I had a request for some more of the single fly display stands I make, but out of oak, which is typically above my pay grade to purchase at the lumber yard, even though the cost would be somewhat covered (did I tell you I'm a lousy business person?) by the sale of the little stands. What to do?
(click on the pics for the "big picture")
We heat our family room and kitchen with a woodstove, and have a pretty good supply of seasoned, mixed hardwoods to fuel the fire:
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Seemed like there might be some nice pieces of wood lurking within that stack. I started out thinking it would be fun to use hand planes to get the party started, with a chunk of cherry:
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Bad concept, from a "how much time am I willing to spend on this little project?" standpoint. So out came the hand-held power planer. Those are three chunks of red oak.
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That little tool removes a piece of wood's harsh exterior pretty quickly.
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The big planer squares things up and really starts showing a chunk of firewood's inner beauty:
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Those three pieces of firewood yielded some lovely lumber:
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The table saw divided the top piece into what will become the display stands:
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All told, maybe an hour or so's work to find some beautiful hardwood:
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Of course, it will take me at least that long to clean up!
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Worth it though, and the shop smells great with oak in the air. There is an old saying that firewood warms you three times: First, when you cut it. Second, when you split it, and third, when you burn it. After building the little displays from my woodpile, I would venture to say that it can warm you a fouth time, that is, when you look at a cherished fly in the little wooden holder, the memories that are evoked warm your soul yet again.
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