OldTools Archive
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264123 | Timm Thompson <stickcat@g...> | 2017‑12‑03 | My great adventure |
I haven't posted for a long time. I am in the process of purchasing a cargo van to convert to a RV. The plan is to travel around the country and fish, camp, visit friends family and via ancestry.com follow roots around the country. Now the question is as I travel around I plan using old tools to create my rv interior and have a traveling workshop, what tools would you on the porch suggest as a compact tool kit to accomplish this task? I have some hand saws, planes, chisel, froe, maul, axes and such. I would really value some input to help me. Roy Underhill has helped inform me, his school in North Carolina is a destination too. Thanks for your past information. |
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264124 | Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
Maybe a way to approach this is not “what do I need” but "how much cool stuff can I cram in the space I am willing to devote”. Don't forget the #1 bench plane. Ed Minch |
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264125 | Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
Traveling Workshop You didn’t mention the most important tool: a bench with a vise or “work holding appliance”. If you don’t have much room, I’d go for one of the old Moravian style knockdown benches that were meant to bring to the job site before the days of 4-square milled lumber. These typically use pegged mortise construction and are very sturdy. I’d definitely start with something like that, and then add whatever type of tooling you need for the type of work planned. If you are only going to make spoons, you’ll want different kit than if you are making guitars. Cheers from New York City (full of a bazillion tourists) Claudio |
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264127 | William Ghio <bghio@m...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
> On Dec 3, 2017, at 7:37 AM, Claudio DeLorenzi |
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264128 | Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
Moravian style bench pics : http://contrib1.wkfinetools.com/wMyers/moravianBench/moravianBench-01.asp Google also turns up many variations. I really like the tusk tenon build, and Will Meyers shows how incredibly strong these are in one of his videos (hydraulic tester). Worth watching. The build is a bit more complex because of the angles, but then you are rewarded with a rock solid bench. I'm going to build one to use on my bit of land near Killarney Ontario (boat access only) . I need something I can breakdown to a compact size so it will fit into a tiny storage shed, not to mention small enough to transport on a small fishing boat. Cheers from New Yawk Claudio |
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264129 | Josh Schulte | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
When I read your question my first thought was a workbench too. I've spent a lot of time driving around the country living out of my truck. I know that every inch of your space will be a very valuable. (Don't forget to save a bit of space for some awesome finds at antique stores and flea markets along the way if you can.) So what about the Schawrz milkman workbench? https://www.popularwoodworking.com/jun13/the-milkmans-workbench I would think you would want a space saving toolchest too. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog /details-on-the-dutch-tool-chests">https://www.popularwoodworking.com /woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/details-on-the-dutch-tool-chests A couple other things not to forget would be - Small set of clamps- Sharpening kit Happy travels! -Josh From: Timm Thompson |
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264131 | Don Schwartz <dks@t...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
On 2017-12-03 6:21 AM, William Ghio wrote: >> On Dec 3, 2017, at 7:37 AM, Claudio DeLorenzi |
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264132 | Timm Thompson <stickcat@g...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
I knew I would get a lot of great responses. You have not let me down. A workbench in one of Roy's books was a first thought but there is more to sift through now. Hunting for rust and many other activities are on my list. I have lots of time and projects for the construction of my van to rv. I plan on carving about everything. I'll keep you posted. |
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264133 | Pier-Rick Lamontagne <foutchibay@g...> | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
Wow, love the vise! |
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264134 | bridger@b... | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
I think if I were planning such a toolkit my clamp kit would heavily feature Spanish windlass. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Josh Schulte" |
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264135 | Erik Levin | 2017‑12‑03 | Re: My great adventure |
An admirable goal that I will enjoy seeing progress on. A tool that I have found very useful on the road (not traveling for me, just for some of my side jobs) is a trailer hitch receiver and workholding devices that mount into it. You have probably seen the vise on the back of a power company truck, and the fold-down platforms for carrying an electric scooter that mount in a receiver. The vise has been of great use to me, and I can see other possibilities even where hand tools are involved, if for no other reason than supporting one end of a bench with the truck makes for an effectively massive bench with little actual weight, making it easier to move and store. If you have the head room, you might consider what one contractor I worked with years ago did (he was nuts.... he fit more in a small van that I could fit in an 18' box truck, but that is a different issue). He had most of his regular kit in a slide out tray on long roller slides that came out the back door. Raised the floor about 