Very cool. I often think of my father, who is still with us, when working in my
shop.
________________________________
From: OldTools  on behalf of Thomas Johnson 
Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2019 8:25:32 PM
To: Tools Old 
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:
https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

To read the FAQ:
https://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html

OldTools archive: https://swingleydev.com/ot/

OldTools@s...