all folks! (Well, all from me anyway.)

It was a joy for me to see so many talented people gathered in a single place for the purpose of nothing but fun, fun, and more fun.

Oh, and BTW, there was some awesome food to munch out on as well. No one left hungry, to say the least!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'm very, very jealous! Very, very jealous!..........Did I mention I might just be a little envious!Congrats to all who could attend!

[Tom Sherman]

NIce Mark, I hate I had to miss it, was in my plans but other things came up and I wasn't able to be there this year.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mark looks like everyone had a great time. I am hoping next time down I can get some time to visit. With graduation on the weekend it was just a hectic mess so didn't get much time to do anything this time but get ready for Chelsea. It was her big day and grandpa didn't want to ruin it.

[Joe Tonich]

Sounds like ya had a good time, Mark. Wish I could'a been there....

[Cecil Arnold]

I'm absolutely GREEN. Wish I could have been there.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

I am so glad to see these shots, I see some very familiar faces and friends. One of my best friends from Montreal made it down as well, Pierre Plamondon.

I have been to Easton and Reading when Bill lived there, but not 5 Barns yet....seeing Big Blue one last time brings back some great memories...

[Walt Drummond]

Mark, I cleaned Bill's window a little and she shows up better. Maybe someone that was at 5Barns will recognize her.

Walt D.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...b/precious.jpg

[Jim DeLaney]

Mark, I cleaned Bill's window a little and she shows up better. Maybe someone that was at 5Barns will recognize her.

Walt D.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...b/precious.jpg

I think she might be Lee Shierer's grand-daughter, but I'm not really sure.

[Mark Pruitt]

I think she might be Lee Shierer's grand-daughter, but I'm not really sure.

Come to think of it, Lee was standing there taking a photo of her. I bet you're right.

It was good to see you, Jim. (You too Walt.)

BTW, here is the group photo.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

I was just looking through some of my pictures from my visits to Bill's over the years, this one was shortly after he got Big Blue. The shop was in Reading Pa.




Great memories

[Jason Slutsky]

Awesome Mark! Thanks for sharing. Wish I could have been there...I priceless experience indeed!

Jason