What is your most used, self made tool?

[Bob Strawn]

As a despicable, copycat tool maker, I would love to see pictures of the self made tools, that you use the most.

The tool I reach for most often is one of the simplest that I have made, a scratch awl.

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Penny%20Whistle/Scratch%20Awl%2002.JPG

It started out as a diamond pocket file (http://www.grizzly.com/products/Diamond-Pocket-file/H1423), but I sharpened the point and glued it into a block of wood. The diamond grit makes it perfect for cleaning burrs on holes. The point lets me scribe and start holes. It even came with a groove in it for sharpening points. It is quite handy for the odd sharpening or fine filing job.

It fits the hand well, and does not roll off the table. Not much to show off, no amazing craftsmanship, artistry or methods of manufacture. It is however, one of the most useful tool I have.

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Penny%20Whistle/Scratch%20Awl%2004.JPG

Few multipurpose tools do as many things as well. It can also be used to draw bore, enlarge holes and sharpen flat blades but in these cases, it can usually be beaten by a tool intended for the job.

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Penny%20Whistle/Scratch%20Awl%2001.JPG

Bob

[Sean Hughto]

My bench, hands down.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/3229764833_c85be22498.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

wow, on so many levels.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Not counting the workbench, most used would be my marking knife, squares and marking gauges:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=100166&d=1225767695

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/6585957_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/6210014_orig.jpg




Followed by saws:
http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/6988003_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/7491004_orig.jpg




And a few others :D:
http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/4068834_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/3214627_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/7813093_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/9447336_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/4233401_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/6466713_orig.jpg

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/3117056_orig.jpg




I might have a problem :o:D.

[jamie shard]

Actually, you have many solutions! :D

[greg sprouls]

WOW! I love hand made tools very nice.

[Jim Koepke]

After Robert's fine work, it is almost an embarrassment to show off my marking knife.

127595

It was made from a piece of saw blade and a scrap of rose wood. The ferule is made from a Parker tubing fitting.

jim

[Derek Cohen]

Sean, I always love looking at your bench. You do great handwork.

And Robert, you put me to shame - essentially using tools that you have made for yourself. Beautiful.

Bob, this is my kind of thread - I love to see the creativity of others expressed in something as simple as a handtool. There is something that is just so right about building with tools you have made (I just said the same thing on Knots!).

My favourites are really the ones I am using at the time.

Marking knives are the most used, therefore going to be #1 .... for dovetail and heavy duty ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/KnivesforMichaelConnor.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Knife-frontofblade1.jpg

Jack plane in Mesquite and Jarrah ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Jack%20Plane%20in%20Mesquite/Planefromrear1.jpg

Small smoother in Bubunga ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Knightish%20smoother/Knight2.jpg

30" Jointer in Jarrah ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/My%20planes/Jointer.jpg

Small BU smoother ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/My%20planes/Stanley3infill1.jpg

... and chamfer plane ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/My%20planes/Chamferplane-1.jpg

Brace ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/EntryforAustralianWoodReview2009_html_m5b4ef059.jp g

Ramped shooting board ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection_html_m3f021a61.jpg

Bowsaw ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Tools%20that%20I%20have%20made/1Bowsaw-1.jpg

Cutting gauge ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Marking-cuttinggauge2.jpg

I'd better stop there. Too many tools ... ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[harry strasil]

Marking knives.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/markingknives2.jpg
Height setting gauge,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/heightgage002.jpg
Back view,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/heightgage003.jpg
One of several Bow Saws.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/bowsaw2.jpg
Tenon Router,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/tenonrouter03.jpg

[george wilson]

Derek,I have seen OLD planes that have add on wooden handles to their blades. Seems like the 19th.C. guys found those non ergonomic planes hard to handle just as we do. And,we aren't using them 12 hours a day like some old time woodworker.

I like that converted Stanley plane body. I must find an old body and play around with that idea. I might take a light cut off the inside of the old body with a vertical mill before stuffing it. It already has the throat cut,too. Handy.

[jim hedgpeth]

OK my chamfer guide for my block plane looks too sick to post with these fine works. It does see a lot of use though. I used rare earth magnets to hold it on the plane, best thing I could have done. First one used a "clamp" type system, sucked when you do a lot of back and forth to match the grain.

So did I miss the announcement:confused: about SMC turning into a artistic tool makers forum??

:DAbsolutely beautiful tools guys. I hope I can make something that nice one of these days. I just did my first dovetails today,:eek: yuk. Not to bad for my first, and just scraps,so I guess its ok. Got to practice sometime.

