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Dade County pine, abalone, and African blackwood - needs finish

L

LJS

Now just for a finish on it and then ready for a knot. The Dade County pine came from my great-grandfather’s homestead house he built in Homestead, FL as an original homesteader. Beams from the home were salvaged back in 90/91 after Hurricane Andrew destroyed it.

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Dr. Lee J Simmons on Instagram

5 likes, 0 comments - theplant_dr on May 19, 2024
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Keto

Keto

So is Homestead FL the location, did he also Homestead as an original land owner from the government?
That's pretty cool to have something made from the past of your great grandfather's, I can appreciate that.
 
L

LJS

Keto said:
So is Homestead FL the location, did he also Homestead as an original land owner from the government?
That's pretty cool to have something made from the past of your great grandfather's, I can appreciate that.
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Yes, he was a bona fide homesteader down there with lands from the government. There were a number of requirements the gov placed on homesteaders and quite a few did not make it and he was able to pick up those properties as they defaulted. Most of the property was sold off over the years but some is still owned by my relatives. Last time I drove by, the main part of the property was a big ornamental plant nursery. Back in the mid-90's my grandfather made jewelry boxes from beams salvaged out of the home for all the grandkids that we each received as wedding presents. The homes were all built from local materials back by the homesteaders. Dade County pine is a very weird pine that grows in a coral-rock "soil" and has extremely tight rings and more like working with a hardwood or lighter-pine (fat pine). I used to help my grandfather milling boards from the old home beams and my job was to have a sponge soaked in gasoline to clean the moving bandsaw blade to get the pitch off LOL! I counted the rings on my beam once and got around 250 years if I recall and it wasn't even enough to count the whole tree....plus it was cut over 100 years ago....so lots of history and sentiment too.



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Keto

Keto

Oh yeah okay I understand thanks for clarifying that.
That's amazing you were able to count that many rings. If that tree or being either one could have told stories I bet it seen some things.
That's Great that you're doing some wood working with that Same wood.
Makes you feel just how insignificant we are in the world and how short our time is.
 
Rico Suave

Rico Suave

LJS said:
Now just for a finish on it and then ready for a knot. The Dade County pine came from my great-grandfather’s homestead house he built in Homestead, FL as an original homesteader. Beams from the home were salvaged back in 90/91 after Hurricane Andrew destroyed it.

www.instagram.com

Dr. Lee J Simmons on Instagram

5 likes, 0 comments - theplant_dr on May 19, 2024
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com

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Very cool, thank you for sharing this. I was living in Delray Beach when Andrew came through, fled to Tampa for the duration. I drove to Miami a week after the storm and was floored by the sheer devastation I saw along the way. It is gratifying to see some value taken back from that destruction. That is a special brush indeed.
 
L

LJS

Rico Suave said:
I drove to Miami a week after the storm and was floored by the sheer devastation I saw along the way.
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It was one that you almost had to see first hand to understand. Completely flat town - it was hard to even figure out where you were driving around because all road signs and landmarks were simply gone.
 
lancre

lancre

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