old tools

I use scrapers a lot and make them from various things. One place where they are real handy is getting nubs off fiberglass so another lamination can be applied. Unlike sanding and grinding, it doesn't leave all kinds of dust in the air or on the surface where it can affect bonding. It's easy to clean gunk off the scraper whereas grinding disks and sandpaper have to be thrown away.

 

Alright Stu. Now settle down - don't get your knickers in a twist....

 

I knew i came to the right site!

I was lucky enough to inherit my great-grandfather's collection of turn-of-the-(last)century tools; bunch of Stanley transitional planes--the earliest models of Bedrocks and a few from just previous to that; drawknives; boxed set of Hibbard, Bartlett, and Spence socket mortise chisels; some beautiful old Disston panel saws including one 8-tpi ripsaw which, believe you me, is the cat's knickers on green locust and white oak. I just love them, and spend a disproportionate amount of my time combing antique stores looking for nice old things to flesh out the collection. Scored a nice 3-3/4" lipped adze in a junk shop in Florida not to long ago for $55 US.

It's cheaper and more productive an addiction than meth, anyway.

I'd like to take exception, though, to the common conception that a plane should be laid on its side. Why? Well, think about it: what's a plane designed to do? Shave wood, right? So how in the ham sandwich is setting it sole-down on a piece of wood possibly going to harm it? Furthermore, when it's upright, you're not going to brush your knuckles against the iron, you're not going to accidentally going to move a framing square into it and notch it (guilty, by the way) and overall, when its upright, the edge is protected.

Just my two pence.

 

In the shop, I stand planes up. Outside or at a customer's location, they usually go on their side. It has to do with grit and dirt. No reason to store them on their side at all. I've had guys working for me who felt just fine setting a plane down on someone's driveway right side up. They are buried not ten feet from the same driveways... on their sides of course.

Alan

 

Possibly the same guys who use chisels to open paint tins and as screwdrivers....

 

Hahaha! That actually happened on a job--- another crew, painting, the guy "borrowed" my chisel, freshly honed it was, and it came back with an eighth-inch chip in it. I nearly strangled him... twenty years later, he's a good friend. I can still embarrass him any time with that story. It worked when I bounced a basketball off his barn window one day playing with his son, and it will do me service twenty years from now.

Alan

 

wot abt this i used to keep long expensive cedar fairing and lofting battens, some 7 m long, and old, crowd came in to paint boat, cut em up for stirring sticks, felt ill!!

 

There you go Stu - they probably saw your planes standing on their face and....Well you can imagine the rest.....

And before Frosty asks - did they then use your underpants to wipe the surplus paint ?

 

To top it off, I bet the paint ended up with wood fibers in it. Straight ones.
You can usually warn people about not touching things, but some people consider certain things as disposable. Rope is one of those things. But any tool will do, especially if it's old looking, like my 12 pt Henry Disston cast steel finish saw. I caught a guy (who was nearby digging a hole) working at a dirt-covered root with it. Beat that.

 

You know, I think that's it. These things look old, so they must not have any value. Everybody knows that modern technology can do everything faster and better, right?

I've got a Lie-Nielsen low-angle jack plane. It's definitely a sports car; it's really nice. But I've tried their #22 jointer, and I'm not entirely convinced it's any better than my old Bedrock. Either way, a modern power plane is no substitute for either. Neither is a belt sander.

 

That Lie-Neilson stuff is expensive. Made in Maine in fact, and great stuff. I have enough old Stanleys from very small to very large. I think only the low angle block plane made by Stanley is worth a hoot any more. The newer ones (and Records too) are nowhere as well made nowadays. Only Lie-Nielson makes decent planes today, I think, at least with the exception of good Japanese planes.
Most all of my squares planes, saws, spokeshaves, and chisels are about 50-100 years old, a thirty year collection from yard sales, antique shops, tool dealers, and one or two inherited.
I am not nostalgic at all. I simply can't find anything made in the world that work as well, though I suppose anything can be had for enough money.
Thankfully, most all of the tools cost a pittence, some ridiculously cheap.

Alan

 

Let me mention one modern tool that is fantastic. I use a Japanese double sided pull saw a lot. I can't say enough good things about it, especially the price of $20. No shop should be without one.

 

Well what are you supposed to use then? Don't you think its a sign if a skilled worker? one who is familiar with his tools that can double up on there use.

This will also cut down cost, weight of tool box etc and will eventually benefit the customer. I have an electric drill that can be used as screw driver, grinder, drill, (ofcourse) --and a hammer.

 

I keep almost two sets of tools, one for my use and the other of others to use. Their set is the crapy chinese kind. I just buy more of the crapy for them as needed. Especially, sockets and wrenchs. Did you know sockets make great plugs to hammer on...

I also have a big magnet on a rope. I have recovered tools countless times from tanks, bilge, over the side. Even power tools.

Good tools are important, but so are cheap tools.

 

sure MY specially when I lean on a ring spanner made in India and it breaks and skins my knuckles, then I really appreciate cheap tools) Not as much as I preciate my Stahwille, and Britool which I have had since apprentice days and never broken a one, Aunt bought me a Craftsman 1/4 drive set for my 21st, and that's indistructable too