Tag: wood

Restoration of replica Wright Flyer, world’s first aircraft.

Visitors to the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s Gillespie Field Annex in El Cajon yesterday were in for an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind treat!

An amazing, full-size replica of the Wright Flyer, invented and flown by Orville And Wilbur Wright in 1903, was on view as it is being restored. The famous Wright Flyer, (also known as the Kitty Hawk, Flyer I, or the 1903 Flyer) was the world’s first successfully powered and controlled aircraft.

The careful restoration has been ongoing inside one of the hangars at the Gillespie Field Annex. Right now the aircraft’s fragile wooden framework is laid bare, as the outer fabric has yet to be replaced.

A sign by the aircraft details its history, dimensions and construction. This particular Wright Flyer reproduction was obtained from Valentine Aero in 1979. When various repairs are completed, it will be proudly displayed at the Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park.

To read the sign, enlarge my photograph.

I took these photos of the Wright Flyer replica during my visit to Aerofest yesterday. The annual event allowed visitors to peer into this hangar, plus purchase all sorts of aviation collectibles in support of the museum.

I first visited the Gillespie Field Annex in early 2019 and blogged about what I saw. See that post here. (Please note that entry is no longer free–it’s $7, but well worth it!)

The first powered, controlled, sustained airplane flight in history. Orville Wright, age 32, is at the controls of the machine, lying prone on the lower wing with hips in the cradle which operated the wing-warping mechanism. His brother, Wilbur Wright, age 36, ran alongside to help balance the machine, having just released his hold on the forward upright of the right wing. The starting rail, the wing-rest, a coil box, and other items needed for flight preparation are visible behind the machine. Public domain image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

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New wood for the Botanical Building restoration!

The restoration of Balboa Park’s monumental Botanical Building is proceeding right along. New wood is being used to beautifully recreate the historic structure!

When built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the Botanical Building was one of the largest lath structures in the world. A century later, wood rot and termite damage had taken a severe toll. This project, supported by the National Park Service, State of California, City of San Diego, and Forever Balboa Park, includes the full restoration of the building to its original 1915 design, recreating the series of arched openings with Palladian windows and large doors, opening the inside space to the surrounding gardens as intended.

It will be fascinating to watch as new lath is applied to the large, supporting steel structure, which is also being renovated one section at a time.

Here’s another web page that describes the Botanical Building restoration and additional improvements, such as the reconstruction of a pergola that once stood on the west lawn near The San Diego Museum of Art.

UPDATE!

Here’s a photo showing great progress! I took this in January, 2024…

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Beautiful garden railway runs in Balboa Park!

Perhaps you remember the Centennial Railway Garden, which was built in a small outdoor space at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in 2015 for the centennial of Balboa Park. (You can see it here.) That model train layout is now history. Those 3D printed models of Balboa Park buildings have been replaced with beautiful handmade buildings that represent the late 1800s Victorian era.

Check out these photographs of the new Freight and Flora: A Garden Railway Exhibit!

A company called Applied Imagination constructed and donated the awesome little buildings. You can view other similar garden railways on their website!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Coffins and a cannon in Old Town!

Whenever I visit Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, I like to walk over to the Blacksmith Shop to see what might be new. Then I explore the old wagons, carriages, anvils, a tyre bender, and other remnants from the past that are gathered nearby in a sheltered area.

This afternoon the first thing I spotted was two coffins!

When I asked Todd in the Blacksmith Shop why coffins had strangely appeared, I learned they’re props to be used in the State Park during Día de los Muertos. (The one that appears newly painted had me worried!)

I then learned something new concerning the wooden carriage that will be constructed for El Capitan, the historic Spanish cannon that used to sit in the middle of Old Town’s plaza.

It has been a couple of years, but now the carriage project is definitely underway. A new carriage will be built with the help of the Maritime Museum of San Diego!

Todd held up a small cannon model made with a 3D printer. Once completed, El Capitan’s new carriage should appear somewhat similar. (The current carriage, built in the 1980s, has deteriorated quite a bit because it never was painted.)

To read more about Old Town’s 18th century Spanish cannon and this slowly developing project, check out these two past blog posts!

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Design In Wood at San Diego County Fair!

I must confess that my favorite part of the San Diego County Fair every year is the Design In Wood exhibition of fine woodworking. The amazing creations of woodworkers around the San Diego region always blow my mind!

Check out some of the creations you will see. You’ll find beautifully crafted furniture such as chairs, tables and cabinets. There are extraordinary carved sculptures. There are imaginative works of art made of wood that you can hang on the wall. There are surfboards. There are clocks. There are fantastic guitars. There are elaborate, very detailed model ships. There are wooden toys. There’s even an Addams Family pinball machine made almost entirely of wood!

What’s really cool is that several woodworking organizations from around San Diego County provide expert demonstrations, too. Small items that you can buy for a donation such as spinning tops and writing pens are fashioned while you watch.

