| Project by DAN | posted 123 days ago | 345 views | 1 time favorited | 11 comments |  |
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A few days back another lumberjock (mr woody) posted a nice back scratcher. My wife the Peggster saw it and let me know it was a must have.
I saved the previous posting to my favorites … and well after about an hour in the shop here it is.
Made from Memphis “Martin Luther King” cherry.
Finish is seedlac shellac.
Started with a 1×1 x 20-something cherry offcut. Sketched out the squigglie shape with a black sharpie.
Bandsaw, tape, and belt sander are the primary tools used.
Sanded to 400 grit.
Teeth on scratcher formed with dremel..
wood story … for those who have read it before it is ok to skip this part
About 12 years ago we lived in Bartlett, Tennessee which is a suburb of Memphis. In the Sunday paper we noticed a classified ad for cherry and walnut lumber @ a dollar a board foot. Never missing a wood bargain, we called, got directions and drove into southern Memphis to take a look at it. Seller met us at an old shed across the street from an old church. Shed was stuffed with rough-cut boards of cherry and walnut. Dusty, and undisturbed for many years it really looked like a mess. Not to go home empty handed my son and I dug through the pile of lumber, finding the best of the bunch. We came up with pretty big pile, about 140 bft.
When the seller was helping us load the wood into the pickup he told us about the wood. The trees came from accross the street and once were on the grounds of the Babtist Church. He said he was the minister of the church and the trees were blown down many years earlier by a tornado. When we were about done loading he told us the trees were special, .... special because Martin Luther King had once visited the church and prayed while under the trees. Story stuck to the wood and has followed it everywhere since. I made many items from that lumber, a shaker clock, a chair, dresser, boxes, cutting boards for the save the children event and now a gift for the Peggster.
If interested in seeing more items made from this cherry, take a look at my project gallery.
Regards
DAN
-- a legend in my own mind ...
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11 comments so far
Lakey
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100 posts in 161 days
posted 123 days ago
Wow – great, great story about the wood. Got a sliver you can send this way?
-- "No Board Left Behind"
Scott Bryan
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7771 posts in 211 days
posted 123 days ago
Very interesting and useful project, Dan.
I had not read the story before (I have been trying to get to the posts I have not reviewed but there simply isn’t enough time to get them done it seems). Thanks for posting it again. I actually feel that the story, when there is one, is just as important as the piece itself.
Thanks.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
GaryK
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8183 posts in 377 days
posted 123 days ago
Great job, Dan and great story. Make me itch just looking at it.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
MrWoody
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146 posts in 163 days
posted 123 days ago
Nice back scratcher. You obviously spent more time on yours than I did mine. Mind you I was supposed to be sanding another project, when I got the itch to make mine. ;^)
Oh ya neat story about your wood too.
-- If we learn from our mistakes, I'm getting a fantastic education.
Blake
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1802 posts in 263 days
posted 122 days ago
Pretty cool, Dan. I like the free-form shaping/sculpting.
-- Dust collectors suck.
cajunpen
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5256 posts in 454 days
posted 122 days ago
Dan this project is on par with the rest of your work – outstanding. It’s also a very functional piece, especially for someone with an itchy back.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
Dadoo
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1398 posts in 379 days
posted 122 days ago
That’s one wicked lookin’ backscratcher Dan! Looks like something right out of Harry Potter! Nice one!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
rikkor
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6465 posts in 263 days
posted 122 days ago
That’s neat. I like anything with a “man-sized” grip. I like anything where the wood has a story, too.
-- Maplewood, MN
DAN
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2584 posts in 372 days
posted 122 days ago
Thanks for the nice comments. Never thought about the Harry Potter linkage, but now that I look at it, guess it hooks into that genre. The squiggle design is an offshoot of some mahogany spoon handles I made about 5 years ago. Sort of a sloppy rope spiral thingy.
-- a legend in my own mind ...
Jimboe
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58 posts in 139 days
posted 117 days ago
Love the story dan . The back scratcher is awesome looking great imagination ..then again all your stuff looks awesome .
Robb
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308 posts in 323 days
posted 116 days ago
Right on, Dadoo! That does look very Potter-esque!
Seriously, I like the organic nature of the squiggly shape. Very cool!
-- Robb