OldTools Archive
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269484 | Thomas Johnson <drthjo@g...> | 2019‑12‑06 | Shop tales and a WTB |
Greetings fellow Porch sitters ... This morning I got up with nothing important on my to-do list so I took coffee to the shop and re-handled a boys axe ... repaired a bar stool for a friend ... still had time so there was a POS Type 19 5c on the shelf that I had picked up long ago that was rusty, crusty and needing a LOT of TLC. SO ... I decided to tear into it ....Scraped, sanded, andwire wheeled the BeJeezuz out of it and polished and oiled and buffed and, hmmm, this might be worth staying with it. The blade and chip-breaker were covered with a thick rust bloom, but when it was de-rusted, *no pitting*! The tote had a chunk busted out of it near the top so - off to the attic where I keep my treasure trove of Brazilian rosewood scraps. Thats when things started getting good. Anyone who has had the pleasure knows that the aroma of rosewood is like a mood-altering drug ... Now things were getting a little zen-ish ... I was "in the zone", "lovin every minute of it" ... getting stuff done ... aware that I was wearing a smile, and then, I realized that this is the 50th anniversary of my Dad's death. I was 23 when he succumbed to lymphoma. As a small boy, I would sit on the floor of his shop and make things out of the scraps that feel to the floor ... I would take his Yankee drill and just drill holes by the dozens because it was so amazing and so fun to do. I watched him turning spiral lamp stands ... carving ships with a draw knife and a little carving set. We were poor so he made furniture for the house of of discarded furniture he salvaged from the city dump. Of course back then it was all good hardwood. Later, as a teen I helped him build a pickup camper ... then to work construction with an uncle before heading off to college. Those shop smells. The smell of pine takes me back to my dads shop and to a host of priceless memories. He had an 8th grade education but he was gifted with his hands. Those shop smells. It started today with the rosewood, and the shop smelled like it did long ago when I made a silverware chest out of rosewood for my daughter's wedding present. Good memories. Then ... the smell of wire-wheeled rust ... WD-40 ... carnuba wax ... spray lacquer and all the dozens and dozens of hand planes I restored and sold 20 years ago. But it turned into a day with Dad in the shop ... still smiling as I write this .... And now, a beer and a book .... perfect end to a very very good day. Oh ... the WTB... Anyone have a 2 3/8" screw for a front knob? and the brass nut? Anyone else has shop tales that were triggered by aromas? Peace out good friends. Tom |
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269485 | Brent A Kinsey <brentpmed@c...> | 2019‑12‑06 | Re: Shop tales and a WTB |
Worth the read! Thanks for sharing, Tom. Brent A Kinsey |
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269487 | John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> | 2019‑12‑06 | Re: Shop tales and a WTB |
Tom, What a great post! Many of us treasure our memories of our own fathers, and know that we owe our love of handwork to him. Anyone who seriously studies human memory would agree that smells are among the most powerful memory triggers. Consider yourself blessed that rosewood can bring on such happy thoughts. Taps and dies for the oddball Stanley #12-20 thread can sometimes be had from the St. James Bay Tool Co. These are made specifically to support Stanley restorations. #12-20 taps can sometimes be sourced from Victor Machinery. ( I’ve not seen the matching dies in their catalog. ) Note that the profile of the threads on the Victor taps is of the “National Form,” whereas Stanley used a non-standard rolled thread form. John Ruth Age 64 Metuchen NJ |
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269488 | gtgrouch@r... | 2019‑12‑06 | Re: Shop tales and a WTB |
Speaking for myself, I find that the aroma of the shop takes me back home faster than anything else. I first helped my Dad by being stationed at the outfeed table of a tool we don't mention. He took woodworking classes at the Bucks County Community College, and his teacher clued him in to an estate sale, so he got an old but servicable tool that had years of use in the hands of an experienced woodworker. I recently took that tool to a construction site 300 miles away, where I'm using it to custom-fit cabinets, and it's still giving me excellent service. Every time I use it, I remember. Gary Katsanis Albion New York, USA (where we've had an early snowcover for weeks) -----------------------------------------From: "Thomas Johnson" To: "Tools Old" Cc: Sent: Thursday December 5 2019 8:25:32PM Subject: [OldTools] Shop tales and a WTB Greetings fellow Porch sitters ... This morning I got up with nothing important on my to-do list so I took coffee to the shop and re-handled a boys axe ... repaired a bar stool for a friend ... still had time so there was a POS Type 19 5c on the shelf that I had picked up long ago that was rusty, crusty and needing a LOT of TLC. SO ... I decided to tear into it ....Scraped, sanded, andwire wheeled the BeJeezuz out of it and polished and oiled and buffed and, hmmm, this might be worth staying with it. The blade and chip-breaker were covered with a thick rust bloom, but when it was de-rusted, *no pitting*! The tote had a chunk busted out of it near the top so - off to the attic where I keep my treasure trove of Brazilian rosewood scraps. Thats when things started getting good. Anyone who has had the pleasure knows that the aroma of rosewood is like a mood-altering drug .. Now things were getting a little zen-ish ... I was "in the zone", "lovin every minute of it" ... getting stuff done ... aware that I was wearing a smile, and then, I realized that this is the 50th anniversary of my Dad's death. I was 23 when he succumbed to lymphoma As a small boy, I would sit on the floor of his shop and make things out of the scraps that feel to the floor ... I would take his Yankee drill and just drill holes by the dozens because it was so amazing and so fun to do. I watched him turning spiral lamp stands ... carving ships with a draw knife and a little carving set. We were poor so he made furniture for the house of of discarded furniture he salvaged from the city dump. Of course back then it was all good hardwood. Later, as a teen I helped him build a pickup camper .. then to work construction with an uncle before heading off to college. Those shop smells. The smell of pine takes me back to my dads shop and to a host of priceless memories. He had an 8th grade education but he was gifted with his hands. Those shop smells. It started today with the rosewood, and the shop smelled like it did long ago when I made a silverware chest out of rosewood for my daughter's wedding present. Good memories. Then ... the smell of wire-wheeled rust ... WD-40 ... carnuba wax ... spray lacquer and all the dozens and dozens of hand planes I restored and sold 20 years ago. But it turned into a day with Dad in the shop ... still smiling as I write this .... And now, a beer and a book .... perfect end to a very very good day. Oh ... the WTB... Anyone have a 2 3/8" screw for a front knob? and the brass nut? Anyone else has shop tales that were triggered by aromas? Peace out good friends. Tom ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage, value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools. To change your subscription options: OldTools archive: |
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269489 | Paul Gardner <yoyopg@g...> | 2019‑12‑06 | Re: Shop tales and a WTB |
What a nice story and write up and it sounds like a great day in my book as well. I'll check my parts drawer to see if I have what you are looking for. -Paul, in SF |
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269490 | Matt Cooper <MaNoCooper@l...> | 2019‑12‑07 | Re: Shop tales and a WTB |
Very cool. I often think of my father, who is still with us, when working in my shop. ________________________________ From: OldTools |
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