What can one do with a couple of tons of really beautiful walnut wood?
I have a sample here:
There is loads more:
The ultimate luxury bread boards?
You know you need it for the wife friendly project boxes.
Front panels in style perhaps.
Buy a lathe and some turning tools. Pens, bowls, vases, candle sticks, boxes...the list goes on. Turning wood on a lathe is incredibly relaxing and he freeform nature of the work is liberating for your creativity. The warm chocolate color, interesting burls and grains and the finish it takes makes walnut a wonderful wood.
Not to mention there might be Customs restrictions here or at your destination, we have a restriction on transporting ash wood across county lines, because of the emerald ash borer.
The current mini-lathes are quite nice and much smaller than lathes we knew as boys. They take up a lot less space to store and use and don't require a permanent home but still can make a wonderful pile of wood chips in no time at all!!
WIth a 10-12" swing, you can make some rather large turnings (duh, 10-12 inches! )
Pens are suprisingly fun and easy to make. They make great gifts if you deem anyone worthy of your handmade pens!!
You may want to ship your goodies to yourself rather than carry it all.
(Enabler confession: everyone should have at least as many hobbies as I do!!)
As soon as I get here, through all the stringent security checks, I find that 50 people have been killed in Orlando by some nut head.
This security charade does not work.
It is however a way for the powers that be to maintain control over the rest of us when they need too.
I was in Orlando when that happened, about 7 miles away. It was a strange feeling having something so horrific happen so close by and not having any idea it had happened until seeing it on the internet.
I'm glad you made it out to see Chip, looks like it was a good time.
During a trip to Europe, my dad and I drove through Croatia, the birthplace of my grandparents, reletives loaded my father up with four or five glass bottles full of shlevoitz, a homemade plum whiskey, we made it on the plane ok in Frankfurt, Germany for the return trip home, but were diverted by US Customs as soon as we disembarked, one of the bottles had broken in our luggage during baggage handling, the whole inside of the suitcase was full of saturated clothing, and dripping out on to the counter, the smell was overwhelming, they had confiscated all but one bottle and let us go.
Buy a lathe and some turning tools. Pens, bowls, vases, candle sticks, boxes...the list goes on. Turning wood on a lathe is incredibly relaxing and the freeform nature of the work is liberating for your creativity.
Very well stated and heartily endorsed! Can't recall any purchase that got more use right out of the gate - hours of turning the very first day. Hours more the second day.
This led to the acquisition of crazy woods from all over the planet. Buloke from Oz. Camelthorn from Africa. Cercocarpus ledifolius from long hikes in the hills above town. 30 kinds of wood from the Dalbergia and Swartzia genera.
It also led to the purchase of cheap Chinese carbide cutters (~$4) that were then affixed to homemade turning tools - there wasn't enough time in the day to keep relatively soft steel tools sharp.
Good point about customs restrictions. All I can find is that wood packing material needs to be fumigated and wood from Amazonian forests is prohibited.
I looked over the US Customs and Border Patrol web page for anything pertaining to your situation, couldn't find match on incoming or outgoing items, but you might have to be more worried about Finnish regulations.
Check out the last paragraph from the site.
Bringing fruits and vegetables depends on a number of factors. For instance, consider the apple you bought in the foreign airport just before boarding and then did not eat. Whether or not CBP will allow the apple into the United States depends on where you got it and where you are going after you arrive in the United States. The same would be true for Mediterranean tomatoes. Such factors are important because fresh fruits and vegetables can introduce plant pests or diseases into the United States.One good example of problems imported fruits and vegetables can cause is the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak during the 1980s. The outbreak cost the state of California and the federal government approximately $100 million to get rid of this pest. The cause of the outbreak was one traveler who brought home one contaminated piece of fruit. It is best not to bring fresh fruits or vegetables into the United States. However, if you plan to, contact either CBP or check the Permits section on the USDA-APHIS Web site for a general approved list on items that need a permit.Note: The civil penalty for failing to declare agricultural items at U.S. ports of entry will cost first time offenders $300. The penalty for the second violation goes up to $500. To avoid receiving a penalty all agricultural items and present them to Customs and Border Protection for inspection so that an agriculture specialist can determine if it is admissible.
Worse comes to worse, stop by here, I have a 65 foot black walnut in the back yard, been debating whether to cut it down or leave it standing, it's the last tree to leaf out in the spring, and the first to drop them in the fall.
We can make a dugout canoe out of its trunk, and with a couple of bedsheets for sails, we will launch you into lake Erie to sail up the St. Lawrence River and its just a short trip across the big pond.
Ship it! Find a UPS Store, Fed Ex store, US Post Office, etc. - toss everything in a box (put in some work related items), seal it up iwth tapes, fill out the customs forms and give it to a clerk. When they ask for money, you can hand over your bosses credit card since you placed the work related items in the box too!
Find a bar, find a beer and wait for your plane to be called.
The boss will pay, I hope, a good proportion of what I have here is work related. Not my new Stars and Stripes underpants, Fry's Propeller Beanie and such mind you.
Years ago I was involved in testing the fly by wire control computers of the Boeing 777. Travelling out here was the first time I ever actually flew in one. Not sure what plane I get home yet. Anyway, I guess you could say I am, in a small part, "some unknown in control". After all the 777 rudder actuators had a serious design flaw until I pointed it out! Not that I know much about flight dynamics as such.
