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At Sanborn Mills Farm, preserving the past and planning for the future go hand in hand! January 2019 eNews 
Learning continues at the farm . . . Bow pins with Garry Kalajian . . .
As the workshops came to a close in 2018, we turned our attention to growing the skills of our staff. In mid-October, we invited Garry Kalajian to help our teamsters master the art of making bow pins. A bow pin is shaped something like a cotter pin and and holds the bow in place after it is inserted into the top of the neck yoke. It needs to be both strong and flexible. Bow pins are made from what’s called “tool steel” or “carbon steel” as opposed to “mild steel” that can be used to make other hardware like door pulls or hinges.
Forging tool steel requires very precise control of the temperature and fire. Too much heat and the project melts away. And, like a blade, a bow pin needs to go through a hardening process when the bow pin is heated to an even temperature and quenched in warm water. This is followed by a tempering process where it is immersed in molten lead to give the bow pin the necessary “springiness.” 
The hardening process is a delicate one – too much pressure in handling it before it is tempered and the bow pin can snap in two! It is quite a process, but Tim Huppe, Ray Ramsey and Tyler Allen were successful in making three different sizes! 
Wood turning with Jon Siegel . . .
In mid-November, we invited master wood turner Jon Siegel of Wilmot, New Hampshire to give our staff a demonstration workshop covering all the basics of wood turning.
Of particular interest to our carpenters was how to go about producing balusters that are well-designed and identical. Jon approaches building up wood turning skills through five basic exercises:
Jon generously shares the many articles that he has written for the Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers publication on his website Big Tree Tools. Click here for his article on A Better Way to Practice.
Jon is a founding member of the
The Ox Corner by Tim Huppe
Our expanding ox program . . . It is my pleasure to announce that we now have a draft animal equipment and repair shop at Sanborn Mills Farm. We have repurposed one of the existing buildings on the farm for this new facility. Ox yokes (single or double), logging scoots, stone-boats, and three and four bar sleds with roller nose and pole can be custom built to fit your needs. Hardwoods and softwoods, specific to the needs of the project, are harvested from our woodlot. The logs are yarded from the woods to the landing using ox power, and then long hauled by the farms team of draft horses to the water powered sawmill. On occasion we will purchase logs locally, if the need cannot be met by our forest inventory.
If you are interested in making your own ox yoke, sign up for one of our workshops May 16 to 19 or September 12 to 15 For more information, contact Tim directly at tim@sanbornmills.org
Ox scoot made for Brian Jerome.
Position deadline extended !
We are seeking an energetic person to join our Management Team as the Programs & Communications Manager. We have extended the application deadline to February 16, 2019 and streamlined the responsibilities a bit so please spread the word. The anticipated start date is mid-March, 2019, just in time for spring and the start of the workshop season. An application packet consisting of a cover letter and resume should be submitted to Executive Director Andrew Ingram at andrew@sanbornmills.org. Early submissions are encouraged! For details on the position, please visit the Sanborn Mills Farm website: http://www.sanbornmills.org/employment/
Workshops at Sanborn Mills Farm . . .
You can check out the entire line of workshops at
Workshops tend to fill up early so sign up early!
If you have questions, just call the office at 603-435-7314 weekdays between the hours of 9 am and 3 pm.
Credits for photos:
All photos by Lynn Martin Graton.
Sanborn Mills Inc. | 603-435-7314 |
A traditional New Hampshire farm and nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainability, creativity, and preserving folklife skills and agricultural knowledge so that the best of the past can help shape our future.
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