Alabamy Bound
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awomanwithahammer
- Knows where blueprints are hidden
- Posts: 911
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:19 am
- Location: Maryville, TN
Re: Alabamy Bound
Just out of curiosity, do you drive interstate when you come down? If so, which one do you use? I-75 comes through within a few miles of me.
Bonnie
Re: Alabamy Bound
I would love to come and terrorize you in Maryville! You could meet my dogs and see all the cra... treasures I'm bringing down with me. 75 goes too far west, though. I've taken I-95 down and really hate it; too many densely-populated areas to get in traffic jams and the number of cars on the road makes it nerve-wracking. My route now is still Interstate, but more inland. 80 (NY) to 78 (Allentown, PA) to 81 (Harrisburg, PA) to 77 (Roanoke, VA) to 85 (Charlotte, NC) to 65 (Montgomery, AL) to Mobile. It's a beautiful drive, which takes some of the drudgery out of going such a long distance (about 1,200 miles).
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awomanwithahammer
- Knows where blueprints are hidden
- Posts: 911
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:19 am
- Location: Maryville, TN
Re: Alabamy Bound
Manalto wrote:I would love to come and terrorize you in Maryville! You could meet my dogs and see all the cra... treasures I'm bringing down with me. 75 goes too far west, though. I've taken I-95 down and really hate it; too many densely-populated areas to get in traffic jams and the number of cars on the road makes it nerve-wracking. My route now is still Interstate, but more inland. 80 (NY) to 78 (Allentown, PA) to 81 (Harrisburg, PA) to 77 (Roanoke, VA) to 85 (Charlotte, NC) to 65 (Montgomery, AL) to Mobile. It's a beautiful drive, which takes some of the drudgery out of going such a long distance (about 1,200 miles).
That is an incredibly long drive! How many hours?Bonnie
Re: Alabamy Bound
I consulted AAA and, according to them, it's 1362.6 miles, which they say takes 20 hours and 1 minute. (How shall I spend that extra minute?) I think I'll take it because it misses Atlanta (reliably a driving nightmare). The recommended AAA route includes I-75 in Tennessee. Bonnie, I sent you a PM.
Re: Alabamy Bound
The house isn't air conditioned, so this week I've been gathering up a few fans. A ceiling fan appeared (free!) on Craigslist (they replaced it with a fan that has a light) so I snapped it up. I've consulted the Antique Fan Collector's Association (joined the AFCA Forum - uh, oh - slippery slope) for bringing my existing old fans up to working order (oil is important) and, thinking about the fumes I'll produce with solvents, adhesives, strippers, paints, etc., picked up a few I found on good ol' Craigslist. This is my prize:
Westinghouse Mobilaire pedestal fan by James McInnis, on Flickr
It's a Westinghouse 'Mobilaire' - how could someone heading for Mobile resist that name? Not sure about the vintage; early 60s, I think. Condition is good and it creates quite the breeze. Loosen the wingnuts on the legs and it becomes a pedestal fan that gets surprisingly tall (the expansion legs go way up to the curve of the handle). The AFCA folks rave about the quality and performance of this fan so, when another appeared on Craigslist yesterday (what are the chances?), I grabbed that one too. It's gray and in good condition but not as cosmetically pristine as the white one, and, after a good oiling, it works fine - two speeds. Fumes begone! Now to see if I can squeeze all this stuff in the trailer that seems to get smaller every day.
Westinghouse Mobilaire pedestal fan by James McInnis, on FlickrIt's a Westinghouse 'Mobilaire' - how could someone heading for Mobile resist that name? Not sure about the vintage; early 60s, I think. Condition is good and it creates quite the breeze. Loosen the wingnuts on the legs and it becomes a pedestal fan that gets surprisingly tall (the expansion legs go way up to the curve of the handle). The AFCA folks rave about the quality and performance of this fan so, when another appeared on Craigslist yesterday (what are the chances?), I grabbed that one too. It's gray and in good condition but not as cosmetically pristine as the white one, and, after a good oiling, it works fine - two speeds. Fumes begone! Now to see if I can squeeze all this stuff in the trailer that seems to get smaller every day.
