May 4, 20197 yr Popular Post His mother wants him to be a few states smarter than his class mates when he starts to school......and this is a mighty good way to learn the states. The small puzzle was about all the 20" Dewalt could handle. Then I moved up in size and talked the Dewalt in to giving this larger puzzle a try...and he did it great.. The small one is what I been making over the years but got to thanking the larger one has bigger pieces and might not get lost as easy... I did leave out a couple but they were the least important. But after he learns the first 48 then I'll present him with the others...Can't remember their names anyway!!!
May 4, 20197 yr There's only 7 inhabited islands that make up HI. But, doing those and AK would be almost as tricky as the other 48.
May 4, 20197 yr Popular Post Wow! That's definitely some twisting. Has anyone watched the series, "How the States Got Their Shapes"? Well now we know, Jess shaped em!
May 4, 20197 yr Popular Post Cool project Jess. How large is the large puzzle? A whole lot easier than how my son approached it - he collected a license plate from each state!
May 4, 20197 yr Author Actually I'm gonna cut the other two states out and glue them on. I drilled a small hole where the Capitals of each state is located and will only put the first letter of the name by the hole... and one larger letter for each state... The large board is 25" the long ways across so using the 20"scroll saw was a chore. Thought about using the Bosch jig saw but not wanting to for the blades are too thick and leaves wide gaps. This is the first one I made in 2000... For the new ones I will run a line through the middle of the great lakes that are part of both countries. Only one of them is completely in the USA. This one was stained with kids water colors and still the colors have not faded. Wow Cal if he had to have bought some of those license plates he must have a pile of money invested but what a good idea!! Gerald I think I will just use 2 letters for each state..or maybe the abbreviations of each state. I'm also thinking of putting the names on the back sides of the ones large enough to do so. Gene I will just cut out and glue on the other states..can't remember their names.. It looks like I missed Ohio with a capital location or maybe they are so broke they can't afford a Capital?? I remember we going through that state one time and had to stop and ask where their capital was located and they just stood there looking at each other so we drove on with a question mark in our pockets... John some say the lines dividing the states was drawn up by a bunch of wine 0's that was pissed caused they were not getting any actual money for doing so.... Only a few bottles a day was their pay... so the drunks set about trying to find all the rivers to use as markers....
May 4, 20197 yr Popular Post 57 minutes ago, Smallpatch said: John some say the lines dividing the states was drawn up by a bunch of wine 0's that was pissed caused they were not getting any actual money for doing so.... Only a few bottles a day was their pay... so the drunks set about trying to find all the rivers to use as markers.... Awww yes, my profession of Land Surveying does have that rough history behind it doesn't it! It's still a reputation we are living down! But hey, Lewis and Clarke did a pretty good job!
May 4, 20197 yr Author Popular Post My history books had Lewis and Clark supposed to be going down the river that went from St Louis to the Pacific ocean.
May 4, 20197 yr Lewis and Clarke didn't do too bad, they missed the Pacific Ocean by 40 miles in their mapping, and their trail was 8000 miles, not bad for using the means they used back then. Actually it's incredible if you think about it all, after all the challenges they had, and mis-steps along the way, they were able to keep tally on the distance and orientation they traveled, it's an incredible feat. I used the old chains and levels when I went to school of Land Surveying and believe me, it's an art to get them right, a lot of calculations go into measuring land by chain, actually taking the expansion and contraction of the chain into account as you traverse the land, then you have the equipment to keep calibrated along the way. Lew and Clark used dead reckoning along with a combination of chains, poles, levels and compasses, they used the river to move along, but they also ventured out on land for measurements along the way. Really a fascinating journey of the time, even today it'd be a challenge for us surveyors, and to hit it with an accuracy of 40 in 8000, pretty impressive. Didn't mean to hijack your thread Jess, just one of my favorite parts of our history as a nation. Being a Land Surveyor, I love the history associated. Back to the project! Great states! I like your hand made version, specially the ones with the differing colors.
May 4, 20197 yr Author Popular Post John I guess my age in school might have been a factor in not getting the facts exactly right... me being 14 and still in the first grade the teacher just finally past me by with her questions. She never pinned down my problems way back when by saying having no brains at all was no excuse...and this was in California where I first started to school...Yorba Linda
May 4, 20197 yr 31 minutes ago, Smallpatch said: California where I first started to school...Yorba Linda Well that explains it, California schools! Just kidding Jess, I bet the schools back then, no matter where they were located, we're REAL schools! A far cry from today's safe space education.
May 4, 20197 yr Popular Post 1 hour ago, Smallpatch said: You are lucky Gene!! I don't even have a gate... Free range area. Gotta fence out the cattle.
May 5, 20197 yr Popular Post 8 hours ago, John Morris said: Lewis and Clarke didn't do too bad, they missed the Pacific Ocean by 40 miles in their mapping, and their trail was 8000 miles, not Probably an addition error.
May 5, 20197 yr Popular Post 9 hours ago, Gene Howe said: Free range area. Gotta fence out the cattle. You mean that if steak wanders into your yard, you close the gate to prevent escape?
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