I have a stop in London Gatwick for a few hours. Yuk.
If you ever happen to need a taxi in San Jose, forget those Uber pirates, don't fish around for a good driver.
No, just call Jerry. Jerry works for American Cab. But he gave me his direct number and has been driving me around here for days now. Jerry is amazingly polite, friendly and efficient. He has also been very helpful, advising what is good and bad in San Jose. An all round good chap. Saved my bacon a few times. We have been a good team.
Just call Jerry: +14084440073
Here is Jerry picking me up for the drive to the airport just now:
Comments
You realize airlines are charging for extra bagage, you better build a boat and float it home.
Buy a lathe and some turning tools. Pens, bowls, vases, candle sticks, boxes...the list goes on. Turning wood on a lathe is incredibly relaxing and he freeform nature of the work is liberating for your creativity. The warm chocolate color, interesting burls and grains and the finish it takes makes walnut a wonderful wood.
I love working with walnut!
You are right about that boat, MikeDYur, I have 10 times more stuff to drag home than I came here with. Including those big hunks of walnut.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer
WIth a 10-12" swing, you can make some rather large turnings (duh, 10-12 inches!
Pens are suprisingly fun and easy to make. They make great gifts if you deem anyone worthy of your handmade pens!!
You may want to ship your goodies to yourself rather than carry it all.
(Enabler confession: everyone should have at least as many hobbies as I do!!)
It's a strange way of doing things when you need to go through more checks to buy a train ticket than to purchase an assault rifle and ammo.
I was in Orlando when that happened, about 7 miles away. It was a strange feeling having something so horrific happen so close by and not having any idea it had happened until seeing it on the internet.
I'm glad you made it out to see Chip, looks like it was a good time.
C.W.
This led to the acquisition of crazy woods from all over the planet. Buloke from Oz. Camelthorn from Africa. Cercocarpus ledifolius from long hikes in the hills above town. 30 kinds of wood from the Dalbergia and Swartzia genera.
It also led to the purchase of cheap Chinese carbide cutters (~$4) that were then affixed to homemade turning tools - there wasn't enough time in the day to keep relatively soft steel tools sharp.
Good point about customs restrictions. All I can find is that wood packing material needs to be fumigated and wood from Amazonian forests is prohibited.
I could always say it's a lamp stand.
Check out the last paragraph from the site.
Bringing fruits and vegetables depends on a number of factors. For instance, consider the apple you bought in the foreign airport just before boarding and then did not eat. Whether or not CBP will allow the apple into the United States depends on where you got it and where you are going after you arrive in the United States. The same would be true for Mediterranean tomatoes. Such factors are important because fresh fruits and vegetables can introduce plant pests or diseases into the United States.One good example of problems imported fruits and vegetables can cause is the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak during the 1980s. The outbreak cost the state of California and the federal government approximately $100 million to get rid of this pest. The cause of the outbreak was one traveler who brought home one contaminated piece of fruit. It is best not to bring fresh fruits or vegetables into the United States. However, if you plan to, contact either CBP or check the Permits section on the USDA-APHIS Web site for a general approved list on items that need a permit.Note: The civil penalty for failing to declare agricultural items at U.S. ports of entry will cost first time offenders $300. The penalty for the second violation goes up to $500. To avoid receiving a penalty all agricultural items and present them to Customs and Border Protection for inspection so that an agriculture specialist can determine if it is admissible.
We can make a dugout canoe out of its trunk, and with a couple of bedsheets for sails, we will launch you into lake Erie to sail up the St. Lawrence River and its just a short trip across the big pond.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_expedition
http://hackaday.com/2016/06/21/walnut-windfall-winds-up-in-custom-keyboard/
Today I'm off to the Sensors Expo in San Jose. That's the third expo since I got here. One of which I had to man the stand for.
Yesterday I had to give a presentation. Not something I'm used to. Seemed to go down well. They want us to do more here.
Mike
EDIT: Link cleaned up.
I seem to have a ton more stuff to haul back than I came with, eek.
What to do? Jettison my clothes or the walnut blocks?
I really don't want to have to leave all the swag I got from the Sensors Expo.
Find a bar, find a beer and wait for your plane to be called.
*Please!!! Don't jettison your clothes!!
The boss will pay, I hope, a good proportion of what I have here is work related. Not my new Stars and Stripes underpants, Fry's Propeller Beanie and such mind you.
Found a beer already
Fly safely! (well, ride safely in a closed up container that some unknown is in control of)
Is it a direct flight? San Fransisco to Helsinki or to you get to make lots of stops?
I have a stop in London Gatwick for a few hours. Yuk.
No, just call Jerry. Jerry works for American Cab. But he gave me his direct number and has been driving me around here for days now. Jerry is amazingly polite, friendly and efficient. He has also been very helpful, advising what is good and bad in San Jose. An all round good chap. Saved my bacon a few times. We have been a good team.
Just call Jerry: +14084440073
Here is Jerry picking me up for the drive to the airport just now:
Recent satellite recon of Chip's grove showed a mostly bare field.
Are all the trees gone?