Hello to all!  Like many others,  I've now decided on a bi-directional
mode to the "porch".  For the last several months I've intermittently
tried to keep up with the bandwidth and now find myself wanting to
contribute.

Until the last year or so, I've shown more framing skill than cabinetry
skill since I grew up on an Iowa farm where building cattlesheds and
corncribs was more popular than cabriole legs and inlaid work.  (My
father was basically a "use thick paint" type of carpenter with a desire
to build strong, but build quickly.)

Recently, I've started taking some handtool classes (sharpening,
joining) at Woodcraft Supply in Woburn Mass where the instructors are
primarily North Bennett Street school grads and I've been very satisfied
with both the content and quality of the instructors.

I've also taken the GSAT test (Gunterman Spokeshave Aptitude Test) and
now am the proud owner of a curly Maple spokeshave.    To top things
off, I'm scheduled for a Dunbar sack chair class next January when my
vacation counter gets reset.

My Best Find --- A "W.C.Toles & Co." workbench, small, but with a good,
fast action vise.  Patent marked on vise was 1890's, but not sure of
date.  Any input? Small nameplate says "Irving Park Chicago" for a
manufacturer location.

My Best Learning Experience - How to Sharpen using SS. Until I became
familiar with the SS method, I tried using Japanese waterstones that
worked well if the stone surfaces were kept flat.  Now that I use SS,
the stones have been retired.  BTW - "125 Used Tools" in Plaistow NH is
a cheap source for all types of abrasive papers ... good quality, many
choices and much cheaper than the local True-Value.

Other trivia - like a large majority of the porch, I pay my bills by
working in the computer networking industry, healthcare specifically.  I
live in a small town in southern NH and have the fortune to live 5 miles
from Highland Hardwoods and many old tool sources (if you can pay the
price).

Thanks to all in the past for both the advice and humor and I look
forward to meeting some of the New England "porch sitters" in the
future.

Welcome to the porch KenKuster!

You aren't by chance a user/collector of KeenKutter, are you? 

I can see it now: KenKuster's KeenKutter Page
...coming soon to a server near you!

Darren C. Addy
Kearney, Nebraska

Hi, Ken and welcome to the porch. One request...whatever you do...don't 
start collecting/using Keen Kutter. I don't think any of us could say Ken 
Kuster's Keen Kutter collection...

Ray

Ray McCaleb
(706) 369-5678; FAX (706) 369-6429
ray_mccaleb@o...
Office of Information/Instructional Technology
Business and Finance Systems
University System of Georgia

-----Original Message-----
From:	Ken Kuster [SMTP:KKuster@m...]
Sent:	Wednesday, September 10, 1997 8:19 AM
To:	'tools'
Subject:	Bio - Ken Kuster

Hello to all!  Like many others,  I've now decided on a bi-directional
mode to the "porch".  For the last several months I've intermittently
tried to keep up with the bandwidth and now find myself wanting to
contribute.

Until the last year or so, I've shown more framing skill than cabinetry
skill since I grew up on an Iowa farm where building cattlesheds and
corncribs was more popular than cabriole legs and inlaid work.  (My
father was basically a "use thick paint" type of carpenter with a desire
to build strong, but build quickly.)

Recently, I've started taking some handtool classes (sharpening,
joining) at Woodcraft Supply in Woburn Mass where the instructors are
primarily North Bennett Street school grads and I've been very satisfied
with both the content and quality of the instructors.

I've also taken the GSAT test (Gunterman Spokeshave Aptitude Test) and
now am the proud owner of a curly Maple spokeshave.    To top things
off, I'm scheduled for a Dunbar sack chair class next January when my
vacation counter gets reset.

My Best Find --- A "W.C.Toles & Co." workbench, small, but with a good,
fast action vise.  Patent marked on vise was 1890's, but not sure of
date.  Any input? Small nameplate says "Irving Park Chicago" for a
manufacturer location.

My Best Learning Experience - How to Sharpen using SS. Until I became
familiar with the SS method, I tried using Japanese waterstones that
worked well if the stone surfaces were kept flat.  Now that I use SS,
the stones have been retired.  BTW - "125 Used Tools" in Plaistow NH is
a cheap source for all types of abrasive papers ... good quality, many
choices and much cheaper than the local True-Value.

Other trivia - like a large majority of the porch, I pay my bills by
working in the computer networking industry, healthcare specifically.  I
live in a small town in southern NH and have the fortune to live 5 miles
from Highland Hardwoods and many old tool sources (if you can pay the
price).

Thanks to all in the past for both the advice and humor and I look
forward to meeting some of the New England "porch sitters" in the
future.

Darren Addy wrote:
> 
> Welcome to the porch KenKuster!
> 
> You aren't by chance a user/collector of KeenKutter, are you?
> 
> I can see it now: KenKuster's KeenKutter Page
> ...coming soon to a server near you!

K'mon you kooks. I'm sure Ken Kuster has had kwite enough of
our kidding around. Kudos to Ken and his koming on board. Next 
thing you know, someone's going to suggest he worked for the
Kolinear Paint Company that used to supply Stanley with the
colors for the two-tones.

Anyway, it'd be Ken Kuster's Krazy KeenKutter Kollection.

What a silly bunt, I am. 

Kordially,
Paddy (whose son's name is Ken)

-- 
+================================================================+
| O'Deen's flea market credo: "It's better to be lucky than good"|
| http://www.vividnet.com/~odeen                                 |
+================================================================+

Ken:
	WRT your workbench, Irving  is the name of a major east to west street
in Chicago.  So the "Irving Park" on your bench is probably an
indication as to location of the factory somewhere along this street.
	Welcome to the Porch!
	Matt