William Cassidy wrote:
> In 1956, the three of us collaborated on a rather ornate workbench 
> which, sadly, saw its demise in 2001.
> 
> My grandfather passed away, and a decade later, my father passed away. 
> At the age of 14, I inherited all their tools ...

Your contributions to the collaboration on the workbench must have been 
especially appreciated by Dad and Granddad, as you were a precocious GIT 
of no more than 4 years at the time.

> Career interests intervened (I was in organized crime by profession, 
> i.e. matters between men and institutions, and nature and nations) ...

That's the best and most brutally honest description of an employment 
background I've ever heard!

> This I am accomplishing with the help of eBay, which is addictive, and 
> should be strictly controlled.

It's definitely something that should be covered by the drug laws or the 
USA-Patriot Act.

> I don't know anything, I don't have anything, and I don't understand 
> anything.

Neither do any of us.  What snippets we know, we share.

> Nevertheless, you see, I do so enjoy using old tools.

Yup.

> http://www.elixirs.net/Arcadia_Works/index.html

I like your declaration on the above website:
WE SERVE SERIOUS WOODWORKERS:

All of our tools, tool chests, and workbenches are made for use,
and although some are collectible,
we believe that the true art of the tool
only becomes manifest in a workman's hand.

I think you will fit in here on the porch just fine.
Welcome!

> Can anyone tell me why most mid-19th and early 20th century tool chests 
> and factory work benches in the United States are painted a particular 
> shade of green I can only describe as "institutional"?

I think there was a law requiring the use of institutional green; the 
same law also required that speckles of it be splattered on all wooden 
and transitional planes.  Luckily, the English didn't have such a law, 
so English planes are speckle-free and have remained brilliantly 
wire-brushed since leaving the factory.

-- 
Michael D. Sullivan
Bethesda, MD (USA)

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