6" for a 4" deep tray. Tray came out about 4 feet (long reach from the side to get least used things... couldn't make it from the back), with the most used tools (hammer, saws, squares, levels, etc) near the back for easy access without pulling the tray all of the way out. This allowed him to fit full sheet goods in the van without fighting. He had a few larger post-steam era tools in a narrow rack built onto and into the side (swing) doors for easy access and minimum obstruction. He had nearly the same cargo capacity as if the van was bare without needing to remove normal kit. Translate cargo capacity to living space for your plan, and you have a lot of space for planes, chisels, squares, a full set of hollows and rounds, sharpening station, and so on. Slide out for access and use, slide in when done. A hinged floor panel lets you get to select items without opening the doors. *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply address(es) may not match the originating address |
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264136 | galoot@l... | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
I've been seriously thinking about one as a portable take to Pennsic option, with an extra deep batten on one side so it folds flat. How well does it deal with planing forces? Esther Quoting William Ghio |
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264137 | Derek Cohen <derekcohen@i...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Timm poses the problem .. |
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264138 | Dwight Beebe <dwb1124@g...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Derek and Galoots Assembled, In a similar fashion, Chris Schwarz presents a portable bench that functions like yours, Derek. Note that he mentions first seeing one on an Australian auction site. Hmmm... https://www.popularwoodworking.com/jun13/the-milkmans-workbench https://www.popularwoodworking.com/workbenches/schwarz-workbenches/the- milkmans-workbench-in-use">https://www.popularwoodworking.com/workbenches /schwarz-workbenches/the-milkmans-workbench-in-use Looks useful. Regards, Dwight |
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264139 | Darrell & Kathy <larchmont@s...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
On 02/12/2017 11:47 PM, Timm Thompson wrote: > I haven't posted for a long time. I am in the process of purchasing a > cargo van to convert to a RV. The plan is to travel around the > country and fish, camp, visit friends family and via ancestry.com > follow roots around the country. Now the question is as I travel > around I plan using old tools to create my rv interior and have a > traveling workshop, what tools would you on the porch suggest as a > compact tool kit to accomplish this task? I have some hand saws, > planes, chisel, froe, maul, axes and such. Tim Sounds like you already have a good start on the tool kit. if you're going to be doing any green woodworking you may want a drawknife. If you will be woodworking outdoors consider picking up a couple of dog augers (tie-out stakes) and a ratchet strap. I use this for my portable bench and pole lathe, to basically tie the bench solidly to the ground. A shaving pony to attach to your bench is a great accessory for green woodwork. Since you are camping I assume you may end up using a lot of found wood or firewood so the coarse tools like froe, hatchet and drawknife will come in handy. -- Darrell LaRue Oakville ON Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User |
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264143 | Timm Thompson <stickcat@g...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
I really appreciate your responses. Now I have more possible directions to follow. The trailer hitch is a great idea and where do I get on the bridge to Perth? From time to time I will be rolling through your neighborhoods because I will be roaming from shore shore looking for my family history. In 2020 I am going to visit the Mayflours 400th year celebration. Turns out my 9th Great Grandfather George Soule was on it. This is kinda discovering the my ancestors including the 50 plus who landed between1611 and 1790. How else to touch their memory than to experience the old ways of tools. Thanks and Merry Christmas. |
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264145 | Gye Greene <gyegreene@g...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Timm, Your touring sounds like a great endeavor -- and I like the thinking and "engineering" that will go into your planning. :) My thoughts for a workbench were similar to Erik's (below), but with a twist: give your workbench two legs (with some blocks and shims, for levelling purposes on uneven ground), and figure out a way to "lock" the other end to the van (through the back door or side door -- such that the stability and mass of the van contributes to the stability of the workbench. Maybe removable tusks or wedges, that go into a receiving component in the wooden framework in the van? If you had a raised platform inside the van (half a foot to a foot), you could mount the workbench like a drawer, accessable form the back or side of the van. You could either have another level above this, as your "tool drawer", or perhaps have the back end of the workbench be like a tool tray with dividers, which holds your tools below benchtop level (which means you could use that area as workpiece support, if needed. Alternatively (or in addition), have a series of small Anarchist toolchests -- small enough that you could actually lift them! -- possibly separated not by tool type (e.g. **not** "hammers + mallets"; "saws"; "chisels"), but rather by task (e.g. "joinery = backsaw, chisels, trysquare"). An alternative for the benchtop (which I thought of before, when having similar musings) is to design something like the milkman's workbench (i.e. just a slab), but make it so that it clamps to a standard picnic table. Have a corner bracket or "stop" on the underside of one corner, along the length oftwo sides, to help lock it into position against the picnic table