OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

4607 tonyb@d... (Tony Blanks) 1996‑08‑26 Bio: Tony Blanks, Tasmania, (longish)
Hi all,

As so many seem to do I have been lurking and reading for a couple of weeks, 
checking out the traffic and the group dynamics.  There seem to be a lot of 
enormously knowledgeable people posting and participating.  I hope I will be 
able to add to the pool from time to time.

I support my tool and timber collecting / buying / hunting / using habits by 
working for the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, where I am responsible 
for the mgt and field operations of the Fire Management Branch.  That's 
bush, not house fires.

Tamania is the small island at the bottom RH corner of Australia.  No,  not 
the two islands, that's New Zealand, and that mistake is a fine way to upset 
any New Zealander you meet.  Tassie is a wonderful place, 26,000 sq miles of 
forest, mountains and farmland.  One third is National Park, about 500,000 
people fit into another half and the bit in between is State Forest.  For 
the tree freaks one of our eucalypt species produces individuals as tall, 
slightly less tall or slightly taller than the Californian Coast Redwoods 
(depending on who is measuring what, how and why).  Lots of fine clear 
timber in both commercial and minor species, both dry forest and temperate 
rainforest species. Timber is still under valued here in $ terms and there 
is plenty of good material for the collecting. (first gloat) 

My tool interests are omnivorous:  Iam a user desperately trying to resist 
turning into a collector.  That has been difficult given the temptations 
around me and I must say that occasionally "using" has been a justification. 
 My family on both sides were artisans of one sort or another; a 
great-grandfather a wheelwright in the UK and Tas, a grandfather who built 
houses and bridges in roughly equal numbers, my father was a fitter and 
turner (machinist in the US) and a ships engineer.  My mother's family 
included a good few joiners and cabinet-makers. Because we have lived in the 
same general area for 4 generations, quite a few bits and pieces have flowed 
down to me, as amale in a family which produces lots of girls (5 out of 6 in 
my generation and my sister is carrying on the pattern).  Sadly they don't 
seem too interested in the family's tool accumulation.  (second gloat)

 I rather let the artisan ancestors down by going to University but I salved 
my conscience by studying Ag Science, giving plenty of opportunities to work 
with my hands and aquire a patina of equal parts perspiration and cow-sh*t. 

When I am not in the workshop or working on the house I pass the time in 
Bushwalking (hiking) and sailing, crewing in  both local and coastal racing 
and cruising . Just now I am helping to build a 36' balsa core cruiser-racer.

At the moment my old tools interests lean towards machinists and 
cabinet-makers / joiners tools.  I can't afford the spiffy infill planes so 
there may be hope for me yet, although there seem to be a few about in 
Tassie so there is always a bit of a risk.  I am still working up to 
tackling the moulding plane field:- seems like a lifetime's work in itself!

If you made it this far, thanks for your patience.

Regards to all,

Tony Blanks.
 
Tony Blanks

Assistant Director (Protection)
Parks and Wildlife Service
GPO Box 44A
Hobart 7001
Tasmania
Australia

Tel  +61 02 33 6118
Fax  +61 02 33 3972



Recent Bios FAQ