Well,,,, Me Buddy Ping & I went shopping today. As I said before,,, Me Buddy Ping is a master carpenter that has been at it just as long as myself. He played a huge part in the building of the Tall Ship The spirit Of South Carolina milling most of the timbers on a Wood Mizer Sawmill like the one I owned when I built my Lil Chappel. I introduced him to my Lil Sawmill & Wood Mizer donated one for the construction of the ship of wich "Ping" (David) over saw most of the construction of!!
You guys that were here for my first Fun Shoot met my Buddy Ping & know him. He was gone on a 2 week trip to China during my last Shoot. Anyway,, we went to Pings favorite hardwood supply distributor today to get me a single pc of walnut. In the wharehouse we met up with "Matt",, super nice guy. We told him what I wanted & what the wood was for. He qiuckly moved a bunch of lumber & brought us out some walnut. He noticed my GTA shirt & began asking questions??
Turns out he is a hunter/gun lover hiself!! He started telling me about some adult airguns he had heard of but did not know much about them but was interested as he has a pest problem in his yard. He asked me: You know anything about em Tim??,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Ping & I looked at each other & SMILED!!!!!
OH BOY!!!!! Lotsa talk!! Matt says hold on,,, I will be right back. He comes back with a huge load of some kind of exotic wood I never heard of. He starts flipping thru it & says: Tim,,,, grab this one & help me carry it outside so we can look at it. We carry it out & look at it & he says this is nice. He then puts it in my stack with my walnut/maple Im buying??
I tell Ping,,,, I know the guy is tryin ta help but I CANNOT afford this!! I dont even know what that wood is but I DO KNOW a 8/4" X 12" X 13 ft board AINT cheap!! Ping says: Dont worry Buddy,,, I will put it on my card & you can pay me back later. So,,,, We go in to pay the invoice & MAN,,,,,,, was cheap!!!!!
Come to find out,,, Matt we think is the owner. When we come back out to load up the stack has grown while we were inside!! Now there is an 8/4" X 10" X 11 ft pc of HIGHLY figured Cherry in my stack!! WOW!!!!
Matt says,, I thought you may like that too!! He asked for in return: # 1,, Bring in a stock or 2 when I finish them for him to look at as he may want one made for hiself. #2,,, bring a few of my airguns so he can check them out as he thinks he wants one or two hiself!!
#3: He likes BEER!!!!!!! (What a coincedence!!!!!!)
It gets better,, he says Tim,,,, I been hunting all my life & have a nice collection of guns myself,,, I would really like you help with the whole airgun thing & I know what kind of wood you are looking for. Best part,,,, Tim he says,,, most of my customers want all straight grained lumber for cabinets & furnature. I KNOW you want highly figured lumber for stocks,,, I will start collecting some for you,,,,,,, just remember to bring some of your guns up here & I drink Budwieser Beer!!
LIFE IS GOOD!!!!! I also managed to bring home some other goodies today for my new drill press "Mr Bob" got me to get started on some custom scratch built stocks. Im sure poor Pings card is maxed out now!!
They wanted $65 at my local cabinet shop to plane down my lumber,,,, I AINT payin that!! Darn shame I wore out my old De-Walt planer on Me Chappell & on all the trim materials for my Mom & Dads house.
Of well,,,, I have a way of "Run What Ya Brung"!! My new "Shop" is an 8 ft X 40 ft shipping container,, complete with a new de-humidifyer!! I will be up & running real soon Folks,,,,,,,,,,, stand by!!!!!!
Tim.