Later,

Jim

[harry strasil]

I modified an old flea mkt woodie block plane into a small chamfer plane.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/smlchamferplane.jpg

[Matt Evans]

Here are mine. A few mallets, two rebate planes, a marking knife and my prototype frame saw.

The beat up looking rebate plane is the favorite, and it gets kept in my truck tool box. (Or, Did get kept there until it stopped being water tight. . .)

I haven't finished the other rebate yet, and the frame saw works adequately, but not really well. Next frame saw gets made with circular mortise and tenon joints on the stretcher and arms.

And the mallets. . .Turned one last night. Beech, finished with Watco. It might turn out to be as nice a user as the small square faced Sapele mallet.

The marking knife was made from an old rusty putty knife.

I have a lot more in the works, but not enough time to finish them right now.

[Bob Strawn]

This is fun, I am already quite used to ripping of Derek, his tools are solid and working, so they are a pleasure to copy. Now I have several more folks to rip off! I love the form of your reamer, Robert, I make reamers on a regular basis, but none of them have the grace of yours. I will have to make a few to match. Harry, I really like the tennon router, it has a better reference surface than an OWT. So I will have to rip it off too!

Here is another tool of mine, that I think is worth ripping off. A simple enough adjustable square.
http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Gauge%2002%20Complete.JPG

The lock button is set at a skewed angle with a face that almost matches the angle of the groove in the head.
http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Gauge%2013%20Button%20detail%201.JPG

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Gauge%2009%20Channel.jpg

It will give me a 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree angle easily, and is readily adjustable.
http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Numbers03.JPG

It is also pretty versatile,

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Marking%20Gauge%2001.JPG

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Marking%20Gauge%2010.JPG

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Mesquite%20Square/Mesquite%20Marking%20Gauge%2007.JPG

Bob

[Cliff Ober]

Just a few for me:

cutting gauge


http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/Cocobolo_KingwoodMarkinggauge2.jpg

tenon saw

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/TenonSawBocoteHandle2.jpg

mallets

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/Mallets.jpg

bow saw

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/Bowsaw1.jpg

marking knife

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/BocoteMarkingKnife.jpg

chisel rack (yeah, I know calling it a tool is a bit of a stretch, but it is getting used a lot...) :)

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/PICT3810_small.jpg

Cliff

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Cliff

Those are just too pretty to use! Stunning work and choice of woods.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jerome Hanby]

On your bow saw (which is gorgeous, btw), did you make the brass part of the handle that holds the blade? Was wondering how you handled that. Your blade looks a lot like the turbo cut 400 I bought from Highland to put on my bow saw (if it ever gets from the hickory plank stage to something vaguely saw shaped) .


Just a few for me:

bow saw

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/Bowsaw1.jpg


Cliff

[Cliff Ober]

Hi Cliff

Those are just too pretty to use! Stunning work and choice of woods.

Regards from Perth

Derek


Thanks Derek, it's much appreciated!

Cliff

[Cliff Ober]

On your bow saw (which is gorgeous, btw), did you make the brass part of the handle that holds the blade? Was wondering how you handled that. Your blade looks a lot like the turbo cut 400 I bought from Highland to put on my bow saw (if it ever gets from the hickory plank stage to something vaguely saw shaped) .


Thanks, Jerome.

Yes, I did make the blade clamps from silicon-bronze carriage bolts. What's a bit unusual is that they allow the blade to be *locked* by tightening the handles. Some folks have problems with the blade on bow saws turning while in use; that can't happen with this one.

There is a threaded brass insert installed in each arm of the saw, and the bolt is threaded into that (I had to increase the thread length of the bolt shanks). The handles also have inserts, and they act as jam nuts when tightened to prevent rotation.

I initially started out with one of the "Turbo-Cut" blades, but abandoned it as being too aggressive and hard to cut with in this type of saw. It would grab and jump excessively, so I made the saw blade shown from a piece cut from the back of an old saw plate. I filed the teeth by hand, and it works very nicely.

Cliff

[Dominic Greco]

12" Bowsaw
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/bowsawMkIII.jpg

A 3 point (pyramid) and a half round turning tool
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/DG092406a.jpg

A shooting board
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/LN_9_a-1.jpg

A brass plane hammer
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/plane_hammer3.jpg

Some burnishers
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/burnishers1.jpg

An Awl and Marking Knife
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/dg021108a.jpg

But I think the most used are my workbench and my tool cabinet
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/my_shop_06-28-09a.jpg

[Mark Maleski]

What a great thread! I'd much rather see shop-made tools than read about an off-the-shelf tool purchase. Thanks to Bob for the OP. I'm not posting any of my own, since most of my shop-made stuff are run of the mill jigs (mdf shooting board, etc). But I recognize several items on my "to-build" list in Robert's post. Hmmm, maybe I'll find some free time this weekend to start on these...

