This, that, and the other

[wroughtn_harv]

As you've probably guessed by now we're wanting to do a pen and ink drawing of a wagon using iron for ink.

We've got a ways to go but this is what it looked like tonight when we shut down.

Thanks Mike.

 

[MikeD74T]

but besides the constraint of none of us being artists quote]

Looking at your numerous works it's obvious that you have no artistic talent. Your inability probably parallels Picasso's failure as a house painter. Nothing you've posted is less than amazing. Keep it comin'. MikeD74T

 

[txdon]

Bobby and Mike, thanks for your help and ideas, we will really miss the third set of hands the next few days!
The old wagon wheels we found in the bottom of the junk heap added inspiration and energized the project today. We only have two days left on this project until Harvey and Glenda head north. Tomorrow we will finish the line drawing buckboard on the gate. We also need to add something in the 4' of empty space behind the wagon. Hopefully we will be able to start installing the gate late tomorrow. We also have 128 hand forged green leaves with vines to tack between the two top rails of the entry fence.

Jim, I used the BH to take out the curves in the gate and it worked pretty good. We WERE going to cut up the fence and use the pipe as spokes of the wagon wheels before we found the real wheels. Now the gate lives on with it's little wheel to roll again (but at a different location).

 

[MikeD74T]

Tomorrow we will finish the line drawing buckboard on the gate. We also need to add something in the 4' of empty space behind the wagon.

Keep in mind I'm from New Hampshire & only was only ever in Texas long enough to drive straight across the pan handle, and actually have NO artistic ability, but a silhouette of a horse or steer with a lead tied to the back of the wagon could look pretty cool. Probably just the neck & head coming from the end post ???? Something bent up from round rod ??? MikeD74t

 

[jinman]

Nice job on the buckboard! You added enough extra details to make it really look authentic. I don't know what to add behind the buckboard unless you might do as MikeD74T suggested and put a cow silhouette. I bet you might also do a cowboy and cowgirl silhouette, but that might take away from the wagon. The outline of a cow's head, neck, and shoulders done in iron would probably be about as easy as anything. A prickly pear cactus would work too, but that might be kinda involved to complete in two days.

I still don't understand where the position of the gate will be relative to the cattle guard and how it will tie in. With the wagon wheels, you have to have space for the axle assemblies if your gate rolls on a rail. Those axle areas on the wheels are pretty darn wide. They may have to be trimmed so they don't hit the gate posts. If it will be a swing gate, then all this is a moot point, but as usual, I'm confusing myself by thinking too far ahead about something I don't know anything about.

 

[mikim]

Don - on my way home today I had a thought about what to put behind the buckboard .... a cowboy pushing the thing....just a thought -- by the time you read this - you'll prolly have it done.
Jim -- the wheels this thing runs on are inline and on the bottom and really cool ....they are V'd and run on angle iron -corner up . Picture the angle iron laying with both edges down and the corner sticking up - then these wheels fit right on top straddle of the corner.

 

[pennwalk]

Don,
I'm thinking what's behind a wagon is dust. How about some iron dust rising up from the back of the wagon?

Chris

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's a lunch time update. All is going well.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Every now and then you see something and it causes someone special to come to mind. This morning as I was waiting for Don to do something or another I glanced over and Eddie came to mind.

 

[EddieWalker]

I AM NOT GOING TO OPEN UP THAT PICTURE !!!!

It might be a hose, or a piece of iron that's all twisted, but I'm not taking any chances. Anything that looks like a snake and is seen at Don's Snake Ranch, is probably a SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eddie

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I know its too late but my idea of behind the wagon would've been to have the "tailgate" down and some piglets jumping ship rather than going to market.

Or, you could have had a cowboy loading/unloading something off of a dolly utilizing the famous "little old wheel" for the dolly.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Many years ago, many many even, I met a fella selling minature metal benders similar to my Hossfield benders. He was working off the back of his pickup at First Monday at Canton, Texas. I think I bought two that day.

Riley is now a member of tractorbynet, lives in Pennsylvania, and I understand he no longer makes his benders. The world suffers.

I thought of Riley more than once today watching Texas Don carry one like a kid in a candy shop for the first time. I have two of Riley's benders on the truck most days. The big one I believe he only made a couple of and I use it alot. Anyhow, Riley you are loved. It did my heat good to watch Don use your equipment and have almost as much fun as I had watching him.

Don made a couple of varmints for his gate today in between getting and fetching for me.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

We've had to make some concessions to what would have been real fun, like some of the suggestions you guys have offered for design, because we have time and material constraints. The steel yard is forty five miles away and we were originally planning on being home tomorrow afternoon latest. Ain't going to happen, and that's okay.

One of the things that became obvious immediately was trees had to be part of the gate. Especially when you consider this gate wasn't made in a shop but under some, well shade trees.

Don is going to finish a cardinal in the morning for the gate and I've got to make some cactus for it. Then we're hoping to get it down to the entry way and get it installed and working.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I AM NOT GOING TO OPEN UP THAT PICTURE !!!!

It might be a hose, or a piece of iron that's all twisted, but I'm not taking any chances. Anything that looks like a snake and is seen at Don's Snake Ranch, is probably a SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eddie

Eddie, it's not a snake. It's part of the design but when I saw it in the grass, well, you came to mind. ; > )

 

[TBDonnelly]

Awesome!

Just for fun. Take a picture of TxDon in a seated position. Then photoshop TxDon's picture in the seat of the wagon.

Don

 

[txdon]

Today was one of those days that fly by when your having so much fun. Every once in a while I would stop to think that it really does not get better than this! Harvey and I were both on a roll, Harvey was busy putting in the trees with one bender and I was using the other to bend the the animals. To my surprise they actually looked like they were supposed to look, guess some of Harvey's luck rubbed off.

Tomorrow is the last day and the gate will be installed as soon as the cardinal and cactus are made and welded on. We then will move the gate to the front entrance and Harvey will install the railings and automatic opener. It will be a busy last day.

Below is a picture of our end of day dinner on the deck. The dutch barn in the back was Bobby's guest house, an idea that came from Coyote here on TBN. The cover on the deck was my winter project. I was thinking of Eddie Walker when I built the rafters and how he said that they were hard to build in the air, he was right.

TBdonnelly, that sounds like a fun thing to do, and then we could also put some pigs in the back!

Edit, Oh one quick question, I can't remember, and I don't see a wild rabbit tonight, but when a the cottontail sits can you see it's tail?

 

[jinman]

You guys are having entirely too much fun. The gate is lookin' terrific. I know it is trees in the background, but if you disregard the trunks, it almost looks like mountains. Pretty cool!

Don, I do think you can see a bunny's tail when it is sitting, but it is tucked in pretty well under its rump as you can see in the game cam picture attached.

Good luck finishing up your gate. You and Harvey sure have a lot to be proud of for your week's accomplishment.

 

[ronjhall]

Every now and then you see something and it causes someone special to come to mind. This morning as I was waiting for Don to do something or another I glanced over and Eddie came to mind.

The gate sure looks great. Can't wait to try it out on our next trip to TX.
Since you brought up Eddie and those terrible things a Don's place. I have to show you guys what happens around the great lakes this time of year. Picture was taken at a marina in Sandusky, OH.

 

[txdon]

We are starting off flying this morning, first with the cardinal.

 

[EddieWalker]

Don,

The animals are loooking great. In fact, they REALLY LOOK GREAT!!!!! You have a skill there that's very impressive.

Are you going to be doing any rock work?

Eddie