Milling About at Home: Bernd Krause

Posted on July 21, 2020July 21, 2020 by admin

Bernd Krause, who exhibits at Woodsmen’s Festivals and other Hanford Mills events, writes about his work building musical instruments.

“Not a lot has changed for me during this pandemic. I spend pretty much all day every day in my shop building dulcimers, ukuleles and other instruments. This year has been particularly busy. I do miss going out to dinner with my wife and seeing the local bands perform.”

Krause said that dulcimer groups on Facebook are a good resource for him, putting him in touch with people who want to order instruments.

“Patience is very important, as many of the items I needed to complete the instruments came from all over the country and many states totally shut down. Things like tuners and some custom parts I was unable get for a while which slowed down or stopped progress on several instruments.”

“Although I enjoy bringing my instruments to Hanford Mills for people to see and learn about, I really enjoy bringing my springpole treadle lathe and shaving horse to demonstrate. I feel it fits in better with atmosphere at Hanford Mills. Hopefully next year I will be able to bring them again.”

We hope so too Bernd!

Bernd at his springpole treadle lathe at Hanford Mills

Bernd’s shaving horse and springpole treadle lathe on display at Hanford Mills.

As far as musical instruments at Hanford Mills, there is a piano in the Hanford House that once belonged to Horace Hanford. The piano was donated to HMM by Ron and Grace Kent. The piano was sold by L.A. Babcock in Norwich, NY (inscribed on lid over keys) and it was made by Ivers and Ponds Piano Co, Boston in 1888.

Milling About at Home: Daniel Deysenroth

Posted on July 9, 2020July 13, 2020 by admin

“I have been working on expanding my antique engine collection and bringing a couple of recent acquisitions back into running condition. The one I just finished is a 1934 Maytag Multi-Motor which originally powered a wringer washing machine. I completely disassembled the engine, cleaned, painted, and reassembled it. After quite a bit of tinkering and adjusting, the little engine starts and pops along just like it did over 85 years ago.”

“These antique engines were made in an era when machines were built to last. It always amazes me how easily (relatively speaking) an engine that looks like a rusty hunk of metal, can be brought back to life. Broken parts often have to be fixed or fabricated by hand, but there are a surprising number of replacements that can be found online and on eBay. YouTube is very helpful to watch videos of other people restoring antique engines.”

“Before” photos of the Maytag Multi-Motor

“I have been visiting Hanford Mills since I was a young kid and the mechanical workings of the mill have always interested me. My grandfather was on the Board of Directors in the early years of the museum, so we went many times back then. I began collecting antique engines about three years ago and have exhibited at the Dan Rion Antique Engine Jamboree the last two years.”

Hanford Mills Museum has a variety of gas and steam engines in its collection, including this 1936 John Deere hit and miss gasoline engine.

The Hanfords installed this Fairbanks gasoline engine in the Mill in 1910 to power a dynamo that generated DC electricity for the Mill and nearby residents.

Milling About at Home: Luke Murphy

Posted on June 25, 2020 by admin

Luke Murphy, Education Coordinator, talks about reading up on the World Wars.

“I have always loved to read. For several years now, I have been fascinated by the World Wars. With the exception of a very limited number of countries, the whole world was engulfed in conflict. I am always trying to find lessons from the past and I believe we have a lot to learn from this terrifying period of time. I even have my trust research assistant, Rey, to help me!”

“The Pacific War by John Costello has been a great, one stop source of information and sources. Follow the information! I had a lot of preconceived notions about the Wars going into this many years ago and my opinions on things have changed a lot. It is a fascinating journey to spend so much time learning about things that interest you!”

“Hanford Mills Museum was operating throughout the World Wars….almost everyone was impacted by the Wars. It is incredible to see how everything connects!”

Milling about at Home: Shelly Jones

Posted on June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 by admin

Shelly Jones, a trustee of Hanford Mills Museum, talks about writing, gardening, and inspiration found on long hikes.

“One of the reasons I joined the Hanford Mills Board of Trustees was the museum’s emphasis on sustainability and rural traditions. As someone who grew up on a farm and loves the outdoors, the mill’s missions reflect my own values and the themes found in my writing.”

Wildflowers along the tail race and Kortright Creek at Hanford Mills Museum

“While I often write fiction, since the pandemic I’ve found myself writing more poetry. My creative writing often relies on natural imagery (birds, trees, flowers) and incorporates elements from folklore (herbal remedies, superstitions). Despite the quarantine, I’ve still managed to take long hikes (getting lost in the woods is a great way to social distance…) and these are often inspirational for my writing,” she says.

“I bought The Complete Language of Flowers, an encyclopedia of plants that I find very useful both for gardening and writing purposes.”

“Recently my colleagues and I hosted a virtual reading of our work online. It was a bit more challenging to gauge the audience’s reception of our work, but we found more folks could attend virtually than they could if we had held it in person.”

Tell us how you are spending your time “Milling About at Home” by completing this short form.

Milling About at Home: Burr Hubbell (May)

Posted on June 10, 2020June 10, 2020 by admin

HMM Board president Burr Hubbell does windows…and tells us about a unique find on Hubbell Family Farms.

Prepping a window for painting and glazing

Here at Hanford Mills, Kevin Jensen is working on windows too. He set up a workshop in the Hardware Store. The large window is from the sawdust room in the Mill.

“And speaking of Milling Around,” says Burr, “look what was found while cleaning up a collapsed building, a nearly complete old cider press.”

Burr says the cider press was found by his niece Casey Mudge and her husband. The plan is to restore/rebuild it to working order. All of the equipment was there, apple elevator, grinder, racks, forms, etc. Also found was a very early Kneeland single cylinder vertical gasoline engine, which still runs. Maybe we will see these one day at the Antique Engine Jamboree?

Milling About at Home: Burr Hubbell (March and April)

Posted on June 10, 2020 by admin

Burr Hubbell, president of the Board of Trustees of Hanford Mills Museum, shared a few projects with us.

“Back in March, I made an Irish Soda bread, baked in a cast iron frying pan in the oven of the coal-fired Kalamazoo stove.”

The Royal Bride Cook Stove in the Hanford House can use either coal or wood as fuel.

“In April, the project was building a cold frame to start some early greens. The cold frame is in front of the “Cornell Approved” Chicken Coop. The chickens really ‘got into it’. They liked the way it warmed the dirt.”

“Got the sides on, filled it with compost and dirt, planted, and of course we got a little snow.”