Table, teapot, lamps, canvas

[Franklin1]

G'day All,

I scored an old card table at the Salvo's the other day, for $15. Good solid hardwood in the frame. Vinyl covering in good nick except for one small tear on one side. Genuine vintage, with the plywood top...





I've got a long-term mate whose elderly father is ailing. Dad (Ray) has been camping and caravanning for over 50 years. In his twilight years, Ray and the family are downsizing, getting rid of the "flotsam and jetsam" accumulated over 60 years or so. My mate knows of my involvement in vintage vans, so first port of call for some of the stuff was me.

A painted, heavy guage aluminium teapot, with bakelite handle...




Five complete wooden tent-poles, in good condition...




The remains of a heavy duty canvas boat cover. I can salvage the D-buckle eyelets around the edges, and make carry bags out of the canvas...




Assorted bits of canvas, and assorted bits of lanterns...




Ray also has a great little Primus kero stove with folding legs. But he says to me "Ya can't have it! I need it to melt the lead to make me fishin' sinkers!" Like, he's 82 and has trouble walking, but he's still gonna go after that 'marlin' (Gawd luv 'im ).

I think Ray is happy to have a say in where his stuff is going, rather than someone else doing it 'later'. I reckon people like to know their treasures are going to a good home, before they can bring themselves to part with stuff.

cheers,
Al.

[Franklin1]

G'day Gordon,

I've already made an awning out of some canvas I bought off that bloke selling it on ebay...




The boat cover is made from a number of pieces of canvas sewn together to give it the required shape and strength. That, plus the fact it is in fairly used condition, means it is really only suitable for turning into tent pole bags, or an annexe bag, etc.

I've made these other bags from other bits of canvas I got off ebay...




The five tent poles add to the stash I've already got in the shed. I think I can put together about 15 poles now, with a number of other odd bits left over. Biggest difficulty with these tent poles is getting the eyelets to match. Not a common size anymore. My local canvas-maker had to go hunting around his shed to find 3 sets for my awning.

With the canvas I received above, plus all the stuff I bought off ebay, I've got more canvas around the house at the moment than I can poke a stick at.

cheers,
Al.

[Franklin1]

Well you certainly won't have a problem pointing sticks with all those poles you have there

Too true, humpyboy!...too true!!

Funny thing with these wooden tent poles. You start out with none...search high and low...can't find 'em anywhere.

Then one day you're in the local second hand yard, and you spy some half buried in the ground over near the fence. Last place on earth you'd expect to see them, but there they are. In crappy condition, but you might get a couple of good sets out of 'em. At least you've got some!

And then another day you poke your head in the local Salvo's store for a look-see, and blow me down there's a whole bundle of 'em there tied up with old rope. Heaps of 'em! Never need another tent pole in your life! And in amongst the pile are a couple of 2" diameter poles that look like they're the centre poles in the big 18' x 12' tents of yore. (Great for the ol' "That's not a tent pole...THIS is a tent pole" game )

Now you're sweet for wooden tent poles, thanks very much...






But, along comes your mate's elderly father, and you've got another five poles to add to your collection. In heaps better condition than any you've got so far.

Where does it all end?

cheers,
Al.l

[King Fisher]

Late last year my dad told me about a karo lamp he had under his house. It's a Tilly X246, believed to be made between 1950 and 1954. He got hold of it many years earlier and it sat there with a broken glass ever since. Eventually I got hold of a new glass and a seal kit and repaired it up back to working condition, to use of course. With a polish the base came up nicely, shiny but still with some character. So far I have used it twice while camping and it is still on the first tank of karo with about 30% to go. Surprisingly they give off a lot of light and don't seen to use much kero.

So here's some pickies of it: