Pete & Sheran's
French Creek Valley Activities
Last Revised: 3/21/2010
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This is the home page of Pete & Sheran Stanaitis. We live on a 140 acre farmstead in a beautiful little valley in west central Wisconsin. We have developed many hobbies and a couple of small business ventures over the last few decades. In addition, we enjoy educating others in some of the skills we have learned along the way, particularly the blacksmith craft and the art of spinning yarns. To learn more about the things that interest us, choose one of the menu items below. Blacksmithing,Treadle Hammers, Trip Hammers, Anvils and more Circular Sock Knitting Machines Cub Cadet Page Fractions, the WHOLE process on one page!!! Forestry French Creek Valley Gas Producer Experiments How to Succeed at Work or: Lay-off, How to Avoid Machine Knitting My Machine Shop Maple Syrup My Shop (Really Our Shops) Onan Gensets, Reviving a couple of NH Models Reasoninng, Problem Solving & Decision Making for anyone Rabbits Solar Energy Solitaire, How I Plan to Win Spinning Yarn Tom and Kitty Latane Tunnel Mill Traditional Blacksmith Training Site Vacation Page Videography (on an Amateur Basis) Pete's Blog Family Stuff----password needed. You are Visitor number:
Blacksmithing and metalworking are what this page is all about. I cover how-to articles, descriptions of tools and other blacksmithed items I have made.
My (Sheri's)little collection of Circular Sock Knitting Machines and a little about the yarn stand top are featured here.
This page covers my interests in the Narrow Frame Cub Cadet garden tractors. Those are the 70, 71, 72, 73, 100, 102, 104, 105, 107, 121, 122, 124, 127, etc. (Have I missed any?) There is also a link here to my solution for the loose steering problem unique to these machines.
Here's a flowchart that explains the whole process of performing math on fractions, on one page. Use it when your kids ask for help learning fractions.
Here's a sort of 'Walk Through' of our wooded lands. We talk about the things we do with this natural resource.
This is the valley in which we live. A tiny bit of history of the valley and the creek that runs through it, including a really surprising little ice formation that appeared on it some years ago.
Producer Gas, Woodgas and alternate energy. We are just getting into this area with a JXQ-10A Chinese Gasifier. Here, you will see what experiments are going on. This page will be under constant construction.
Concerned about getting laid off? Already laid off and don't know why? If so, this is the place to find out how to keep from getting laid off. You can also use this information to make your job more rewarding and increase your chances of promotion.
I, Sheri, like machine knitting as well as hand knitting, sewing, etc. The flat bed knitting machine allows me to make the large panels quickly so I can devote more time to design and finishing. Here I talk about my studio, my knitting machines and other fiber interests that I have.
New, as of Dec, 2009. Machining and repairing things are discussed here.
This site describes the way we have had maple syrup over the years. We started making syrup with very basic maple syrup equipment and gradually improved the process and the equipment over the years, although we still use wood for heat and a flat pan evaporator.. We discuss the important things to measure and how to make sure that your maple syrup is always of the highest quality.
Planning and building your own hobby shop is a real big deal to most of us. Here, I describe my woodworking, metalworking and blacksmithing shops. I list and discuss many of the things that you need to consider when planning one. For instance: floors, heat, insulation, power, etc.
Recently I bought 2 Onan RV-type generator sets and got them running. Here's a chronical of how I did it.
This is the most complex page on this site, but I think you'll find it worth your while. The focus is on Problem Solving, Decision Making and Selling Your Ideas. There's enough information in here to make you an expert, using tried and true techniques. I also discuss my feelings about related issues."
My wife Sheri has been raising rabbits on and off for many years. Here, she talks a little about them and why she keeps them.
Here is the log of my limited solar photovoltaic experiment. It uses the 45 Watt $200 Harbor Freight solar Panel Kit and some electronics that connect it to my home computer for data gathering.
Solitaire, (Klondike Solitaire in particular) is the subject of this page. If you don't seem to be winning at Solitaire very often, then this page is for you. Using the rules and suggestions offered here you will certainly begin winning more often.
I, Sheri, Spin Wool and almost any other fiber on any one of my many old-fashoined spinning wheels. Here I talk about my wheels and what I do with them. We do a lot of demonstrating to the public as well as getting together in groups to spin.
Thomas and Catherine Latane have been creating original metalwork in their Pepin, Wisconsin workshop for over 25 years.
Tom Latane forges functional ironwork by hand in traditional Gothic, Renaissance, Scandinavian and Early American styles.
Catherine Latane makes tin cookie cutters shaped by hand into a wide variety of shapes.".
John and Carol Adams have been hosting blacksmithing and metalworking events at their Tunnel Mill Historical site for many years.
Tunnel Mill is located about 15 miles southeast of Rochester, Minnesota.
New page as of March 2, 2010. This page contains our views on how to get the best out of a Mexican Vacation.
This is a novice's page on videography. There may be a few useful thoughts, but the focus is on the old Videonics VCU-1 machine.
I just started into the blog world in December of 2009. It's the place where I try out ideas.
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