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Lily left the valley
- Inventor of Knob and Tube
- Posts: 2170
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 2:07 pm
- Location: Gardner, MA, USA
- Contact:
Re: Alabamy Bound
Nifty fan.
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.
Re: Alabamy Bound
Manalto wrote:The house isn't air conditioned, so this week I've been gathering up a few fans. A ceiling fan appeared (free!) on Craigslist (they replaced it with a fan that has a light) so I snapped it up. I've consulted the Antique Fan Collector's Association (joined the AFCA Forum - uh, oh - slippery slope) for bringing my existing old fans up to working order (oil is important) and, thinking about the fumes I'll produce with solvents, adhesives, strippers, paints, etc., picked up a few I found on good ol' Craigslist. This is my prize:
It's a Westinghouse 'Mobilaire' - how could someone heading for Mobile resist that name? Not sure about the vintage; early 60s, I think. Condition is good and it creates quite the breeze. Loosen the wingnuts on the legs and it becomes a pedestal fan that gets surprisingly tall (the expansion legs go way up to the curve of the handle). The AFCA folks rave about the quality and performance of this fan so, when another appeared on Craigslist yesterday (what are the chances?), I grabbed that one too. It's gray and in good condition but not as cosmetically pristine as the white one, and, after a good oiling, it works fine - two speeds. Fumes begone! Now to see if I can squeeze all this stuff in the trailer that seems to get smaller every day.
Awesome! I have a plastic one from my college days that still kicks, but it's ugly and a little broken here and there. The vintage guys are so much more handsome. Great find AND practical!
Matt
I built a chimney for a comrade old;
I did the service not for hope or hire:
And then I travelled on in winter’s cold,
Yet all the day I glowed before the fire.
-Edwin Markham
I built a chimney for a comrade old;
I did the service not for hope or hire:
And then I travelled on in winter’s cold,
Yet all the day I glowed before the fire.
-Edwin Markham
Re: Alabamy Bound
Alligator suitcase by James McInnis, on FlickrPackin' up and getting ready to hit the road...
I found this piece of luggage on Craigslist and thought it suitable (sorry) that it go to alligator territory. The seller swore up and down that it's genuine alligator; I didn't argue with him. 1950s, I guess.
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Lily left the valley
- Inventor of Knob and Tube
- Posts: 2170
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 2:07 pm
- Location: Gardner, MA, USA
- Contact:
Re: Alabamy Bound
Safe travels, James!
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.
Re: Alabamy Bound
Well, the marathon drive to the Gulf Coast is done. AAA sent me a more western route, spectacularly lush and bright green with the new spring foliage. There is no mistaking how the Blue Ridge Mountains got their name. I made good on my promise to stop off in Tennessee and check in on Bonnie (womanwithahammer). She was understanding about my need to get the miles of road behind me, so I stopped by briefly on Tuesday evening (later than I anticipated) and got a glimpse of the work she's doing on her spacious house. In hindsight, it was a very good thing to do. Not only did I enjoy meeting Bonnie, but her work is inspiring - and a little intimidating; so many skills to learn. The must-discuss topic of discussion was window restoration and Bonnie's work is gorgeous. I am motivated to get the windows here at Thornwood looking that good.
I've moved many, many times, usually without damage to the contents of my trailer, but this time was the exception. The pedestal base of an oak table broke in two, the latch on the old monitor-top fridge was dented in, a sash of wavy glass that I brought down for replacements fell over and broke a couple of panes, etc. Maybe I'm getting sloppy, but I suspect it was sleep deprivation.
Each time I come back to my new neighborhood, it seems that something happens to reinforce the idea that I've made the right choice, despite the disappointment of the fire damage. I got a text from my next-door neighbor, Will, that simply said, "Need any help unpacking?" The poor sap didn't know what he was getting himself into. We wrestled the old fridge into its temporary storage position and the old Glenwood stove just outside the kitchen, where it will wait for the floor to be redone. That stove was a bear! Will must have appreciated it though, because a few hours later he asked if he could bring his wife over to show it to her. They cooed their approval, which felt nice, and I promised them the first meal prepared on the stove.
