Wood Stories

[Claude]

Not to ruin a good story by showing that it's true, but...

http://www.woodworkweb.com/index.php...=4&func=fb_pdf
Toys, Making a Whammy Diddle

Claude

[Clifford_Parker]

I use an interesting story I picked up early in my research to help sell woodspirit sticks.

Many early European cultures considered all things to have spirits from the rock and animals to the trees of the forests. Good things happened because of good or guardian spirits and bad things happened because of bad or evil spirits. Since the largest and oldest trees of a forest must, because of their age and size, contain the oldest and wisest spirits hunters going into a forest would tap on these trees to awaken the spirit and ask it to watch over them as they hunted. From this we get the expression "knock on wood" for good luck.

[Paul_Guraedy]

I love the "hooey" story which may be explains where we get the Cajun cry of "iiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee" that's heard often when the music gets hot.

Certainly your post is not insulting. Until I left the swamps, I thought that only Cajuns and Texans existed in stories and jokes. Then I found out that they really started with other characters and had been "adapted" to the acceptable norm.

Mah frien's, down dare on da bahyou we use da actual name for ourselves "Coonass". Now, this started as uh insultin name from da Texicans. But we liked it and turned it into somethin good. Besides, everone down here knows the diffrance 'tween a Coonass and a Horsesass is the Sabine River (happens to the the La/TX border).

I will pour a libation from the story cup to you my frien' and plan on (actually can't help) drinking from it often.

[AlArchie]

That story cup is best used while sitting around a campfire on a starry night. A night just cool enough that folks are sitting in fairly close to the fire to take the chill off, but not too close.

In summer I usually have a can of pop, Coke or 7-up, crack it open and pour it into the cup a while before the story gets going. I'll finish that off, then get another "prepared" can from my pocket or pack, crack that and pour it into the cup. This can has been pre-loaded with straight rubbing alcohol (not for drinking). About then, I'll pretend to take a few sips, then start the "Story Cup" line and at the end dump or toss the contents of the cup into the fire! (great blue green flare up with lots of red-orange sparks going airborn) NOW THAT IV'E GOT THEIR ATTENTION!!!!!

It's time for the story.


You could use a cup of coffee and a thremos full of fuel for a winter campfire, too.

Al

[Claude]

If you're throwing/pouring liquid fuel into a fire, don't use gasoline or white gas. Gasoline burns fast enough, the flame can run right up the fuel stream and into the container! Diesel, kerosene are much better as they burn slower.

Claude

[AlArchie]

Claude, I think I specified rubbing alcohol......that stuff is usually only 70% alcohol and 30%water, so there really isn't any chance of that type flashback, but you are right......gasoline, white gas, or other volatile hydrocarbons are OUT......I wouldn't even use kerosene or diesel, as that "story cup" is also my drinking cup.

I'll even be a bit mor specific.....isopropyl alcohol, from the pharmacy.

Good point, Claude!

Al

[mikes334]

I would also suggest rubbing alcohol. It works really nicely.