[george wilson]

Keep posting tools!!! Great thread.

[Leigh Betsch]

I haven't made a lot of tools but here is my sweetest.

[harry strasil]

This might be a bit off topic, but the one tool I have made that I have used the most in my life is not a woodworking tool, its this 3lb right hand quarter pein hammer, that was the center of my smithing career.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/smithing/MVC-007S.jpg

[Peter Bell]

This is one of the best threads I have seen in any wood work forums. It is my one passion. We have a house full of antiques and old collectibles.

My aim is to refit my workshop with old collectible and hand made tools. I started off with a copy of a simple awl a friend gave to me and down the slope I went.

I have made a heap of awls to give away as presents, a carpenter's mallet, a Mike Wenzloff style dovetail saw. On the horizon are some marking gauges, wood planes, bow saw, and off course some more brass backed saws.

Thanks for sharing. You are all an inspiration.

Peter.

[Peter Bell]

I hope the Mods on this site appreciate the quality of all these photos and the thread is not lost in time.

i suggest it should be a keeper and added to the library or as a " Sticky ".

[harry strasil]

I beat you too the punch Peter, My Demo Shop is all Antiques or Hand Made Tools and the whole mobile shop is in this trailer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/newtrlr1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/HNM1.jpg

Its a real joy to me to go to living history and steam shows and let the modern people see what the tools of yesterday were like and also to show them how they were used.

[Derek Cohen]

Here are a few more ...

Chip carving knives (a gift I made for Galootaclaus a few years back) ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/boxes/Chipknivesinbox2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/boxes/Chipknivesinbox3.jpg

My favourite dovetail gauge (1:7) .. "the dovetailed dovetail gauge" (a joke!) ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Dovetailsaddlesquare2.jpg

Fibonacci gauge (in Tasmanaina Blackwood, my favourite wood) ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/FibonacciGauge2.jpg

... with handmade brass rivets

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/FibonacciGaugerivets1.jpg

Another Galootaclaus gift ....

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Galootaclausbox6.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Galootaclausmarkingset4.jpg

At one stage I made a lot of these brass dovetail gauges for gifts and sold a bunch as well ... (1:5 through 1;8)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Dovetail%20guages/DT8.jpg

Stairsaw ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Tools%20that%20I%20have%20made/StairsawcomboUbeaut.jpg

Small crosscut saw ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/saws/Tenonsawbothsides1.jpg

Plane setting hammer ... mine alongside Dave's.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Planemallet2.jpg

Must go ... more at a later time ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Nardi]

I have several home made plane blades.

[Peter Bell]

I beat you too the punch Peter, My Demo Shop is all Antiques or Hand Made Tools and the whole mobile shop is in this trailer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/newtrlr1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/HNM1.jpg

Its a real joy to me to go to living history and steam shows and let the modern people see what the tools of yesterday were like and also to show them how they were used.


Harry, I would expect nothing less from someone who comes from a long list of famous Nebraskans and places.

Boys Town
The kellogs Corporation
Warren Buffett
Omaha Beach
Airforce one hiding place at the Strategic Command Headquarters
Omaha Steaks

Let's see what more I can add. I know, one Harry Strasil.

They even have a fair tennis player Andy Roddick. How's that information from someone in Australia. Off the top of my head and not researched by Google.

O dear, I almost forgot the most important of all. ' The Huskers ' The University football team based in Lincoln.

" Go Big Red "

Peter

[harry strasil]

Omaha beach is on the coast of france, I have never had an Omaha steak, and I don't care for football, LOL I did have a daughter that went on a Lookinglass flight when she was in Civil Air Patrol, Looking Glass is/was the 24/7 airborne command post out of Strategic Air Command "Offut" at Omaha.

[Harlan Barnhart]

I have several home made plane blades.
Really? How? From what?

[Peter Bell]

Really? How? From what?

Yep. Loosen the lips and do tell us.

This thread could take us anywhere.

Peter.

[Ray Gardiner]

Wow Harry, amazing trailer you've got there.. I can imagine the fond memories you must have of doing demo's around the country.

