Greetings, All!

I have been lurking around the perimeter of the porch for a few 
months now, and have finally worked up the courage to climb the 
steps, say hello, and present myself for inclusion in your esteemed 
group.

I guess I inherited my interest in woodworking from my father, 
although he relies mainly on p*w*r t**ls for his various 
projects...the bigger, the better. I will humbly admit that I find 
these machines fascinating and useful as well, but I have been trying 
to wean myself from them, not only to improve my woodworking skills, 
but my finished work as well.

My current collection of hand tools is somewhat meager, at least by 
oldtools standards, but my wife is convinced that I already have more 
than any one person could ever need. Most of these have been gleaned 
from auctions, which I attend as often as my work schedule will 
allow. I haven't had much luck at garage sales, but that doesn't keep 
me from stopping. I have also been fortunate enough to have received 
some donations from friends, including a Stanley miter box saw made 
by Simmonds and an early Stanley 45 combination plane.

Although I find myself attracted to metal planes, my best results 
have come from using modern wood-bodied planes like those made by 
E.C.Emmerich in Germany. I managed to pick up a jointer, two 
smoothers, and a block plane at an auction about two years ago, and 
have been on the lookout for more ever since. They took some time to 
get used to, but the results have been outstanding.

What I lack in tools, I make up for in material. One of my father's 
hobbies is collecting trees. Mostly trees to sell to veneer mills, 
with the leftovers being sawn locally into lumber. Between his barns 
and mine, I would conservatively guess there is about 8,000 bf of air-
dried Ohio hardwood, mostly walnut.

When I really think about it though, my most precious resource is 
time, and I don't have anywhere near enough to work on the projects 
that are on my list. I need to trim out a room I remodeled last 
spring, my wife wants a new bed, and my brother and I are trying to 
finish a table for my mother that was supposed to have been done in 
time for Christmas. I'm sure I am not alone in this respect.

That's probably enough for now. I don't want to take up any of your 
time that could be put to better use out in the shop. I am looking 
forward to participating, learning, and (hopefully) contributing.

Kevin Kauffmann
Bradford, Ohio

P.S...I owe someone in the group some information on my Bridgeport-
made Dosch miter trimmer...I haven't forgot!

Mike Duchaj  writes:
My> shop is below the kids' room, so I needed quiet tools.

Welcome aboard Mike. A shop under my little girl's room also pushed me
over the slope.

Michael, san francisco

In his bio, Mike asked:

> I also got a box of auger bits dirt cheap. (Why are there different sized
lead screws? Is coarse for softwood, and fine for hardwood, ...

Bingo! You got it right. The fine thread draws the bit into the harder wood
slower. And a softer wood can be cut faster, thus the coarse thread.

Welcome. 

	- Curt, central Illinois 

 Tom wrote:

I have become enamored with hand tools and have been acquiring many. I
have a lot of Bailey’s, Bedrock’s and Lie-Nielsen’s and my prize
Spiers Ayr infill panel.

We don't handle gloats like that too well around these parts.... :-)

Seriously...welcome Tom!
--
 http://www.geocities.com/paulncath1

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Tom Thomson sent in his bio and wrote:

>
>I am looking for information on the preservation and restoration of
>antique tools, especially hand planes.
>
>

Tom and other new galoots  - welcome.(we should name this bio month!)   You 
will find a really good primer on restoration in
Michael Dunbar's book "Restoring,Tuning and using Classic woodworking
Tools" - ISBN 0-8069-6670-x.It's less than $20 US and is great
value for money.Garrett Hack's  - "The Handplane Book" is really
great too and is now out in soft cover.Don't know the price
offhand but it is recommended reading.

           Phil Bassett - Stealth Galoot #99
             Gainesville,Fl.

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul D. May" 
> I have become enamored with hand tools and have been acquiring many.
I have a lot of Bailey’s, Bedrock’s and Lie-Nielsen’s and my prize
Spiers Ayr infill panel.
>
> We don't handle gloats like that too well around these parts....
:-)

Hehehe!   I thought it had been only me noticing...
Everytime someone mentions the words "Spiers infill panel"
I get goosebumps and the g-loat light flares up!

>
> Seriously...welcome Tom!

Ditto!

Nuno Souto
dbvision@o...