Pictures of Miscellaneous Stuff & Things

[samb1955]

I mowed the yard (it was baaaaad) after work, and this was my reward.

176456E2-7B40-4205-AEFA-BDADCDFF863C.jpeg

After I mow my reward is a few Miller High Life's.

[jmh58]

I mowed the yard (it was baaaaad) after work, and this was my reward.

176456E2-7B40-4205-AEFA-BDADCDFF863C.jpeg

After I mow my reward is a few Miller High Life's.

Just finished cutting the lower 40 and this is the WINNER!!!
John

[Jacknifeben]

This is my very old picture. Found it in a cardboard tube in a box of old knives.

[philco]

JKBen that’s a cool old ad photo but can you imagine the backlash it would generate in today’s politically correct environment?

[carrmillus]

....ain't that the truth!!!!............ ................

[RobesonsRme.com]

I have a genuine old Bull Durham tobacco box that held twelve pouches and it has the bull on one side and that image on the back side.

Only Black people can collect that kind of stuff now.

Charlie

[mrwatch]

Didn't quite know where to put this one.
Has anyone had any experience with these? They are called Transparent 3D Floating Frames.
Close an item in between the 2 membrane sheets and it seals and holds the item. Good for
coins, jewelry, bug collection etc. As you can see they even hold knives. They stand on a
flat surface or hang on the wall. Just not sure what time, temps and light will do to the
membrane material.
.
20200824_145423(0).jpg20200824_144217.jpg

I can only say that many rock and fossil collectors use them with no reported problems.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I would not put a celluloid handled knife in one of those floating frames. The material might well initiate out-gassing.

Charlie

[jmh58]

[jmh58]

My Hot Rod in my buddies hub cap.. Kinda artsy!!!
John

[Steve Warden]

P82A0045.JPG

My Hot Rod in my buddies hub cap.. Kinda artsy!!!
John

Gotta see a pic of your ride, John.
Cool shot!

This, across the street from the school where I work.

I have no idea.

[Grump01]

Steve Warden, Looks like an ooooppssss to me.........

[TPK]

P82A1394.JPGP82A1395.JPG

Cool!

[TPK]

P82A0045.JPG

My Hot Rod in my buddies hub cap.. Kinda artsy!!!
John

Great perspective!

[TPK]

P82A0045.JPG

My Hot Rod in my buddies hub cap.. Kinda artsy!!!
John

Gotta see a pic of your ride, John.
Cool shot!

This, across the street from the school where I work.
20200827_113237.jpg

Did they get it in there?

[bladecollectorr]

I aquired an old and very attractive cedar chest today. The Chesley Chair Company "Heirloom Chest". It even came with blank original ownership registration card and "$250 Moth Insurance" policy sticker. Chest is 42" long x 18-1/2" deep x 24-3/8" tall.

It will be used to store my down sleeping bag and various other treasures that I don't use every day. It will also serve as the perfect stand for the 40 gallon aquarium my two pet toads live in. Solid cedar on the front, back and sides with what I believe is a cedar lined and trimmed oak top. The large sliding drawer is all cedar too.

It has a low 001042 serial number and has an embossed brass identification plate held in place with brass brad nails as opposed to a (much cheaper) green sticker I've seen on other chests by the same company. Due to this I believe it could be as old as 1924. It can't be older than 1963. The ornate metal pulls on the bottom drawer look '20s-'30s "art-deco" to me. My best guess at a manufacturing date is between 1924 and the start of the Great Depression. The post-war 1940s might be a possibility too but it's no newer than that I don't think.

I found two good links regarding the history of this company and their chests to help me gauge its age.

https://brucemuseum.pastperfectonline.c ... F+Heirloom

https://www.passionforthepastantiques.c ... ket-chest/

I love this thing! You can still smell the cedar inside. I'm going to clean and feed the wood after some appropriate research and it should be good for another 100 years.

[edge213]

P82A1394.JPGP82A1395.JPG

Any narrative for these pictures?

[cudgee]

I aquired an old and very attractive cedar chest today. The Chesley Chair Company "Heirloom Chest". It even came with blank original ownership registration card and "$250 Moth Insurance" policy sticker. Chest is 42" long x 18-1/2" deep x 24-3/8" tall.

