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271001 Norm Wood <normw013@f...> 2020‑05‑25 Cant hook update, and big thanks
Hi all,

I've been remiss in catching everyone up on this project and, more 
importantly, saying a big "Thank you!" to Michael S.

So first, many thanks to Michael, who really did me a solid with a 
nicely smithed hook:

http://normw013.fastmail.fm/images/Cant_hook/#single:cant_hook_01.jpg

This was spot-on what I had in mind after we'd had some email visits 
about what it should look like.  I'm sure there's an art to bending a 
piece of rectangular bar around in its flatter plane, and it came out 
great.  There are closeups of some of the hook's details in the gallery 
as well.

I was a slowpoke, spending near a couple of months after the hook 
arrived to finish up the haft (?).  Here's the final result:

http://normw013.fastmail.fm/images/Cant_hook/#single:assembled.jpg

There are some progress pics in the gallery as well, and it works great.
I initially thought about adding a point or teeth out at the end of the 
haft and facing downward toward the hook, but haven't found it necessary 
so far.

Thanks again, Michael!

Regards,

Norm
   Madison, WI
271004 Chuck Taylor 2020‑05‑26 Re: Cant hook update, and big thanks
Gentle Galoots,

Norm Wood sent us pics to drool over of the cant hook Michael S. made for him

http://normw013.fastmail.fm/images/Cant_hook/#single:cant_hook_01.jpg

and of the haft he made for it

http://normw013.fastmail.fm/images/Cant_hook/#single:assembled.jpg

Nice work, both of you! A great example of Galoot magic at work! Is this Porch a
great place or what?!

Cheers,
Chuck Taylor
north of Seattle
271041 Michael Suwczinsky <nicknaylo@g...> 2020‑05‑30 Re: Cant hook update, and big thanks
You are most welcome Norm! I had a lot of fun working this project out. A
lot of the old texts we read have a passage along the lines of  "have the
local blacksmith make ' this or that do dad for a lathe part or bending
some metal bit for a tool, and I was glad to fill that role in some small
way.

You turned that metal bit into a working tool! Great to see it in use, nice
cast frame Workmate too.

It turns out that Roy Underhill and Peter Ross (St. Roy and former head
blacksmith at Colonial Williamsburg) produced not one, but TWO Woodwright's
Shop episodes, roughly 30 years apart, making this exact tool.
Great fun watching the two of them in their youth and again as seasoned
teachers and craftsman.

Season 2, (1982) "While the Iron is Hot" has Roy and Peter racing to finish
their cant hooks, as they upset the square corner, point the hook and bend
the curve. The lone punch for the pivot hole was the finish line and
whoever got to it first got to forge weld the froe!

Then Season 31 (2011) "Iron Work for Timber Work", Peter and Roy visit the
same topic, and 3 decades of teaching really shines in how straightforward
Peter's work is, they are both fantastic teachers, with St. Roy clearly
playing the fool.

Link to the ep is here.

https://www.pbs.org/video/the-woodwrights-shop-iron-work-for-timber-work/

Season 2 is a little harder to come find but Galoot magic worked there
too.

Back to back viewings and the process was clear, I'd have to imagine a
smith of old knocking out a bunch of these at once. Made an undersized
version in the backyard smithy with the stock on hand (1/4x3/4 IIRC) for
practice while trying to source some 1/2 x 1 inch or similar.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10735775@N.../49953024757/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10735775@N.../49953024787/in/photostream/

Ended up with something close for the logs Norm had to move and in a nod to
Roy and Peter's first cant hook episode, raced to a finish under a ticking
clock!  The industrial arts co-op where I volunteer was shutting down due
to the pandemic and the artists and teachers had an afternoon to grab works
in progress and use tools before The Crucible in Oakland California
shuttered on March 15th. After loading trucks and finding tools, the last
class in the smithy squoze in a bit more work.

Knocked it out from start to finish in just over an hour, using one big tap
from the Nazel power hammer to set the first shoulder for the square corner
and then the rest with a hand hammer.  Got it hot in the backyard to hit it
with the touchmark and Bob's Your Uncle!

A great,  fun, collaborative process.

Michael







On Mon, May 25, 2020 at 4:20 PM Norm Wood  wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I've been remiss in catching everyone up on this project and, more
> importantly, saying a big "Thank you!" to Michael S.
>
> So first, many thanks to Michael, who really did me a solid with a
> nicely smithed hook:
>
> http://normw013.fastmail.fm/images/Cant_hook/#single:cant_hook_01.jpg
>
> This was spot-on what I had in mind after we'd had some email visits
> about what it should look like.  I'm sure there's an art to bending a
> piece of rectangular bar around in its flatter plane, and it came out
> great.  There are closeups of some of the hook's details in the gallery
> as well.
>
> I was a slowpoke, spending near a couple of months after the hook
> arrived to finish up the haft (?).  Here's the final result:
>
> http://normw013.fastmail.fm/images/Cant_hook/#single:assembled.jpg
>
> There are some progress pics in the gallery as well, and it works great.
> I initially thought about adding a point or teeth out at the end of the
> haft and facing downward toward the hook, but haven't found it necessary
> so far.
>
> Thanks again, Michael!
>
> Regards,
>
> Norm
>    Madison, WI
>
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-- 
Michael
271181 Norm Wood <normw013@f...> 2020‑06‑11 Re: Cant hook update, and big thanks
Hi Michael, GGs

Thanks for sharing the process, that's a great story.  As an aside, I've 
been sharing pics of the cant hook build and some of the other log work 
with folks in my work group, which includes quite a few grad students.  

I think it's been a bit eye-opening for them, but it's also started them 
sharing some of the hand-work things they like to do - painting, 
knitting, woodworking, baking.  It's been a nice way to stay connected 
during these times.

I've almost finished the adze work on the main slab for the shaving 
horse.  That whole process has led to some nice conversations with 
curious neighbors and dog-walkers.

Best,

Norm
   - near Madison, WI

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