We were able to do the start of restoration today.

Keep in mind if you want to help with any of this, just find Greg, help is always welcome. (And when we are done I have this nice picket fence that needs painting. It'll be great!)

I tried to get the reverse electroplating working. I did have some issues. My power supply did not work. Time to get a new one (sigh). Note to self: Get a car charger that does not automatically switch to trickle charge if you want to do reverse electroplating. Someone borrowed my old one that worked for this, and it is gone. I got a better one, but I guess it outsmarted me, and was too good, or at least to smart for me.

We finally got to examine the rollers. All need work, but only one looks to have threads that are going to be unsalvageable. This is the annoying repair.

For this one we will probably have to cut off the threads chuck it up on a lathe, drill and tap a hole, and mill a new threaded bit that will thread into the hole. Thankfully the square takes the force of the crank, not the threads. It just holds the arm in place. We did have three sets of rollers that really needed no rust removal, so I cleaned the brass (sorry no photos of that yet) one was for shamrocks, one was for Easter bunnies and chicks. The third was for George Washington's Axe.

What? You don't get special candy for GW's birthday? Man you must feel left out.

Good news for you, we made some.

So we made them in Garnet and Gold (Pomegranate and Lemon) and now we are calling them Tomahawks. You see we are in Tallahassee, home of the FSU Seminole football team and the Tomahawk is one of their symbols.

So we made them, and who came into our shop for ice cream? None other than the great FSU football coach (Retired) Bobby Bowden. I'm not sure he's ever even been there before. Of course we gave him a bag that he enjoyed. All in all it was a good day. I think I can get all but three of these rollers fixed by the end of the month. Lets see if I can keep that schedule :) Thanks for the support, and thanks for keeping spreading the word. I am amazed by the excitement that this project has created and I feel so good for all the support. Sometimes a crazy passion is not that crazy at all. You just need to find the right group that you won't look crazy in :)

Sorry that 2nd photo is turned 90 degrees. I just don't have the energy to fight the good fight with a photo today.

See you at Lofty. Open until 10 today and tomorrow. Candy making tomorrow about 2 to 7.