Design In Wood is presented in association with the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association. You can find this awesome exhibition at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the Mission Tower next to the Gems and Minerals exhibit.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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Star of India readies for her November sail!

This year world-famous tall ship Star of India turns 160 years old. The last time she sailed out of San Diego Bay into the Pacific Ocean was five years ago. (To see photographs of Star of India heading out to sea in 2018, click here!)

Today I took a long walk around downtown San Diego. When I visited the Maritime Museum, I noticed work being done on the poop deck of Star of India. I learned that the Star is being readied for her upcoming November sail!

As you might imagine, the world’s oldest active sailing ship requires constant upkeep and repairs. The sun, salt and weather can be very hard on any vessel.

After climbing up to the poop deck, I watched museum volunteer Bob H. removing old varnish from the saloon’s skylight structure. In my photos you can see how the wood will then be sanded, removing an old coat of stain.

The smooth bare wood of the teak bench will be newly varnished. It will turn beautifully golden like the smaller companionway bench beside it.

A section of the pin rail on the ship’s port side is also being repaired. Part of the wood rail had to be removed to deal with rust on the standing rigging.

(Back in February, I watched as a skilled woodworker chiseled away at a section of pin rail. See those photos here!)

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Sensuous Environment at the San Diego History Center.

A new exhibit recently opened at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. It’s titled The Sensuous Environment – Sim Bruce Richards, Architect.

San Diego architect Sim Bruce Richards is best known for designing houses that appeal not only to the eyes, but to other human senses as well. The museum exhibit, with its many photographs and drawings, celebrates the unique vision of an architect whose creations feel both rustic and modern. It’s an aesthetic that appeals to an essential human connection with nature.

His houses are truly homes. They are warm and welcoming. They contain natural, textured materials that are pleasant to the senses, like stone, adobe, and beautiful woods, including mahogany, redwood and aromatic cedar. Fireplaces are centerpieces where life gathers. Natural outdoor light shines through large windows. As one display explains: Richards took inspiration from his Cherokee heritage, his apprenticeship with Frank Lloyd Wright, and fondness for the work of San Diegan Irving Gill and other early twentieth century architects…

Reading the fascinating displays, I learned he often collaborated with noted San Diego artist James Hubbell.

Richards also designed commercial and church buildings using the same aesthetic. Did you know the Morley Field Tennis Club building in Balboa Park was one of his projects?

Beautifully inviting furniture that he designed is also part of the exhibit.

The Sensuous Environment – Sim Bruce Richards, Architect presents material from the archives of the San Diego History Center and UC Santa Barbara’s Art, Architecture and Design Museum.

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Woodies park in Carlsbad’s art alley!

Venture into Carlsbad’s art alley and you’ll find several woodies parked along one wall!

These cool classic vehicles with wood side panels are lined up opposite the Alley Art Wall, which you can learn about here. The woodies are pictured with surfboards at the beach.

You can find the alley near Village Kabob, at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Tyler Street.

The art panels are signed C. Serna, 2016.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

At work in Star of India’s sail maker’s cabin!

Master woodworker Kevin Deal was working today in the sail maker’s cabin of Star of India. I saw him chiseling away at some wood as I visited the Maritime Museum of San Diego, and I had to ask what he was doing.

I learned that Kevin was improving a belaying pin rail that is part of Star of India’s poop deck. A length of brass trim applied to one edge of the pin rail will protect the wood from being slowly eroded by ropes that run across it.

He showed me a few small hand planes that he will use. They are genuine antiques–from 125 to 150 years old! It seems only appropriate, as the pin rail is part of a historic tall ship that is turning 160 year old!

Kevin was also training today to be a Sail Rigger on the Maritime Museum’s tall ships.

The museum’s volunteers, young and old, come from all walks of life. Their diverse talents are put to good use!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A look inside Old Town’s Wood Shop!

The working Blacksmith Shop is one of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park’s most popular attractions. At one end of the blacksmith shop is a small wood shop, where I seldom see any activity. But that wasn’t the case today!

Gary, a California State Parks volunteer, was busy working on some projects inside the Wood Shop. He was nice enough to describe the elegant Mediterranean chair that he is creating, plus a beautiful wooden cabinet and stand!

He then demonstrated some of the old-fashioned tools one can see in the wood shop. Many of the historical tools hanging on the walls are so old they are no longer very functional. But they do provide an idea of what a wood shop might have held in the early days of San Diego, around the mid-19th century.

I asked him about Old Town’s cannon carriage project that I blogged about over a year ago. He has the materials ready, but he’s awaiting word concerning it!

Gary explained that the above tool is an antique drill press. (Sort of looks like a massive mousetrap!)

By pulling a cord, this rather primitive lathe smoothly rotates a length of wood around a horizontal axis. I forgot to ask Gary, but I believe this might be an old bow lathe.

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