Brooms and Boxes

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:53 pm

Built a broom making machine and made some Shaker boxes.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:16 pm

Lenn: WOW, WOW, WOW!
I used to see a guy in Colonial-era clothing with a broom-making machine at some of the antique tractor and engine shows back in Oregon. It was fascinating to watch the process. I sure do miss a real "broom-corn broom" like I grew up with. This synthetic stuff is just garbage in comparison.
Your Shaker boxes are amazing. Do you use a thickness planer to get your stock down to the proper thickness to bend so beautifully? Use steam? What species of wood. Dang it, man, you just keep knocking the ball out of the park! Keep it up, amigo.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:14 pm

Amazing

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:51 pm

Awesomeness!!!

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:54 pm

Very nice, Lenn. You certainly have a knack for coming up with practical and beautiful creations.

Thanks!

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:33 am

WOW, Lenn you have fantastic talent for not only coming up with fresh ideas but actually making them come to life....

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 6:59 am

Thanks Gents appreciated, I used oak for the boxes cut on the table saw from a 2x4 the thickness varied from 1/6 to 1/8th then put in a tray of water heated to 180 degrees for about 30 minutes.
The broom is the first try yesterday and with everything is a learning curve so not perfect, there is one pound of broom corn in it.
I ordered two pounds and of coarse only one bundle showed up so at a stand still with that.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 7:06 am

Lenn, sure would love to see a Youtube of your broom machine in operation.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:59 am

Bill in Oregon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 7:06 am Lenn, sure would love to see a Youtube of your broom machine in operation.

Sorry Bill it would be too long a video it would take six months to up load it with my slow internet.

This is the video i`ve been following.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQaOy3s-sbU

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:43 am

More Awesome stuff! Thanks Pard.

.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 11:27 am

Thanks buddy.

piller · Post by **piller** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 7:57 pm

Very cool. Those boxes look to be as handy as a pocket on a shirt.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:10 pm

gamekeeper wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:33 am WOW, Lenn you have fantastic talent for not only coming up with fresh ideas but actually making them come to life....

Bingo!

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 6:54 am

Thanks fellers, gotta do something to stay sane in this crazy world.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:41 am

Boy, the guy in that Youtube sure knows how to use that machine. I'll bet that wire is tight and strong enough to cut off a finger!

Old No7 · Post by **Old No7** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:53 am

Pitchy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 6:54 am Thanks fellers, gotta do something to stay sane in this crazy world.

That is really awesome Lenn!

I just went to a Colonial Trade Show a few weekends ago and both of those would have been a big hit.

You are super clever with a capital "C" and really talented with a capital "T" for sure!

And -- your posts help keep us sane too!

Old No7

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 1:28 pm

Thanks guys, yep that guy in the vid. is good at it alright.

What`s a broom without a dust pan, made these today.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 9:00 pm

Awesome!

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:08 am

Thanks pard.

Today we made some broom handles out of oak, semi square should be nice after stained.
They want ten bucks each at the store so works for me.

piller · Post by **piller** » Sat Apr 15, 2023 4:20 pm

As hard and long lasting as Oak is, those should last forever.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 12:28 pm

Thanks piller, i have ten pounds of broomcorn coming so stay tuned for updates with the new handles.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 2:24 pm

I can't look at those brooms without thinking of " Tom and Jerry ".......the one I had in the woodshed worked better than any other sort of broom too....

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 4:46 pm

Nothing sweeps like a broom corn broom, especially these garbage synthetics ...

JOG · Post by **JOG** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 5:33 pm

Excellent craftsmanship!

lthardman · Post by **lthardman** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 5:44 pm

Great looking stuff. Nothing beats a good corn broom IMO.

piller · Post by **piller** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 9:36 pm

I have one. Had it 20 years or more, and it still works great.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:29 am

Thanks guys, still waiting for the new broomcorn to get here.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Tue Apr 18, 2023 8:45 am

Pitchy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:29 am Thanks guys, still waiting for the new broomcorn to get here.

never heard of broomcorn in all my days!!! IDK Why . . . when i was growing up we ate corn, but didn't grow it. I'd like to see pictures of the raw material . . . thanks Lenn

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue Apr 18, 2023 10:05 am

https://www.ruralsprout.com/broom-corn/

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Tue Apr 18, 2023 7:41 pm

that's encouraging Pitchy... i might try it. everything i try turns brown, so maybe if i plant something that is Supposed to be brown . . . . .

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu Apr 20, 2023 2:32 pm

This is a 5 lb. bundle of broomcorn.

Made another broom which didn`t turn out as good as the first one, learn as ya go i recon

piller · Post by **piller** » Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:16 pm

I would think that it still works.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 6:17 am

Thanks piller, it works fine just not s good shape.

Rube Burrows · Post by **Rube Burrows** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:26 am

Pretty cool as always.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:01 am

Thanks Rube, made this one this morning best one so far.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 2:32 pm

Likin' that one Lenn.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 3:13 pm

Thanks BIll gotta tidy up the to where it ends on the handle, we`re getting there.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 3:20 pm

Looking good buddy.....

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 3:58 pm

Thanks John.
I`m going to remake the wire tensioner tomorrow so it keeps more of a even tension on it.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:11 am

Lenn, is the ratcheted wheel in the first photo up top part of the tensioning system for winding the wire? Still trying to dope out how that rig works.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:40 am

The ratchet wheel just winds the wire there`s a separate tension device which isn`t working like it should.
I`m going to try making another type today, i`ll post pictures later today

piller · Post by **piller** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:26 am

It might not be as good as you want it to be, but I cannot find any reason as to why it would not work perfectly well for sweeping the floor.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 10:46 am

Here is the new tensioner the wire wraps around the top pulley and the white strap wraps around the shaft and a weight is hugn on the lower stick for adjustment.
Seems to work pretty good time will tell.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 5:46 pm

Lenn, you are about the smartest natural-born "figure-outer" I have ever known.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:43 pm

Don`t know about that Bill but thanks.
Tomorrow i`m going to see if i can incorporate a kick wheel so i have both hands to work the broomcorn.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:10 pm

Got the kick wheel done, have to try it making a broom yet but as of now it winds the wire good.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:32 pm

NICE ! You're an engineer if I ever met one . . .

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 1:28 pm

Thanks Grizz, should make it easier to use.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:33 pm

Took all the kick wheel stuff off, it worked but with my bum hips i couldn`t run it.
Removed all the friction parts and run the wire only on the upper tensioner which works great, made a few more brooms that turned out great.
So that`s the end of this story thanks for all the kind comments.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:41 pm

You're one amazing fella Lenn...... your brooms look too good to get dirty....