Timothy Miller Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I see your point Alan, I do avoid plastic as much as I can though, spacificaly with things around the forge. I don't like to use the files single handly but it can't be helped at times. For example on a railing where you can't fit your arm through the infill. I will only use metal garbage cans and metal storage bins on the shop floor that way if there is a fire it wll be safely contained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 My 20x60 shop has zero wood in it's construction in the first half and in the second half it has only 4 utility pole uprights and 2x6 buried along the perimeter to hold the dirt floor in place. As my glasses are plastic lensed I don't worry about a couple of file handles in a 1200 sq foot shop. (though with my wife being a spinster I already have the "natural fibers for clothing" bit down pat!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 . (though with my wife being a spinster ...) Thomas, After reading your posts for what is now years, I, we all know that your wife spins, that she is a spinner. In this context, I must assume that spinster is some archaic form of spinner otherwise there might be a difficulty in understanding what you may want to convey ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I always have assumed it was (and appreciated it as) Thomas' little joke. I was told or read somewhere that it was reckoned seven spinners were required to produce enough yarn to keep one weaver going. These were all women who had no children to look after and were able to put in the time. The term spinster meaning unmarried woman was thus derived I guess. Interesting why the "st" was put in, nothing similar comes to mind immediately apart from your teamster. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 It's from the old gender based nouns: Actor-Actress, Brewer-Brewster, Hammer-Hamster (for real!), as the oldest unmarried woman in the house was in charge of spinning for the family's use of the term changed; sort of like linens are now almost all poly-cotton...So yes I'm married to a spinster; we're a steel-wool couple. As a spinner is a male who spins; our children are quite happy that I married to a spinster. (Yes the language has changed and the old gender based noun variants are disappearing fast. Since I like both old things and old language I will continue to use the archaic forms when possible and laugh at the hidden joke in Monty Python and the Holy Grail----"Your Mother was a hamster!") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Interesting to read about how that goo in the golf ball hurt your eyes, Dodge. That's powerful stuff. I believe it's the heavy sap from the gutta percha tree. Those elastic-wound balls were known as gutta perchas, and they were fun to unwrap. They unwrapped themselves as you got closer to the liquid core. We have them growing in our area of Northern Australia and to cut a green tree with a chainsaw is frought with danger if the sap gets near your eyes. Dry gutta percha is Ok though and it's a nice chocolate-coloured grainy timber, excellent for turning. A google search revealed How it Works: Science and Technology Vol 16 said the rubber band windings were made from the white milky latex sap from the gutta percha (and other latex producing trees) and the liquid centers were a mix of fine clay, water and glycerine, (this gives the ball the bulk of its weight) Also, Golfsmith.com said, "Contrary to golf folklore, the liquid cores aren’t dangerous. Titleist, for example, has used a salt water and corn syrup blend." Probably why I was only temporarily blinded :D I cut through the windings of that one but I do remember them unwinding themselves after you got closer to the center core :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 So we are learning lots of interesting things on this thread. Well done OP! A google search on Spinster found this link which has an interesting quote from the OED. Post no. 15. http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/forums/viewthread/445/P0/ Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Alan, I also meant it as a joke, the "..." was meant to convey the tong in cheek. Thomas, Before writing I did research the term. I enjoyed finding out that you had used an archaic form. Like you, being archaic I enjoy the use of such words or passé ways of speaking. Here in Quebec there are quite a few old forms that we use. It is understandable in view of the fact that in 1763, when the king of France exchanged us and most of North America (ah! lobyists!) to the English for the sugar of the islands, our links to France were completely cut out. So we did keep ways of saying things that are now considered archaic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Yves, I thought/knew you meant it lightheartedly, but I wanted an excuse to pontificate about the seven spinners! If I was really being po faced and pedantic I would have picked Thomas up on referring to them as gender based nouns when we all know he meant to say gender based verbs.... But I am not a pedantic person so I won't mention it... :) Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 a spinster is a woman who spins------counts as a noun to me but I'm not terribly picky as most of the "rules" postdate the times I research in anyway...now if I had married a brewster I probably wouldn't ever get any smithing done! I leave for Quad-State in a couple of hours so I'll be dropping off---remember to eschew obfuscation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Ah! Grammar and the archeology of nouns highjacking a thread on blacksmithing. How deviant and all Powers' fault, again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Oops! verb based nouns, but you know what I meant. Lucky I was not being pedantic or I would really have egg on my face now. :) I trust you have a good time at Quad-state... whatever that is. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Oops! verb based nouns, but you know what I meant. Lucky I was not being pedantic or I would really have egg on my face now. :)I trust you have a good time at Quad-state... whatever that is.AlanAlan, it's an event I've dreamt of attending I believe is even better than the NWBA 'fire on the mountain' (which is awesome btw.)Lots of old smiths(you may be able to relate :) ) spreading bs (er.. lore) seems like great fun, maybe we should go next year?Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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