Don't forget Elm, colloquially "piss ellum" by those who burned it indoors
in a stove. So hard it was used for wagon hubs.

Jim

On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 4:40 PM David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com> wrote:

> Allison, the gadget is of course, as you hinted on your blog, a third
> hand.  So, when working on something on the van (or any vehicle, or
> anything ferrous that can't be gotten to a vice or clamp, just use this to
> hold it in place against a ferrous background.  The work item wouldn't even
> need to be ferrous, if thin.  Wood, plastic, non-ferrous metal, any could
> be held in place against a ferrous base.
>
> Regarding dogwood, excellent for walking sticks and for mallets.  Gavels
> are typically dogwood.
>
> Another wood besides lignum vitae that sinks is Osage orange, also known as
> bois d'arc, hedge apple, and horse apple.  It also will not rot, and many a
> house in the lower midwest and Texas is on bois d'arc posts rather than
> concrete piers.  It was the favorite wood of Native Americans for bow wood,
> hence the French name bois d'arc (arch wood).  Woodworking tools are ruined
> quickly trying to work it, however.
>
> mcneely
>
> On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 2:01 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
> > The cup provides a path for flux lines from backside of magnet to get to
> > the front, creating intense flux in the gap between them.
> >
> > Yrs,
> > d
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 4:34 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> >
> > > Old shipwright gave me some scraps, wasn't from broken mallet.
> > >
> > > Yes, could use it for all those purposes, but isn't the primary use.
> > >
> > > The metal cup for the magnet I got from lee valley but must be
> available
> > > from many places. Sized for the magnet and has countersunk hole for
> > screw.
> > > I think they now have a notch in the side so you can get the magnet out
> > > again. Pretty well impossible to pry the magnet out of my version.
> > > Supposedly the metal cup alters the magnetic lines of flux enhancing
> the
> > > attraction on that side.
> > >
> > > Alistair
> > >
> > > > On Jul 5, 2017, at 1:18 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Very nice. Lignum vitae scraps? You must have had a woodcarving
> mallet
> > > come
> > > > apart on you. Also sticking notes, maps and such to the dash of a
> > diesel
> > > > vanagon! Where'd he get the magnet with the pocket on one side, or is
> > > that
> > > > just the way it appears?
> > > >
> > > > Jim
> > > >
> > > >> On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 3:03 PM Edward Maglott <emaglott3@gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> to prop open a too loosely swinging vent window?
> > > >>
> > > >> Edward   (who once made a much less attractive magnet with stick
> glued
> > > on
> > > >> for this purpose.)
> > > >>
> > > >>> On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 3:57 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca>
> > wrote:
> > > >>>
> > > >>> This little gadget might be too small for Felder industries to
> bother
> > > >>> with. It might be even considered silly, but it works.
> > > >>> But just having a magnet on a short handle is handy for finding
> > screws
> > > >> etc
> > > >>> dropped in the gravel or dirt.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Most every van owner could use this, not saying many will, but they
> > > could
> > > >>> :-)
> > > >>>
> > > >>> https://shufti.blog/2017/07/05/vanagon-whats-this-gizmo-used-for/
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Alistair
> > > >>
> > >
> >
>