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The Eagle Cane Project
A cooperative project with Maine Woodturners
supporting Maine Woodcarvers
supporting Maine veterans
At the March 2008 meeting, President Peter McCrea briefly described the Eagle Cane Project as a five-year-old ongoing effort by woodcarvers in numerous midwestern and eastern states to carve eagle-headed decorative canes which are then personalized and presented to wounded post-9/11 vets - truly a good cause.
We were recently approached by the Windsor chapter of the Maine Woodcarvers Association - to see if we would be able to support their effort to make these canes available to wounded Maine veterans.
This photo shows wide variations in carving styles, colors, and turnings, but all canes consist of a carved and painted head with a 3/4” drilled hole in the neck. This hole accommodates the tenon turned onto the staff of the cane.
 Next is a transition piece called an adapter, which serves to visually and physically couple the carved head to the staff. It’s centered 3/4” hole fits on the tenon below the carving.
The material and shape of the adapter is up to the choice of the carver, in agreement with the turner who has to make the piece. The photo shows some prototype adapter designs.
 Finally, the staff consists of a purchased Ash tool handle, which tapers from 1¼” to ¾” over the 36” length. The photo shows the 2½” long tenon required to accommodate the 1” long adapter and the 1½” drilled hole in the carved head. A feature (typically a single or double incised bead) is turned 5” below the shoulder of the tenon. This defines a 5” region at the top of the visible staff where personalized information (name, rank, unit, etc. of the recipient) will be added.
 A lathe with a bed capability to mount a 36” staff is needed, and since not all machines can handle this, there is a small group of MWT members now turning an initial supply of staffs.
But we still need volunteer turners to work with individual carvers to come up with the adapters to match the carved heads to the staffs.
Timeframe: April/May/June 2008 Materials: 2x2x2” walnut or ash.
Contact: Peter McCrea by email or call 207-354-2314
For more information about this worthwhile project, please visit the web site of the Eastern Oklahoma Woodcarvers Association. A member there, a fellow by the name of Jack Nitz, began it all back in 2004. It makes for good reading and describes the process quite well.
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 "Thumb Eagle Cane 02")
 "Thumb Eagle Cane 03")
 "Thumb Eagle Cane 04")
 "Thumb Eagle Cane 05")