It followed me home (Part 2)

Those tools look like they are up to the task.

Are you going to put a deck under your metal shed? Does it have a sliding door or swing door?

 

Sliding door.
It's just a small 8'x6'.

It came bundled with the floor frame kit Arrow offers , my brother and I assembled the same shed for my grandmother a couple years ago and we put it on pallets but I don't know whether it came bundled with the floor frame kit.

Once I get the ground level I can start prepping the kit, I'll probably look up the floor frame kit on YouTube to see just what it's like and whether or not I'll still want something under it.

 

Great. Post a pic when you're done.

I recommend being meticulous in the construction of your shed, especially in seating the washered roofing screws properly and caulking everthing thing with a high quality polyurethane like Sikaflex 1A. Those metal sheds are notoriously for leaking.

With swing doors I like to raise them up a bit so that the door still opens when the grass raises over the years. With sliders I suggest adding a wide flashing or gutter above the doors and flashing the center of the doors where they butt together. This are a major water intrusion point. Orienting the door away from the dominant weather is a very good idea.

 

My grandmother hasn't had any issues with hers leaking at all, but I may still want to take some extra steps to prevent it.
The whether isn't so great today, so my work may get delayed some.

 

Last week I kind of accidentally ended up ordering three different short (27"-28") straight full sized axe handles.

I ordered one from Tennessee hickory, but didn't hear back so figured it wasn't going to happen. Then I saw a Link "premium" (blue label) on ebay and ordered it. And then I was putting in an order with Bailey's and saw that they had the link green label, so ordered that one also. As soon as I did that, I got the invoice from Tennessee hickory, so I ended up getting three. The ebay one was through some weird company called zoro or something and was supposed to be shipped Mid may so wasn't expecting that one anytime soon. However, they all three arrived today.

Thought I would do a quick comparison. The tennessee handle is 28" while the link handles are 27". Both link handles are labeled as "miners" axe handles.

Here they all are. you can figure out which is which as the two links have stickers.



The best BY FAR is the green label link. The worst BY FAR is the blue label link - which was supposed to be the premium grade handle. The green label link handle is pretty much perfectly shaped, nice and slim, very nice swell, perfectly straight, etc. It will probably take very little work to hang a head on it. Just scrape off the varnish, a little slimming and done.
When I first opened the blue label link, I thought they had sent the wrong handle. what in the world is going on with that thing? it looks like a cruiser handle. they must have reshaped this handle from something else. it tapers on both front and back from the tongue to the body of the handle. I've never seen a single bit handle do that. also, its weirdly fat right in the shoulder area and oddly shaped - I really think they cut down a double bit handle to make it. and look at the swell - or complete lack of swell. it literally tapers to its smallest diameter right at the end. I'm not sure what I'll do with it.
The tennesse handle is fine, just super thick and fat all over, which is normal for their handles. both the blue link and the tennessee handles are bowed a little also - the tennessee is still in the realm of usable, the blue link is a bit much.

some more pictures


they all three have fine grain. here you can see the tiny bottom of the blue link handle. The swell on the tennessee isn't actually bigger than the green link. its an inch longer and so an inch closer to the camera.

 

I've ordered a few things through Zoro before and shipping time was always normal regardless.
They happened to have what I wanted at a good price, but I dont go looking to shop with them or anything.
I'm not even sure what all they sell honestly.

So what are you gonna use these handles for ?
Anything special in mind ?

 

well, I've got a 4lb dayton that I sharpened up really good today that I'll probably hang on the green label link. I'm still deciding what to hang on the tennessee handle. and I'm not sure what I'll do with that blue link, i'm not sure its salvageable.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've always been too nervous to buy sight unseen. That blue label is just weird! That's a premium helve? Ridiculous. The other two aren't bad though.
I did recently order 2 32" curved sb helves from killinger on etsy. He's got standards so
I feel good about the purchase. Little to no runout and grain orientation no greater than 45°. We'll see how it works out!

 

Thanks for the pics and write up. The green label Link has very nice form for a modern handle. As you say it's typical for TH handle to come fat as a bat. The other typical feature of that handle is the high quality hickory. TH always seems to have the best wood. It just takes a lot of work to shave them down to a reasonable size.

 

I bought a 28" Tennesee hickory at the saw shop today. Consistently good wood, and fat, seems like the story.

 

Wow that blue label link is an odd ball. Maybe you can shave the tongue down to fit a smaller boys size head and it wouldn't look so odd? Still no swell material to work with, bummer. The Green label looks good from where I'm sitting, and the TH reminds me of how House handles come. Both look usable, 2 out of 3 isn't bad I guess. My local home Depot got a few new 36" SB hafts in stock (Ames) and all of them have crooked eyes or bowed, or both. $14.98 each. I've had decent luck ordering from House selecting their AA grade and "hand picked" "no lacquer", although not everyone has as good of luck with them I know. Thanks for the side by side comparison.

 

A few of the highlights, but not all of them. Certainly some of my favorites of the haul.
I am still sorting thru it all.



















Oh My I fell in love with this one here...fell hard.











I hope everyone here, those i know, those i have spoken with, those i admire and those whom we recognize each others garages or shops. To each of you, please.
Be safe, stay kind and stay strong and smart.

Now lets show off those axes!!

 

Boom! Nice haul!

 

Thank you DB!
It was fun in the making and a real logistic nightmare to pick up but...always worth it!

Thanks again!

 

Looks like plenty to keep ya busy awhile, some nice finds! Stay well yourself!

 

I picked up a 3 1/2 Plumb a couple of weeks ago (on the left). I posted the 4 lb a little while back, but it is kinda cool to see these two side by side. I'm going to put the 4 pounder on a 32" haft I have, but the 3 1/2 will have to wait til I can find something for it. Really hard steel on both of these and my crummy files are not up to the task. All good problems to have these days. Y'all stay safe!

 

Wowza! Now that is a haul sir! Glad your are still able to perform some rescues during all this. Stay safe!

 

Dang MrMiller that haul would make jblyttle jealous,do tell about them shovels and the jersey hatchet.

 

Wow, serious score!

There are still replacement handles available for that phone pole shovel.

 

Any idea what the big spoon handle thing is ?
I dont know why but for some reason I think it's cool.