Brass Fittings from Hinges

Spent the day making up more of the hardware needed on the couta boat from a couple of old brass hinges. Items included gudgeon for the rudder and a prop.

Test fitting the rudder attachments

Mad up a little mandrel to hold the prop parts for soldering

Spear and Jackson Back Saw

For a long time I have wanted a nice back saw for detailed dovetail work and have over the past 12 months  picked up lots of them at garage sales, and rejected them all - too rusty, bent blade, missing teeth, broken handle etc. If I had found the right one I would have been prepared to pay well. But none turned up ---- until today at the market (and can you believe it ) hiding under a thick coating of grime on the 3 for $5 table, a beautiful tittle Spear and Jackson back saw.  Yooohooo!!!!

Garage Sales

This morning was fruitful. The little hammer ( I think it is a cobblers hammer) has such great balance when I picked it up - just had to have it, After a rub on the wire wheel the handle-less chisel on the left turned out to be a Berg. How cool is that?

On the right of the picture there are several wooden handled tools.
Far Right is a little patented cobblers awl .

Next is a Ward Bros cutter.
On the blade it reads: Ward Bros Cutlers, then some indistinguishable word(s?). Researching, I found the following:
 CUTLERY. 
WARD BROS.
ESTABLISHED 1855. CUTLERS.

WARD BROS. ARE THE OLDEST-ESTABLISHED CUTLERS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

Address 144 SWANSTON ST. NEAR TOWN HALL. 

Next is a little wooden handled screwdriver.

Next again a little knife inscribed: I.P.Hyde. REG US PAT OFF. Made in USA. 

Couta Boat build moves ahead

This is a former I made up to bend the timber for the cockpit combing

Deck frames removed to show where the combing will be inserted

Half of the combing fitted

Three drop pulley system for the centerboard

Brass cap for the bowsprit made from brass

Combing finished fitting but not sanded and faired

The Couta boat and Whitehall 14' skiff together

A few additions to the Couta Boat build include installing the combing around the cockpit (made from kari); an engine cover box (capped with Black Heart Sassafras) ; a bowsprit (in Cyprus Pine) with brass bow fitting made up from an old tap and a brass door hinge; and double and triple block system for raising and lowering the centreboard.

Owen Finds Strawberrys in August

When Owen comes to visit his first task is to check the strawberry boxes for any strawbs. He was in lock, even though it is August, there were strawberrys hiding amongst the leaves. They cost me 44c each at the supermarket, but it was worth it.

Each 

Shipwright's Adze

A very lucky find on the weekend - a beautiful shipwright's adze. The old guy who sold it to me explained that in timber constructions he used it to hammer wooden securing pegs in and then reverse it to use the adze to shear off the remainder of the peg.
As a tool they are rarely used today, primarily superseded by mechanical saws. This is a link to how to care for your adze.
http://corvusboats.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/shipwrights-adze-sharpening-and-care_13.html

Couta Boat Progresses

Beef Stroganoff

My latest recipe. YUM. I think I will use full strength cream next time.

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
500g rump steak, cut across the grain into thin strips
1 medium brown onion, cut into thin wedges
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g mushroom flats, sliced
2 tsp cornflour
1 250g carton sour light cream
2 tbs tomato paste
125mls (1/2 cup) beef stock
2 tbs finely chopped fresh continental parsley
400g dried fettuccine pasta

Method
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Add 1/2 the steak and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until just cooked. Remove from wok. Repeat with another 2 tsp of oil and remaining steak. Remove from wok.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to wok. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
Combine cornflour, sour cream and tomato paste in a bowl. Add to wok with stock and stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Return steak to wok and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until steak is just heated through. Stir in parsley.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in pan of salted boiling water, following packet directions; until al dente. Drain. Serve with beef stroganoff.
Notes
For the kids: stroganoff and pasta - chop pasta and add to stroganoff.

Keep warm this winter with our selection of casseroles, slow cooker recipes, soup recipes and pasta bakes.


Source
Australian Good Taste - July 1998
Australian Good Taste - July 1998, Page 92
Recipe by Alison Turner