Celebrating Independence Day

This evening I arrived home and put together a little craft project for the Marlin. After reviewing some homemade gun racks online, I gathered some scrap wood from the shed, drew a template, and began cutting some pieces with the Craftsman jigsaw my dad gave me.

I remember this saw vividly from my youth. I had asked my dad to cut 2 scimitars for me for Halloween when I was in 6th grade or so. I was about 12 years old, and watched him cut the curves in the blade with this particular saw. In fact, it's so old school it actually says "Made in the USA" on the side. Try finding an electric anything in the tool world these days with that stated anywhere on the tool and you'll be looking for a long time.

So anyway I took my inherited saw and cut out the template for the rack's sides. After a couple of screw ups and mishaps with breaking them, I finally was able to put together the 2 side pieces on the center piece and hang it over the door. The result, I think, looks quite natural.

I am really proud of this little project. A Coors, some sawdust and a few shots with the nail gun later and it was done. The .22 nestles in the rack perfectly and is easily accessible near the rear door. You never know when you need a long gun for something out here.

As I've stated elsewhere, I purchased this firearm as the "backwoods" gun for the house. The backwoods. Since I was a kid, this word captured the essence of man's life of survival and play with and in nature for me. I went into the backwoods to start fires with my brother, smoke pipes in a lofty tree, fishing, and hone what survival skills I had. In my mind the backwoods has always carried with it a nostalgic, even primal, meaning. It is a word that designates that other place you go as man to be fully man, where the drudgeries of life evaporate and man can naturally seperate the BS from his true self.

Perhaps I am not the only one who thinks like this. There's even a Backwoods Magazine dedicated to conservative homesteading.

You know, it's good to make your own stuff if you can. You have more control over the quality of the process and the outcome. So much is junk these days--MDF kitchen cabinets, for example--and people pay thousands for it. Screw that. I prefer to make my own stuff to be used, and flawed though it may be, I'm proud of it. That's what indedependece is all about.

Happy 4th of July to ye all.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog