OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

2154 "John Crane" <crane@t...> 1996‑07‑09 BIO...
  Hi all.  Time for my Bio.

  My name is John Crane.  I live and work in Massachusetts.
Running computer systems (primarily unix) pays the bills.

  I am an apprentice Galoot at best.

  My dad can whip any man in Kentucky and I can whip my dad.

  I've got the prettiest sister...
           The fastest horse...
           and the ugliest dog in all of Tennessee...

  Oops.  That's Davy Crocket not me.  Although Davy was definitely a
Galloot!

  Actually I don't even have a horse or a dog.  I do have 4 sisters who
are all very pretty.  But of course they are no where near as pretty
as my two daughters! ;-)

  I don't own much for tools yet.  I buy them as I need them.
Collecting tools holds no real interest for me.  Using tools interests
me.  Woodworking has become an extention of all the carpentry I've done
over the years.  So far I've built 2 toy chests,  One Folding Brio train
table(big hit) and a tavern mirror for my wife.  I did a set of doors
to fit the 14X14 shed I built for my parents.  Currently I'm about half
way through sheetrocking my basement workshop.  When the sheetrock is done
I start on my first bench.

  Aahhh the bench.  This going to be my first real project.  I'm planning
on a shaker style bench with drawers and cabinet doors underneath.  There
will be a leg vise and a tail vise.  I've focused most of my thought on
the vises and have a few questions.

  1st Bench dogs.  I have seen many pictures of wrought iron bench dogs.
The majority of these bench dogs are between 8-11 inches long.  Is there
any particular reason for this length?  It makes sense to have the dog
a bit longer then the bench is thick. But many of the dogs I've seen appear
to be 2-3 times longer then the thickness of the bench.  I'm really curious
about this.

  2nd wooden vise screws.  Has anyone here tapped thier own holes and made
thier own screws?  Are there any sources for 2 inch screw boxes and taps?
I'm not really up to hand cutting screws at this point.  Would it just
be easier to buy a metal bench screw and hope I don't offend the almighty
gallootius maximus?

  Well that's it for now.  I'm sure there will be more later.

  See ya!

  John C.

  (hey 54 lines.  Not a bad start!)



Recent Bios FAQ