top. (The downside of this approach is that it requires a picnic table -- so you could only use this at parks and campgrounds.) The "drawer" approach is inspired by the conversations that my dad did to an old Studebaker mail truck back in the '70s, for family camping trips -- e.g. http://findclassicars.com/uploads/carphotos/1963-studebaker-zip-van- step-van-postal-van-mail-truck-p10-ice-cream- truck-3.JPG">http://findclassicars.com/uploads/carphotos/1963-studebaker-zip- van-step-van-postal-van-mail-truck-p10-ice-cream-truck-3.JPG , but without the funky wheels , where there was a large pull-out drawer, accessed from the back, a sleeping platform above the drawer, and a bunk to the right (as standing at the back of the truck). Also to echo and expand upon Erik's thoughts: you'll need a space of lumber -- both what you bring with, and the nifty bits you pick up along the way (whenever my grandfather visited Oregon (from Seattle) he'd come back with a trunk full of myrtlewood). Are you going to leave behind various things you build -- kind of like a Galooty Lone Ranger? ("Who WAS that masked man?" "I didn't get his name -- but he left behind this dovetailed jewelry box.") --Travis (Brisbane, AU) On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 9:18 AM, Erik Levin via OldTools < oldtools@s...> wrote: > An admirable goal that I will enjoy seeing progress on. > > > A tool that I have found very useful on the road (not traveling for me, > just for some of my side jobs) is a trailer hitch receiver and workholding > devices that mount into it. You have probably seen the vise on the back of > a power company truck, and the fold-down platforms for carrying an electric > scooter that mount in a receiver. The vise has been of great use to me, and > I can see other possibilities even where hand tools are involved, if for no > other reason than supporting one end of a bench with the truck makes for an > effectively massive bench with little actual weight, making it easier to > move and store. > If you have the head room, you might consider what one contractor I > worked with years ago did (he was nuts.... he fit more in a small van that > I could fit in an 18' box truck, but that is a different issue). He had > most of his regular kit in a slide out tray on long roller slides that came > out the back door. Raised the floor about 6" for a 4" deep tray. Tray came > out about 4 feet (long reach from the side to get least used things... > couldn't make it from the back), with the most used tools (hammer, saws, > squares, levels, etc) near the back for easy access without pulling the > tray all of the way out. ((snipped)) |
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264146 | Gye Greene <gyegreene@g...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Addendum: Either drawer runners, or a mighty hinge -- but a tool rack that is locked down (during travel) to the inside wall of the van - but when you set up shop (so to speak) just outside the van door, the tool rack extends (or swings) outwards to where you are standing. Depending on the size of this rack, have it be your "go to" tools (I find that I do about 98% of my work with eight(?) tools), and the rest in the aforementioned "themed" tool boxes. --Travis |
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264147 | galoot@l... | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Quoting Darrell & Kathy |
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264148 | Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Gye What are the 8 tools? Ed Minch |
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264149 | <gtgrouch@r...> | 2017‑12‑04 | Re: My great adventure |
Raises the phrase 'take it for a spin' to whole new levels of meaning! Gary Katsanis retreating back under his rock in Albion New York, USA ---- galoot@l... wrote: ============= Quoting Darrell & Kathy |
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264151 | David Nighswander <wishingstarfarm663@m...> | 2017‑12‑05 | Re: My great adventure |
What a great idea. Adventure while you are able to enjoy it. In addition to your list: Single bevel hatchet. It will in time cut down a tree, limb it, square it, and cut a tenon on the end. Makes kindling for the campfire from the offcuts. Single bevel will do everything a camping hatchet will do and more. 3/8" and 3/4" paring chisel. You will want a mortise eventually. Consider fasteners needed/used and build a toolset to accomodate. Brace, bits, eggbeater, twist drills to fit. Glue and needed accessories. A set of Scott Grandstaff mini bench/sawtables if you are traditional. A WorkMate if you're not. A scraper. A good Sloyd knife. A locking blade pocket knife will pass for the Sloyd. 4 in one rasp. It will work for most things. Files for your saws. Sharpening method. (Insert tools of choice) Duck tape. It will get you back to civilization and make you popular with your friends who didn't plan. Nice but not necessary: Turning saw with extra blades. It will disassemble into a small package and will take the place of most other saws. 55 years of camping says, non traditional but good to have. The best rescue is not needing one. A good receiver mounted, minimum 5000 lb, winch with receiver mounts front and rear. It rides outside. Doesn't weigh a lot. With a snatch block it will pick up the front or rear of the vehicle. You will get stuck. 50 feet of 10,000 lb breaking strength line. Trees are never where you want them. If you haven't already planned for it a 12 volt tester. The little digital jobs work but make sure you understand it. A battery booster. Walking to a place where you can charge a dead battery sucks. Batteries are heavy. Cell phones go dead too. A plastic box tool set for the vehicle. Sockets, wrenches, hex keys, screw drivers. Multi tools will drive you nuts working under a dashboard. A fan belt. It happens. Two spare tires mounted outside. A kit of tire plugs. 5 ton bottle jack. Folding trenching tool. Not needed unless you are like me and go there just to see. Tire chains. |
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