TownMouse Weblog

Ernest J. Maiwald

townmouse — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:39:56 +0000

This is my wood burning stove. It was alot of work to pries (sic) it out of the old boat it came from. It’s quite a prize. Anywho, the Knutson Shipbuilding Corporation fastened this quite well, including plaster fairing over the counter-sunk flat head screws in the bulkhead. It was quite tarnished up. The bronze was poping through small pits in the chrome. Bronze wool and paint thinner brought it’s surface back to a nice shine. This picture is in the Salon of the Bruce Robert’s Offshore ’38. Pictured here it’s just sitting on the settee, not fully installed.

Two forty five degree flue elbows were purchased from PE Luke, of East Boothbay, ME. Mr. Luke was quite a chatty dude for what was a nice small purchase. The subject of the conversation is a long story. He’s only in the business of making stoves because Master Maiwald is no longer around. It’s plausible that Ernest J. Maiwald is the absolute top of the line soapstone stove maker. His work is superb, and now not matched anywhere. Certainly today, PE Luke is the supplier of choice for marine wood stoves. There are many designs, but the soapstone and chrome is the prettiest.

Please drop me a line if you want step by step instructions on installing one of these. I’ve been at it for three weeks, on and off again. Just about every piece of hardware needed restoration or fabrication from scratch.

Ernest J. Maiwald soapstone stove

This is the first post in a half year….

townmouse — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:58:03 +0000

Anywho. I bought a boat. It’s big and made out of steel. I’m the third owner. It was built for Ronald Ryan in Mr. Ryan’s boatyard for Mr. Ryan himself. It’s built to the highest standards possible.

These are the pictures. It’s kept me quite busy. In fact I now own two boats. The second, not pictured here, is a derelict Philip Rhodes Whistler Class made by the Knutson Shipbuilding Corporation in Huntington NY. The prize winning purchase was the wood burning stove. It’s an emerald green soapstone stove made from chrome plated bronze. It’s manufacturer is long gone. Earnest J. Maiwald of Huntington NY. The closest representative of that stove is Paul E. Luke Inc. of East Boothbay, ME.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/gallery/browseimages.php?do=member&imageuser=14656

Tools.. – Just brought home the Radial Arm Saw

townmouse — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:19:25 +0000

113.29003 Craftsman, manufactured by Emerson Electric Co.. sometime around 1964.

What’s Going On.

townmouse — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:28:50 +0000

USS Olympia, Seaport Museum, and the Table Saw

townmouse — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:38:45 +0000

It was a busy weekend. Drill time, plus a road trip, combined with a major purchase of rusted woodworking tools. Here’s pictures of Admiral Dewey’s Flagship, the USS Olympia. It needs some drydock money, and improvements to just about every weather deck. The pilot house will be replaced by the 110th aniversary date of the Battle of Manilla Bay, May 1, 1898. However, all might not be done in time, and there’s talk of a June 1 ceremony instead.

There were plenty of Historical Markers on board the Olympia, and in the surrounding Penn’s Landing area. Howard Hugh’s Glomar Explorer was represented by the Philadelphia Historical and Museum Commission. Who knew it had a connection with Philadephia?

Anne Sullivan

townmouse — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:41:35 +0000

D-O-L-L

This is the greatest story of courage. D-O-L-L. Many congratulations to those finding this lovely picture. Bravo Zulu, New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Historical Marker Database dot org…

townmouse — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:08:19 +0000

Check out this site. http://www.hmdb.org

I’ve created some data base entries there. Stay tuned for links.

Ironbutt Rider’s Association

townmouse — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:06:38 +0000

Nope, none of my riding from New Jersey to St. Augustine FL qualifies. To be a member of the Ironbutt, you need to do 1,000 miles in a single day. The most I rode was from Savannah to Washington DC.

Anywho. I will post pictures shortly.

Packed for Business

townmouse — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:37:32 +0000

I’m heading to St. Augustine FL on the motorcycle. The Weather Channel tells me that temps are going to be fine on the east coast, with no rain. I’ve got a suit packed, with dress shoes. Mom and Bill are going to take it from me, so I don’t need to bike back with it. Night one and possibly night two are going to be spent in Norfolk at the barracks.

Hellicool. Depending on my ability to plan forward, Wednesday and Thursday nights will be spent somewhere at a hotel using choice rewards points. Windows Vista stinks. I just lost some of my work. Anyway. Charleston SC has Civil War forts and such.

Sally Forth.

Closed for the Winter

townmouse — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:50:33 +0000

I took the bike out to Atlantic City, Cape May, Camden (to see the USS New Jersey), then back home to Red Bank.

Google Map of the Route

Well, the ship was closed for tours. It’s only Open Friday to Monday, closed on Tuesday through Thursday. Anywho. I took some pictures and will post them shortly. Cruising through Atlantic City at night was an impressive site. The Borgata was an immense purple headstone. Beautiful, and very strange. As were all the buildings. Litterally, the entire city, or every casino, was connected to the other casinos by a highway. Very little of the original town is there.

An honorable mention goes to the weather. Unseasonably warm at 50 plus degrees. On the AC leg, the wind and precipitation picked up. Heading south to Cape May, the Gortex was put on, as the rain really kicked in. I drove around Cape May for a Half Hour, saw the Light House and some of downtown. Nothing was open as of 6am, so I packed it in, and headed for Camden. The side bag opened up, and the spare helmet came out onto the road. Motorists were making all kinds of jestures, I had no idea it was hanging open, or that my helmet was a mile back down the road.

The USS New Jersey was beautiful and closed. Additionally, the USS Olympia was across the river in Philly, the pride of President Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet. You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.