It will be used to store my down sleeping bag and various other treasures that I don't use every day. It will also serve as the perfect stand for the 40 gallon aquarium my two pet toads live in. Solid cedar on the front, back and sides with what I believe is a cedar lined and trimmed oak top. The large sliding drawer is all cedar too.

It has a low 001042 serial number and has an embossed brass identification plate held in place with brass brad nails as opposed to a (much cheaper) green sticker I've seen on other chests by the same company. Due to this I believe it could be as old as 1924. It can't be older than 1963. The ornate metal pulls on the bottom drawer look '20s-'30s "art-deco" to me. My best guess at a manufacturing date is between 1924 and the start of the Great Depression. The post-war 1940s might be a possibility too but it's no newer than that I don't think.

I found two good links regarding the history of this company and their chests to help me gauge its age.

https://brucemuseum.pastperfectonline.c ... F+Heirloom

https://www.passionforthepastantiques.c ... ket-chest/

I love this thing! You can still smell the cedar inside. I'm going to clean and feed the wood after some appropriate research and it should be good for another 100 years.

cedar chest 01.JPGcedar chest 02.JPGcedar chest 03.JPG

. How are you going to clean and feed it? I,m sure i will not be the only one interested in how you do it.

[jerryd6818]

Great chest. I too would be interested to learn how you "feed the wood".

[jmh58]

P82A1394.JPGP82A1395.JPG

Any narrative for these pictures?

There is a Street Car/Trolley Museum near me.. They have about a dozen Street Cars restored there.. Every holiday season you can take a Santa Street Car ride which is kinda cool.. Not much info on those Street Cars in the pics I took though..
John

[edge213]

P82A1394.JPGP82A1395.JPG

Any narrative for these pictures?

There is a Street Car/Trolley Museum near me.. They have about a dozen Street Cars restored there.. Every holiday season you can take a Santa Street Car ride which is kinda cool.. Not much info on those Street Cars in the pics I took though..
John

Thanks John, I enjoyed the pictures.

[Quick Steel]

John those trolly car photos brought back many memories. As a small kid-7, 8, we rode trollys all the time, all over Chicago. Very convenient and no pollution. Then came the buses.

[jmh58]

Thank You Steve, Tom, David, Garry...
John

[bladecollectorr]

. How are you going to clean and feed it? I,m sure i will not be the only one interested in how you do it.

Great chest. I too would be interested to learn how you "feed the wood".

Thanks for your interest!

I've done some research and inspected the chest further. I have a college-level carpentry diploma and while I never finished my apprenticeship to become a licensed carpenter, I'm familiar with cabinet-making and finishing techniques.

At first glance I thought the chest was completely unfinished as there is no gloss or shine to it. When you feel it though you can sense a little ripple-like feel to it that is just raised grain. One pass with 320 grit got a test area super smooth again.

It may of had a thin (1920s-style) French Polish shellac finish but more likely just an oil or wax finish. I tested some small areas on the back, top and sides of the trunk and if there is anything at all on it, it's a very thin coat that sands off instantaneously. You hit wood right away when you sand it. The fact that the grain has raised at all implies there was no thick finish on it as this would have sealed it more effectively and prevented humidity related changes in the surface.

I was going to carefully clean with (hand) dish-soap and steel wool, using the soapy steel wool to clean a square-foot area and then wipe clean with paper towel, moving on to the next area until completely done. After successful liquid cleaning (and then letting it completely dry) I would apply a furniture oil.

The test area I sanded on a very dark section looked the same as the surrounding area when I rubbed a bit of olive oil into it and wiped off with paper towel. This coupled with the universally raised grain makes me think it just had an oil or wax finish that has long ago dried out and left the wood to the mercy of relative humidity.

Since it is so fast to sand this chest smooth I think I'm just going to bite-the-bullet and refinish it properly. Sanding is as easy as carefully washing with steel wool. I'm going to give it a much quicker soapy water wash to get rid of the worst surface dirt then leave the wood slightly wet and the grain will raise as it sees fit while drying.

Next I will sand it all smooth and give it another quick wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust. After letting it completely dry I will apply a hand-rubbed oil finish to keep the rustic unfinished look. I don't want it at all glossy. That's just my preference to match the style of the chest.

For the inside of the chest I will use soapy water method to clean it, leave it to completely dry and then give it a light sanding with fine sandpaper to expose a new fragrant cedar surface. This might well be all it needs but if not I'll give it a rub-down with 100% cedar oil to really bring back the strong cedar smell inside.

