Bessie The Cow

[greasemonkeyredneck]

I finished this several weeks ago. I was looking through things and realized though that I never posted it on the Village. I'm sorry.

 

This is Bessie The Cow. Unlike most of my projects, everything except the rocker assembly on this project was painted. Pink for the udders and insides ears and then black and white for the rest of her. After two (three in some places) coats of paint, everything, including the rocker, got two coats of shellac.

I cut this, like a lot of my bigger projects on my old Craftsman scroll saw that takes pinned blades. The blade holder though has two different holes on the top and bottom. You can cut like most scroll saws, or you can turn the blade sideways and use it almost like a bandsaw. Now most of these rocking toys I make could be cut on my bandsaw. I have found though that the old Craftsman cuts cleaner and take the tighter curves much better than any bandsaw I've ever owned. True, it is quite a bit slower than the bandsaw, but I have found from experience that taking the extra time on cutting is more than made up for when it comes to the sanding, and on projects like this cow, there's plenty enough sanding to do without creating more for yourself by making bad cuts and burn marks with a bandsaw.

This side cutting technique really helps. For those that don't have a saw like that, there is another way to do it. I've tried this on my Delta, and it works good. You chuck up a blade to cut with. Then, with two pairs of pliers, grab the top and bottom, next to the blade clamp, and bend the blade sideways. While I'd wish I could take credit for comeing up with the idea, I didn't. I read about it on Rick Hutcheson's website.

[BuLLdoGG]

you do gr8 work m8 thx for sharing Awesome

[ron w b]

luv it great work

[Travis]

That turned out great! You're getting really good at those rockers. Did you do this for a client? I'd imagine something like this would sell well. Lots of cow collectors out there. Nicely done!

[amazingkevin]

Yes sir ,gmr really knows how to put a smile on the kids faces and mine to!His work is hard to beat.One of the best toy builders around.They are so cartoonish looking the kids can relate immediately to it with love.I really loved the pig he made but this one really takes the cake.Well down sir you deserve a pat on the back!

[greasemonkeyredneck]

That turned out great! You're getting really good at those rockers. Did you do this for a client? I'd imagine something like this would sell well. Lots of cow collectors out there. Nicely done!

 

I'm afraid it was one of those things I done because I wanted to do it. I haven't sold the first piece of work in a while now. Things are bad here in Mississippi. Things aren't selling and the few interested people I've had are offering prices that are way lower than I'm willing to take for my work. I'm always ready to negotiate in hard times, but I'll be #$@% if I'm going to practically give my work away.

On top of that, I've kind of went downhill on my health lately, hence the reason there hasn't been much work posted by me. I've been down before though. I'll push through. I'll eventually get more shop time in. The economy will either get better or handmade woodwork will get so rare that it will pull a premium price. Either way, things will get better eventually.

[frieke]

Hey William, this looks great! My kids love it, I show the pics to them. I sure hope for you it will go better with your health!

Take care,

[amazingkevin]

I know that you too love what you do and you do it too good!I toldold my friend that has a store to put this stuff you have in the back room out on the floor .Un shone is un sold.advertizement is the key.Wal-mart has a free classified ad that i use on the internet.Word will get around about your work as more and more people see it and tell somebody else what they've seen.I know the work you do when you can help with the pain your enduring.I think the web sit is "wal-mart classified.com". OR OODLE .COM I'm at peace with the world when i scroll.I have to ad-lib all the time as my work is not perfect and nobody knows where the mistakes are i cover up or delete as i saw away,lol.Your not a couch potatoe and a real go geter done kind of guy.Say ,those homedepot kids of yours must be scrolling by now and good at it too!God loves you and wants the best for you and yours.!

[greasemonkeyredneck]

Thanks for the kind words. I'd never heard of the Wal-Mart classifieds untill now. However, I went to the site and found a few of my listings anyway. They are somehow connected with Craiglist where I normally list my woodwork at. Advertisement isn't the only problem here though. As some already know, Mississippi is a very poor state anyway. I've talked with a lot of people around here and I'm not the only one lacking customers, from all kinds of businesses. Actually, I'm lucky that my work is hobby based and not my means of paying bills. Business will eventually pick up, I think the Lord is going to provide for the folks that actually need it first though. While income from my hobby is thrilling, it's not actually a need exactly but more of a real bad want. Besides that, with no more work than I've been able to do in the recent months, it's probably better that business is bad anyway. I know that sounds crazy saying that a lack of income is a good thing, but here's an example to put it in perspective. I build a rocking train that I call a Rocking Iron Horse. I normally complete one in three to four days. Right now, I almost have all the pieces cut out for one and the train assembly is about half compete. I started it three weeks ago. I've only been able to manage ten to thirty minutes of work at one time and only here and there at that. Every step feels like the tendons in my back are being ripped from the spine.

Please, no pity. I'm not complaining. I'm saying that I'm blessed to have the shop that allows me to work whenever I can without pressure. I also want to remind everyone out there that enjoys this hobby of an often forgotten little gift that a lot of you have, the ability to work at your hobby. Even in my condition, the Lord has blessed me with all these days that I can't work with all this time to sit, with nothing to do, and watch my little ones. For the rest of you that are able, you are blessed too and some of you probably never think about it.

I'm sorry for my rambling. I hope it inspires someone though to get in the shop today and build something. I also hope it makes someone in the near future to pass this gift we've been given to someone younger by getting them interested in what it is that we do.