Very impressive

Regards
Ray

[David Gendron]

This is unbeleavable! I just started in woodworking a year ago and using only handtools in my little 10x10 shop. I made a few of my own tools like mallet, shoothing board, planeing jack. Of course a banch and now I'm working on a Krenov style plane, it should be done by the end of the week end, I try to post pictures!
Like someone said, this is the best thread ever!!
Thank you

[Aled Dafis]

My most used shopmade tool is probably a neck and neck battle between my Small smoothing plane

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii265/aledafis/Holtey%20copy/IMG_4486.jpg

and my recently completed Large smoother

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii265/aledafis/Large%20Smoother/IMG_56931.jpg

However, my favourite has to be the small shoulder plane, it's so handy for tickling joints into shape.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii265/aledafis/Small%20shoulder%20plane%20Mk2/IMG_5244.jpg

Cheers

Aled

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Aled

Nice work on your planes.

That small smoother of yours looks very familiar!

Here is mine (and unique I thought) ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/TheBreseSmallSmootherKit_html_28a5c2c2.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Aled Dafis]

Thanks Derek, I'd like to return the compliment, your plane also looks lovely. I do think that your plane looks more authoritive though, with that MASSIVE iron.:eek:

Although both planes look very similar, there are a number of differences, the largest being that mine is fully dovetailed, whereas I believe that yours is screwed/peined. I'm currently working (well, i'm not actually working as much as I'd like on it, my family and day job keep getting in the way) on a version of this plane that I'm going to make available as a kit in the not too distant future.

My large smoother is screwed/peined and I must admit that I found that method quite frustrating. I broke two taps in the sole of my first attempt, so had to bin it - O1 steel is a bugger to cut threads in, and I believe that I may have been using cheap chinese taps:mad: :mad:. At the time I vowed never to build a plane using this method ever again, but I'm now begining to re-consider the idea and am looking for a tapping tool on e-bay, and using standard Mild steel as opposed to O1, we'll see how it goes.:confused:

Carry on with the good work Derek, you certainly set the bar for the rest of us.

Cheers

Aled

[Jim Sears]

Just a few for me:

mallets

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk42/cdober/Handmade%20Tools/Mallets.jpg

Cliff

Cliff...What kind of wood did you use for the mallet heads?

[Cliff Ober]

Cliff...What kind of wood did you use for the mallet heads?


Hi Jim,

It's southern live oak. It's great for mallets; these are proving to be very durable. The wood isn't much good as dimensional lumber, but makes nice turnings. It takes a very smooth surface finish that belies the coarse appearance of the grain. I like it! :)

Cliff

[Derek Cohen]

I'm currently working (well, i'm not actually working as much as I'd like on it, my family and day job keep getting in the way) on a version of this plane that I'm going to make available as a kit in the not too distant future.

Well Aled, I have seen the quality of one of your kits (on the forum) and it looks excellent, really excellent. If I was not already rich in shoulder planes (and am busy on a block and a plough), I would go for the shoulder plane.

The choice of this small smoother is a good one for many to start with. If it helps, you are welcome to point all in the direction of my article on infilling it - it goes into somewhat obsessive detail, but then it was written for those that need a little nudge to take the first steps.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/TheBreseSmallSmootherKit.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matt Evans]

Aled, I would like to see more pictures of that rebate plane, if you have them. . .

Could be the resolution on my monitor, but I can't tell precisely how it was put together.

[Aled Dafis]

Aled, I would like to see more pictures of that rebate plane, if you have them. . .

Could be the resolution on my monitor, but I can't tell precisely how it was put together.

Check out my website, there are full details of the plane on there, and if you'd like a PDF of the assembly instructions, I'd be more than happy to e-mail them to you.

http://www.infillplane.co.uk (http://www.infillplane.co.uk/)

Cheers

Aled

[Dan Andrews]

What a lot of talent and creativity displayed here! I have turned tool handles on the lathe, but never made a tool. I think a marking knife would be a good place to start, and I need one.

[Glen Evans]

The work on this board inspired me to start tool building--I've shown these before but I use them all the time--the satisfaction in using them never goes away! My hand sawing has really improved since I started to actually enjoy handsawing--I guess the same could be said for the planing...

Its also alot of fun to watch my son (age 10) use his own handplane, knife and saw!

[David Gendron]

These are the tools I made(not pictured is the bench, saw bench and shaving horse).
the one I use the most would be my shoothing/ bench hook board, the one in walnut.
Nothing as fancy as some of you but all realy usefull, espacialy my new Krenov Style plane, I think it will soon become my go to plane!!

[David Gendron]

and few more...

[Cliff Ober]

Glen, those saws are really nice! What's the red wood in the handles?

Terrific work..

