3rd Cache [a miss]

[diggerdan]

Actually, this took place between #'s 1 and 2, but I didn't think to post them in chronological order on the other site. The only treasure here is the possible application of my experience w/ this to your own places.

Here's a story on one I missed. I was still in Pa. working for a company [carpenter] that did mostly commercial remodels. This was in the Lancaster area, and some of this stuff was built in the late 1700's.

The company was small and the owner had just bought a house we were converting to his office. I'd guess it was built in the late 1800's.

I was working w/ a crew in a sizeable attic. We were shoring up the raftesr to get some sag out of the roof line.

I can't remember what the walls and ceiling looked like other than the exposed rafters, but I'll never forget that floor. It was tongue and groove random length pine about 6" wide, maybe a little less. I was on one side cutting as sawman while the other two guys were taking measurements and nailing up the fruits of my labors.

I happened to notice a weird joint in the flooring. Most of the boards were several feet in length, but one in particular just went from joist to joist, about 2'.

I didn't say anything to my co-workers, but when we cleaned up after work that day and they had left, I took a real close look at this situation. I could see where someone at some time had cut that darn board as they made just the very most slightest cut into the board next to it. The teeny bit of saw mark in that next board gave it away. It wouldn't have been there if they had just filled a gap, so to speak.

My next quandry was how to tear this floor board up w/o making obvious tool marks. I went to my tool carry all and got a flat bar. black, about 2" wide w/ a 90 degree bend on one end, about a foot long. Think Stanley calls it a "Wonder" bar. I know carpenters think that's because they 'wonder' why they bought that useless piece of junk.

Got down on my knees, alone still and was attempting to pry the board up. When I did so, it just flipped right out and was laying upside down. Some clever individual had carved the bottom half of the groove away, leaving just the tongue and the top half of what was a groove at one time.

Very clever. Also, clever enough to retrieve the cigar box when they left, as I could see the outline where it sat in the dust on the plaster/lathe ceiling below.

This ends my tales, but I'm always lookin! HH all.

[Kentucky Kache]

A man after my own heart--A cache hunter and a carpenter.
I read all three of your stories and I loved them. Congrats on two great finds and one near miss. But at least you spotted the clue and checked it out.

[Gypsy Heart]

Great stories...Looks like you are good at noticing out of place things...which makes a great cache hunter

[GrayCloud]

I know how you feel. I was in the attic of the oldest package liqour store in Louisiana about twenty years back. I spotted an old cigar box in the far back corner. It was the only item in the whole attic, so I was anticipating a good find. Worked my way back to it but when I pick it up it was obvious that it was empty. Oh well, maybe next time.

[boogeyman]

Two hits, one strike! Sounds like you're not far away from the big one! Hope to hear the details when you find it! Nice work on the stories! Who said you're no writer?!?!?

[ArkieGold]

Good stories!