Prairie Bench Life

Gold Pocket Watch Found

by Prairie Bench0

Metal detecting near an old farmhouse revealed several treasures including a tractor part, an old bent nail, two cabinet hinges, a tin can lid, some foil, and… a Gold Pocket Watch!

Ever seeking fun old things, one of our carvers discovered this cache near the remains of an old farmhouse in an abandoned site. The watch was located within 5 minutes approx. 6″ below the surface. The tractor part was beneath a tree root and had to be extracted to avoid damaging the tree.

The tractor part could be a hitch or a cleat to steady a backhoe.

The watch appears to be gold plated, with corrosion now appearing from beneath the plating. It looks to be a member of the Waltham product line, a US manufacturer, circa 1925. No restoration plans are in order, the find was fun enough, and the tractor part now rests in a place of prominence in a small garden.

A small glass goblet was also found. Unfortunately, it was cracked. It would have been fun to use it to toast the find.

The metal was detected with a Radio Shack Discovery 1000 on the high setting.

On-Site Guest

by Prairie Bench0

While working on a walking staff, one of the carvers had a guest. This three year old black bear munched on hazelnuts that had fallen from a tree, while the human whittled. Both more or less ignored each other. (The photographer was a little more nervous, so the pictures are a bit blurry.)

The bear eventually wandered off into the meadow and the carver wandered back to the woodshop. Bears are more frequent at the end of the season. We let them do their own thing and they don’t disturb us. It’s a relaxed work setting for all parties concerned.

PrairieBench.com on Location

by Prairie Bench2

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Prairiebench.com is looking after a second site. Surrounded by a Ponderosa pine ecological preserve and across the street from a provincial park. We are taking down the standing deadwood and reducing the fire hazard, picking quality samples to use in future designs.

The site is situated in its valley with a meadow, extensive pine, fir, aspen, and cedar stands. Juniper, kinnickinnick, wildflowers, and wild strawberries cover the ground. This is the northernmost reaches of the Ponderosa pine belt and a protected area. Residents include local squirrels, chipmunks, ravens, grouse, whiskeyjacks, wolf, possible cougar (see paw print next to axe), wild horses, big horn sheep, deer, elk, bear, and moose.

It’s a diverse and rugged location and we were humbled by the opportunity to access select pieces of character wood for our clients. We may add amenities and offer friends and patrons a breathtaking retreat for creative pursuits, snow sports, hiking, and a chance to escape in a unique natural environment. It’s in the ‘magic triangle’ between the ‘center of the universe’ at Vidette, the ‘origin of life’ in Pavilion Lake, and the doorstep to the Chilcotin Plateau. This is the wild west.

Soon we’ll be showcasing new projects using blue timber and more of our weathered plank furniture. We’ll also enjoy touring the region for reclaimed samples and select barnwood from past eras. We’re always collecting antique iron and old fixtures to incorporate in our ideas. Check back for updates.

 

Hand Carved Wooden Crest

by Prairie Bench0

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Take a look at the progress of a hand carved wooden crest for the Family O’Leary. It’s part of a promo we’re doing at a new store in town.

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Also… we put together an ‘ancient’ spruce wooden crest. First a sketch with ye ol carpenter’s pencil. Then rough out the shapes with a sharp chisel, then get fancy with a grinding wheel and some carving knives. We used spruce planks and didn’t plane them for a rough, hewn look. Next, we’ll cut the final shape, burn the edges, throw in some sword gouges and four hundred years of weather. Crests are fun to do because we learn something about the family history. This includes a sword and gantlet, crown, helmet, three masted ship, the crest, plumage, and a red lion. Check back to see the final piece when we’ve aged it and added a few battles.