My Tongue was on the Ground – the Cavalry Comes!

I contracted to enclose the covered pad in front of my shop. Conclusion will greatly expand the work space in my wood shop – and I will no longer be so crowded. This is the first time here that I’ve not done construction that I could have done. I’m too busy, and just did not feel quite as physically capable now. All that remains is installation of the custom garage doors. In order to save time, I left yesterday morning before 5 to pick up the doors at Home Depot in Los Lunas as my builder is finishing an addition in Pie Town. The previous evening I had hooked up my 10′ trailer.
As I entered I-25 from Socorro headed North towards Los Lunas approaching 75 mph I felt sudden jerks and bumps unfamiliar to me. I looked in the mirror and saw the trailer moving in an unfamiliar manner. It seemed that perhaps I had lost a tandem wheel so I slowed, preparing for a stop as I should do in such a situation. The action continued. After stopping I went to the rear and horrified to discover that the trailer had disconnected from the hitch and was stuck under the hitch on the truck! The tongue of the trailer was on the ground! I had obviously neglected to secure the coupler lock onto the trailer hitch ball on the truck, and when I went over a rough bridge joint, the trailer jumped off of the hitch. Thank goodness that I very securely connected the extra heavy duty safety chains. I had changed what came on the trailer for even more heavy duty chains after purchasing the trailer.

I attempted to gain the attention of passing drivers for assistance to release the trailer from the truck hitch and reattach to the ball, but no one seemed to even look or slow. So, I worked and worked and finally got it to release. Then, how to lift the tongue of the rather heavy tongue and maneuver it forward to the hitch, lift it high enough, and over the ball. I had to pull it about 24″ and over about 18″, dealing with tandem wheels on a 10′ trailer. It was severely challenging with both my shoulders still recovering from major rotator cuff surgical repairs. I had not exerted myself to that level in decades, but felt that I had no other choice. I strained muscles in my left arm and left leg. I’ll recover, and the discomfort in especially my back will eventually fade. The loss of layers of skin on my right ankle will grow back in time. But the injury to my pride will leave scars. I’m smarter than this. Or, so I thought. I will not make this mistake again. One “helper” that will always travel with me in this truck, trailer attached or not, will be an aluminum jack I had purchased to carry in the enclosed show trailer I had when I did shows……..
I did get the doors that will be installed Saturday by Simon. Pat will do the electrical and lighting Tuesday. I begin to move in Wednesday.
After Thanksgiving the Cavalry comes! My son James comes for a two month “Trial”. I KNOW that he’ll return permanently. He is ten times the woodworker that I am. Just wait and see what happens to Hokett Would Work! Among dozens of things, who’d like to see the return of Hokett Drop Spindles????????????????? YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim is a Very Happy man!

Carolien Loom Stands AVAILABLE NOW!

Please look at my post of September 25, 2016 titled “Carolien Hand Loom Stands” for background on this subject. Carolien is such a marvelous young lady from Belgium who has been such an inspiration to me in many ways. She has been to others as well. And, recently she sent Cat and me a box of genuine Belgian Chocolates! Ah, but the brand new tastes we experienced – firsts for both of us. Such delicacies we’ve grown to appreciate so much having rationed so carefully. Now, we just look at that empty box on the mantle….

Today the stands are finally available. They would have been sooner, but frantic orders for so many things, looms especially, have taken so much of my time. Full mornings and more have been spent just packing overnight orders daily for some time now. I’ve worked late every day, missed riding our bikes so much, missed rides in our car, and so much else. Cat has been such help as always.

Here are the details:

TABLE TOP: Base of various exotic woods about 1” thick and from about 10” square to about 12” square. Square steel tubing vertical supports that extend from 14” to about 20” high. The loom is secured by a “C” clamp. The loom could be placed higher or lower in the clamp as individuals might prefer. Intended for use to weave with any of my hand looms. $85 plus shipping and tax if in New Mexico.

FLOOR MODEL: Base of various exotic woods about 2 ” thick and from about 10” square to about 12” square. Square steel tubing vertical supports that extend from 32” to about 50” high. The loom is secured by a “C” clamp. The loom could be placed higher or lower in the clamp as individuals might prefer. Intended for use to weave with any of my looms. $110 plus shipping and tax if in New Mexico.

Once the initial (very large) run of the table top stands is sold out, orders will be filled in the order received for the next runs produced. Please remember that I’m a one-person shop that is very busy with very many things. The looms are remarkably popular, too.

For orders email me at: would.work@yahoo.com. Include your mailing address please. If you would like my price list, just ask. I’ll ship in the order requests are received. Thanks a bunch, and thank you for being patient. I continue to work as hard as I possibly can to support each and every one of my very faithful customers. Sometimes it seems that for every good step forward I slide back several at times……  But, I’m hard at it every day.  Happy November, everyone!

Jim