=0D
Whoa Gary, Whoa, you're making me dizzy.=0D
And you are only 24 you say (Grin)=0D
=0D
Nice to meet you cyberspace wise.=0D
 =0D
Peter in Perth =0D
 =0D
-------Original Message-------=0D
 =0D
From: Gary Curtis=0D
Date: Saturday, 22 January 2005 05:24:26=0D
To: oldtools=0D
Subject: [oldtools] Bio of New Galoot in Training=0D
 =0D
Two months ago, I saw in Fine Woodworking Magazine a handmade plane=0D
fabricated by Scott Grandstaff. It was a work of art. The caption to the=0D
picture listed his residence as Happy Camp, California, so I looked up hi=
s=0D
name in the local phone directory since I will be his neighbor before lon=
g.=0D
Scott began educating me on the subject of old tools and told me about th=
is=0D
Internet community.=0D
 =0D
Name =AD Gary Curtis. Retired. Foreign correspondent =AD 24 years. Mostly=
 in=0D
Tokyo. Aviation technical writer =AD 12 years. Pilot training on the DC-8=
 and=0D
747. Worked for Flying Tigers, then FedEx. No, I don=B9t know where your=0D
package is! Lived in New York, Tokyo, Honolulu, Dominican Republic. Own a=
=0D
Charles Roberts steel road bicycle and covered 4000 miles last year. Stee=
l=0D
is the best, in my opinion.=0D
 =0D
Tools. My father was a machinist and was proud that he fabricated airplan=
e=0D
props in our hometown, Milwaukee, during WW-II. Worked for a company name=
d=0D
A.O. Smith. He taught me how to read a micrometer at age 7. Moved to=0D
California, where dad worked for Hughes Aircraft. In about 1953, he told =
me=0D
about seeing his boss, the richest man in America, as he walked through t=
he=0D
hangars in a suit with white tennis shoes. (go see the Aviator, at a thea=
tre=0D
near you.) The Spruce Goose was long gone at that point, but dad machined=
=0D
parts of the Surveyor Spacecraft which made a landing (soft/hard?) on the=
=0D
Moon. Or did it merely orbit?=0D
 =0D
I want to work in wood, and have no training or experience. Nor tools. I=0D
worked metal. Have a full top and bottom box of Snap On equipment. Restor=
ed=0D
8 old cars, mostly late =8C30s Buicks and a 47 Lincoln Continental. In=0D
particular, I love doing the metal work. While lacquer was an option, I=0D
would classify myself as a B+ quality painter. An old Mercedes I sprayed =
was=0D
parked on a Beverly Hills street and it drew a small crowd of admirers. I=
=0D
used an old Cadillac color with metallic, Burn Sienna, and though=0D
unconventional on a Mercedes, it had a certain magic to it.=0D
 =0D
Now, to wood. My friend who owns a high end cabinet shop in Santa Monica,=
=0D
accepted my proposal to accept me as an apprentice (for no pay) in his 3-=
man=0D
business. This spring, My wife and I are building a 1700=B9 home in Trini=
ty=0D
County, and I will construct an 800 ft/sq shop. I=B9ll build the cabinets=
 and=0D
the shelving in our library. If I do well, I might sell cabinets to other=
s.=0D
Bear in mind there are not many =8Cothers=B9 in Trinity. Area =AD 2 milli=
on acres=0D
(100 miles x 50 miles), populaton 13,600. Somebody must need cabinets.=0D
 =0D
To kick the fossil fuel habit, I am installing a Geothermal Heat Pump for=
=0D
heating & cooling. I=B9ve installed 2 Hydronic radiant systems in homes i=
n Los=0D
Angeles and saw a 40% fuel savings, besides the wonderful qualities of=0D
radiant. The geothermal uses 25% of the energy of conventional systems.=0D
Geothermal is the rage in Europe, where fuel oil sells at $6 per gallon.=0D
 =0D
I just acquired my first three tools. A #6 Stanley jackplane from an old=0D
galoot. And a Bridgeport Vertical Mill and un-named clunky drill press fr=
om=0D
the =8C50s. I wanted the mill because of possible machining work on a sma=
ll=0D
plane.=0D
 =0D
So I want to work with wood, and ended up with my first tools being=0D
machining. At least I found the supply channels, just need to tailor my=0D
purchases. Got the mill and drill from a defunct aviation mechanic school=
=2E=0D
 =0D
Now I need to fill a shop with wood tools. The power tools scare the poop=
=0D
out of me, and I have begun taking notice of the missing fingers on=0D
woodworkers I meet. But, doing cabinet work, I know I am going to need a=0D
table saw and jointer. Neanderthal lifestyle might be a luxury for me.=0D
 =0D
I=B9ve read your emails here for 3 weeks and expect to find the array of =
tools=0D
I need for sale here. And I hope to get many lessons, online. Oh, my dad=B9=
s=0D
last job at Hughes was manager of the tool crib. He left me his wooden=0D
machinist=B9s tool chest full of micrometers, etc. And, about 5 tool boxe=
s=0D
full of things like countersinks, end mills, broaches, star cutters .... =
And=0D
little shiny gadgets I can=B9t identify. But, I treasure them all.=0D
 =0D
Gary Curtis=0D
Los Angeles=0D
 =0D
 =0D
 =0D
______________________________________________________________=0D