For the past 16 years I have been Unit Ranger of Wm. B. Ide Adobe State
Historic Park in Red Bluff, Ca.  Traditional woodworking is a big part of
our living history programs (ala Roy Underhill from whom we steal as much as
possible.)  I guess my biggest accomplishment using old tools is the
construction of the park's Woodshop-Smithy building.  It was built as a
"living history project," by costumed interpreters using reproduction and
period tools and methods.  It's a 24 x 16 timberframe built of 8 x 8 cedar
timbers.  We learned from Jack Sobon's book "Timber Frame Construction."  We
are currently finished except for the doors and windows.  We ended up making
our own sash planes, as we couldn't find any to buy.

The other project of which I'm proud is the cabinetmaker's bench we built.
Another item we couldn't buy so we had to build one.  The top is
approximately 64 x 30 x 3.  It has an end vise and a front vise (leg style),
both with 2" wooden screws which we cut ourselves (with the help of a cast
iron threader and tap set imported from Germany.

I do use Normite tools (as you call them) on occasion, but I don't like
them.  They're noisy and dangerous and they have the personality of a pit
bull.  While working on the Woodshop-Smithy building I once took 3/4" off
two sides of a diamonded 8 x 8 x 12' with a scrub plane.  It took about
3-1/2 hours, and it was one of the most satisfying pieces of woodworking I
have ever done.

I subscribed to this list (my first) to see if I could get some help
locating some tools for the park.  I plan to post a request for center bits
later.


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