A friend in New Jersey gave me a heavy table with pipe legs and a thick butcher block top, that was sitting in his old shop (he's a retired contractor). Today I sanded down the butcher block and spray-painted the legs with a Rustoleum hammered finish and it fits perfectly. It's not finished; still needs to be properly cleaned up and the wood gone over with a belt sander, but I'm just trying it out in the space.
My first post here (I think I titled it "Kitchen Configuration") was about my confusion resulting from the position of the sink in the pantry. It was an awkward set-up the way I had it; the fridge was across from the stove and the counter-top workspace across from the sink. I switched it so the fridge is in the pantry alcove across from the sink (that butcher-block table is handy for setting things down or fixing a drink) and the workspace across from the stove. Much, much better. Ron's comment, when I wondered about the odd position of the sink, was, "live with it for a while" and he was right. I'm a bit embarrassed that it took me so long to figure out.
After seeing Bonnie's house, I've decided to pull out the wall-to-wall carpet here. I had been leaving it to protect the floors, but it's disgusting and I can put down vinyl flooring remnants or tarps to protect the floor where needed. So, that's the project for today; I've got my respirator and goggles - where I've lifted the carpet to check, I can see that the foam padding under the carpet has disintegrated into a gritty, dusty mess. I hope the floors are as beautiful as what I've seen so far.
Tonight I'm taking my real-estate agent to dinner to celebrate the anniversary of the closing on May 11, 2017.
I've moved many, many times, usually without damage to the contents of my trailer, but this time was the exception. The pedestal base of an oak table broke in two, the latch on the old monitor-top fridge was dented in, a sash of wavy glass that I brought down for replacements fell over and broke a couple of panes, etc. Maybe I'm getting sloppy, but I suspect it was sleep deprivation.
Each time I come back to my new neighborhood, it seems that something happens to reinforce the idea that I've made the right choice, despite the disappointment of the fire damage. I got a text from my next-door neighbor, Will, that simply said, "Need any help unpacking?" The poor sap didn't know what he was getting himself into. We wrestled the old fridge into its temporary storage position and the old Glenwood stove just outside the kitchen, where it will wait for the floor to be redone. That stove was a bear! Will must have appreciated it though, because a few hours later he asked if he could bring his wife over to show it to her. They cooed their approval, which felt nice, and I promised them the first meal prepared on the stove.
A friend in New Jersey gave me a heavy table with pipe legs and a thick butcher block top, that was sitting in his old shop (he's a retired contractor). Today I sanded down the butcher block and spray-painted the legs with a Rustoleum hammered finish and it fits perfectly. It's not finished; still needs to be properly cleaned up and the wood gone over with a belt sander, but I'm just trying it out in the space.
My first post here (I think I titled it "Kitchen Configuration") was about my confusion resulting from the position of the sink in the pantry. It was an awkward set-up the way I had it; the fridge was across from the stove and the counter-top workspace across from the sink. I switched it so the fridge is in the pantry alcove across from the sink (that butcher-block table is handy for setting things down or fixing a drink) and the workspace across from the stove. Much, much better. Ron's comment, when I wondered about the odd position of the sink, was, "live with it for a while" and he was right. I'm a bit embarrassed that it took me so long to figure out.
After seeing Bonnie's house, I've decided to pull out the wall-to-wall carpet here. I had been leaving it to protect the floors, but it's disgusting and I can put down vinyl flooring remnants or tarps to protect the floor where needed. So, that's the project for today; I've got my respirator and goggles - where I've lifted the carpet to check, I can see that the foam padding under the carpet has disintegrated into a gritty, dusty mess. I hope the floors are as beautiful as what I've seen so far.
Tonight I'm taking my real-estate agent to dinner to celebrate the anniversary of the closing on May 11, 2017.