[TheForge] morning, coal, and baskets

[Dave Brown]

It's a fine morning here in Green Bay.  I've got a fresh load of good 
Pocahontas #3 coal in the bin and it's just beggin' to be used.  With a 
high temp forecast at 55F, I think it will be a good day to be a blacksmith.

My plans are to get started on a blanket chest, or maybe a little smaller, 
combining forged steel and hand made natural fiber ropes.  I have a goodly 
supply of sisal, jute and hemp (no, not the smoking kind) twines to make 
the rope from.  For the basket I'm thinking of having the steel exposed at 
corners and edges and hinges with the rope woven as the weft over and under 
1/4" rnd rods as the warp.  I'll need to figure the weaving pattern, how 
I'll combine the different fibers and whether to make "Z" twist or "S" 
twist rope or maybe use both for a herringbone effect.  For the handles 
I'll probably use both rope and steel.

Anyway, should be an interesting day.  I wonder how much I'll actually get 
done.  Got a lot of thinking and planning to do for the stuff I've got in 
my mind.

Dave Brown

I live in my own little world.
But it's ok, they know me here.