I guess since I've been poking around in the archives for awhile and now
have have subscribed to the list, I should introduce myself.

My wife (let's just say SWMBO so I won't confuse anyone in this group)
and I moved into a new (well, built in '41 so it's not too new) and it
had a separate room in the basement with a groun level outside entrance.
Not large, but usable. After I expressed some vague interest about
trying some woodworking my SWMBO gave me a birthday present of tuition
in a adult education class on woodworking. Very basic. Mostly access to
a shop with a bunch of tools (guess what type) and an instructor. The
instructor is a nice enough guy without a lot of time to devote to each
student. Mostly he answers the odd question and is there to call 911 if
the worst happens. I made some replacement drawers for my dresser made
out of an old TV cabinet. It was like a miracle! I could hardly believe
that I actually made them and they fit. Well, almost. Took me about two
days of sweating an cursing to get them installed but they do serve the
purpose and look decent if you keep the lights low.

Anyway, I was hooked. So now I'm making a bench. I mean it sure is tough
to work on the rickety 2x4 job that came with the house and has no real
means to hold anything. So, I'm almost done with it. It's not quite as
cool as I originally envisioned but I did acquire a lot of skills by
making a lot of mistakes. As soon as that monster #8 arrives from
Patrick the M of A then I'll be ready to practive with it first for
awhile (I have learned a few things) and then make it nice and flat.
Then I'll use the #4 that I got from him to make it nice and pretty.

By the way, I'm gonna use the round dog holes and put them all over the
place so I can just clamp up a storm. Probably comes from being vise
deprived when I started out. Hey, if it doesn't work out I can just plug
up the ones that I don't want. I also ordered a spiffy holdfast from
Brian Emery (he finally answered my e-mail). Can't have enough holding
devices I say.

Nice to join such rousing good company.

Joe Nance Oakland, CA

I love hand tools, but using some electrons sure makes some things go a
LOT faster.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Private replies: 

Public replies: oldtools@l... To subscribe, signoff, to digest:
listserv@l... Other housekeeping: oldtools-owner@l... Archive:
http://mailmunch.law.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/archives/OLDTOOLS When quoting,
edit severely.

On Thu, 26 Feb 1998 15:50:56 -0800, Joe Nance wrote:

>I love hand tools, but using some electrons sure makes some things go a
>LOT faster.
>
Not everything. I made my first harpsichord in 1972 using a table saw
for almost everything. I took joined up bottm and soundboard out to a
thickness sanding machine several miles away.

If I had known how, I could have flattened both with a jack, crosswise,
and a smoother after. I had to use a smoother on the soundboard anyway.

My later instruments still have the furrows from the jack on the bottom.
Galoots who run their hands under and behind things immediately
understand. It takes less time than loading the glued-up panel on the
roof rack and going to the sander.

If you are making a one-of-a-kind anything, time spent making jigs and
fixtures for machines may not be well spent. And, . . . the machines can
do nasty things to your hands.

Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a rodneym@i... Associate Editor Electronic
Products Magazine 20 years without a car, a TV, or a web site

----------------------------------------------------------------
Private replies: 

Public replies: oldtools@l... To subscribe, signoff, to digest:
listserv@l... Other housekeeping: oldtools-owner@l... Archive:
http://mailmunch.law.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/archives/OLDTOOLS When quoting,
edit severely.

Hey Joe,
 Where ya goin with that brace in your hand?
You can always plug more holes in your brand new bench, later.
 Welcome to the porch, fellow basement dweller!
   Scott
-- 
*  *  *  *  *     *  *  *  *  *     *  *  *  *  *
Scott Grandstaff, Box 409, 63742 Applegate Dr., Happy Camp, CA 96039 *
scottg@s...
PageWorks: http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/

----------------------------------------------------------------
Private replies: 

Public replies: oldtools@l...
To subscribe, signoff, to digest: listserv@l...
Other housekeeping: oldtools-owner@l...
Archive: http://mailmunch.law.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/archives/OLDTOOLS
When quoting, edit severely.

I agree with everything that you say. Let's see, 1972 was 26 years ago,
so in 2024 I hope that I have picked up enough skills that I can look
back and say that I I can do almost anything more quickly with hand
tools if it's one off kinds of stuff. I certainly can see how that works
and keep working on my skills every time that I go into the shop. Not
only that, there is just nothing that like the pleasure of having nice
curly whisps coming out of a nicely tuned plane...not to the beautiful
surface of the wood that has been the object of the plane.

So, maybe I'll be looking for a few items to broaden my skill set on
FMM, like maybe a #78 and #71. BTW, I recieved that big, bad #8
yesterday. The blade can definitely use a little work, but I did get
some jollies out of running it over a scrap 2 x 4 that I had lying
around. What fun. Wait until I SS sucker and go at the bench top.
Whoo, BOY!

Joe

-----Original Message----- From: Rodney Myrvaagnes [SMTP:rodneym@i...]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 1998 11:44 AM To: oldtools Subject: Re: BIO

On Thu, 26 Feb 1998 15:50:56 -0800, Joe Nance wrote:

>I love hand tools, but using some electrons sure makes some things go a
>LOT faster.
>
Not everything. I made my first harpsichord in 1972 using a table saw
for almost everything. I took joined up bottm and soundboard out to a
thickness sanding machine several miles away.

If I had known how, I could have flattened both with a jack,
crosswise, and a smoother after. I had to use a smoother on the
soundboard anyway. 

Rodney Myrvaagnes

----------------------------------------------------------------
Private replies: 

Public replies: oldtools@l... To subscribe, signoff, to digest:
listserv@l... Other housekeeping: oldtools-owner@l... Archive:
http://mailmunch.law.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/archives/OLDTOOLS When quoting,
edit severely.

On Sat, 14 Mar 1998 23:12:21 -0600, you wrote:

}It's been suggested by my family that I have a small problem with old
}tools. But just a small one. Although I'm working to make it much
larger.



}I acquired this problem while re-furbing an old Hoosier cabinet that
has
}been in the family since it was built. It has some warpage and
stainage
}from too many years in the chicken coop and then a wet basement.



The wet basement activated the chicken coop patina.  Happens all the
time, no known cure, fortunately.  Welcome to the porch.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dave Starr

Professional Shop Rat - 33 years in an Auto Plant