Here's the original ownership registration card. Mailing addresses haven't been that simple in a very, very long time which also makes me think this could be a 1920's chest.

I've now finished cleaning the top and I think the guy I bought it from gave it a quick wash which raised the grain. He also filled some dark knots with light plastic wood. I'm going all-in. I've removed all the wrong-looking plastic wood and will fill all voids with better matched filler before final sanding.

Top looks great now that it's clean and will look even better after sanding. Most definately oak with red cedar lip on the bottom.

[cudgee]

. How are you going to clean and feed it? I,m sure i will not be the only one interested in how you do it.

Great chest. I too would be interested to learn how you "feed the wood".

Thanks for your interest!

I've done some research and inspected the chest further. I have a college-level carpentry diploma and while I never finished my apprenticeship to become a licensed carpenter, I'm familiar with cabinet-making and finishing techniques.

At first glance I thought the chest was completely unfinished as there is no gloss or shine to it. When you feel it though you can sense a little ripple-like feel to it that is just raised grain. One pass with 320 grit got a test area super smooth again.

It may of had a thin (1920s-style) French Polish shellac finish but more likely just an oil or wax finish. I tested some small areas on the back, top and sides of the trunk and if there is anything at all on it, it's a very thin coat that sands off instantaneously. You hit wood right away when you sand it. The fact that the grain has raised at all implies there was no thick finish on it as this would have sealed it more effectively and prevented humidity related changes in the surface.

I was going to carefully clean with (hand) dish-soap and steel wool, using the soapy steel wool to clean a square-foot area and then wipe clean with paper towel, moving on to the next area until completely done. After successful liquid cleaning (and then letting it completely dry) I would apply a furniture oil.

The test area I sanded on a very dark section looked the same as the surrounding area when I rubbed a bit of olive oil into it and wiped off with paper towel. This coupled with the universally raised grain makes me think it just had an oil or wax finish that has long ago dried out and left the wood to the mercy of relative humidity.

Since it is so fast to sand this chest smooth I think I'm just going to bite-the-bullet and refinish it properly. Sanding is as easy as carefully washing with steel wool. I'm going to give it a much quicker soapy water wash to get rid of the worst surface dirt then leave the wood slightly wet and the grain will raise as it sees fit while drying.

Next I will sand it all smooth and give it another quick wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust. After letting it completely dry I will apply a hand-rubbed oil finish to keep the rustic unfinished look. I don't want it at all glossy. That's just my preference to match the style of the chest.

For the inside of the chest I will use soapy water method to clean it, leave it to completely dry and then give it a light sanding with fine sandpaper to expose a new fragrant cedar surface. This might well be all it needs but if not I'll give it a rub-down with 100% cedar oil to really bring back the strong cedar smell inside.

Here's the original ownership registration card. Mailing addresses haven't been that simple in a very, very long time which also makes me think this could be a 1920's chest.

cedar chest registration 01 x1200.jpgcedar chest registration 02 x1200.jpg

I've now finished cleaning the top and I think the guy I bought it from gave it a quick wash which raised the grain. He also filled some dark knots with light plastic wood. I'm going all-in. I've removed all the wrong-looking plastic wood and will fill all voids with better matched filler before final sanding.

Top looks great now that it's clean and will look even better after sanding. Most definately oak with red cedar lip on the bottom.

What oil will you use, and will it darken the natural color? I have a friend who has a very successful antique restoring business, i was having a discussion with him one day about cleaning up wood, i was referring more about knife handles. He said you can use just soap and water as you do, and he gave me another suggestion which he uses on older woods, that need a bit more care. Leather cleaner or soap, e.g.- saddle soap, as long as it is PH neutral, so it is not Alkaline or Acidic, it is roughly the same principle as why they invented Renwax. It has to be Leather cleaner/soap not, conditioner, i have been using it on all my wood knife scales since. If they are really grimy, i use 000 steel wool first then a soft rag both with the leather cleaner, or if they just need a spruce up, just with the soft rag. I would value your opinion of this method with your qualifications. But i am really interested in how you oil the wood without darkening it if that is your intent. You have a good weekend my friend, and looking forward to seeing the end result of your work, keep posting photos.