Cliff

[Glen Evans]

Cliff, thanks! The handles are cocobolo on all the saws but the the half-back which is wenge, (I don't recommend using the wenge for handles--its brutal to fill and is very brittle. The cocobolo, on the other hand, is an absolute dream to machine and shape I can't recommend it too highly)

Cheers
Glen

[Jon Crowley]

First, I'd like to bump this thread, because it is great. :D

Second, where are you guys buying the brass bar stock and u-channel?

[Jerome Hanby]

First, I'd like to bump this thread, because it is great. :D

Second, where are you guys buying the brass bar stock and u-channel?

I bought round bar stock (for bench bolts) from Fastenal (got one just down the road from me). Ordered rods and sheets from onlinemetals (through Amazon).

[Bruce Page]

Not Neander but I have been using the heck out of this little guy lately.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=29281

[harry strasil]

I guess really my most used shopmade tools are neander as I made them.

My Nu Bench, a 2009 model.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/nu%20bench/coatedbench050809.jpg

And my Table Saw, early 70's sometime.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/tablesaw.jpg

I have only had a 12 inch blade on it once, mostly 9 inch, till I got a Freud triple cut on sale.

[harry strasil]

Bruce, I am a self taught machinist to go along with my Blacksmithing and Welding Shop. These may seem rather crude to a good machinist, but I made an indexing head from a pair of large fabricated angle blocks I was given. Then I made all the parts, screw and gear included to convert it into a dividing head.

And I made a self centering steady rest for my old lathe, it's range is from 5/16 to 5 inches and is accurate to .0005 over the whole range. I used it mainly to drill center holes in shafting to swing between centers.

[Bruce Page]

Nice stuff Harry. There’s a lot more to a good dividing head than most people realize. I had a nice Hardinge dividing head that I traded for a Bridgeport right angle head.

[harry strasil]

Thank You Bruce!
When you are self employed and do repair work mostly for farmers and what walks in tghe door, there are several times during the year when industry and construction machines don't need your services, so I used that time to repair and maintain my old tools and to make myself some new toys to make my job easier.
The customers coming in the door have no idea what you are working on and if you are at a point you can stop, you accomadate them, if not you finish what you are doing and tell them when they can come back and pick up their work.
The main thing is to look busy all the time and often you make do quick repairs on your own machines to get the customers work out the door and often stay way after hours maintaining your own machinery so you can use it to make the necessary money to feed and clothe your family and pay the bills. I have never worked for anyone else for any length of time except when I was a kid and worked for my Dad and Uncle during my apprenticeship and while I was in the Navy Seabees, a short stint as a construction electrician and as a carnival ride foreman for 2 seasons and a short stint when I was first married for the neighboring Case dealer where I had a small welding shop, did new equipment setup and the trucking as well as tearing down tractor engines for the mechanics occassionally. Those were the days of my youth, at the case dealer I took home $54 a week for 6 8 hour days, but could pack my old station wagon from behind the front seat to the tailgatge with full paper grocery sacks for about $60.

[John Powers]

Saws. they're remarkably easy to make and work good. Router plane another. easy to make and acutally works.

[Brian Kent]

The work on this board inspired me to start tool building--I've shown these before but I use them all the time--the satisfaction in using them never goes away! My hand sawing has really improved since I started to actually enjoy handsawing--I guess the same could be said for the planing...

Its also alot of fun to watch my son (age 10) use his own handplane, knife and saw!

Glen, I really like the sculpted planes. Great idea to fit them to your hands.

Brian

[Dan Sink]

This thread is inspiring and awe inducing, while also intimidating. Somehow, at the same time it makes me want to both go home and get to work in my shop, or conversely put my tools up for sale on Craigslist since I just don't ever see my skills approaching those exhibited in this thread. Thanks to all those who posted pictures.

[David Gendron]

Good come with practice! so get back in your shop and try some thing like... a straight edge, a small dovetail marker, it dosen't have to be a plane or a saw... You have to start some where like every body else here!!
Good luck and looking foward to see some of your stuff!
David

[harry strasil]

Don't get discouraged, just remember everybody at one time was where you are now, you got to start somewhere and then just keep learning, some of us just can't help but use the knowledge we gleaned from others over the years and also use the skills we learned in another proffesion that we worked at for many years to help us with our hobbies. In fact I don't consider myself a learned WWer, I just muddle along as best I can with I got to work with.

[Ken Shoemaker]

Bottle opener

[Gene DiNardo]

Here's a couple of planes I've made.
The bodies were one piece bronze rough castings from St.James Bay.
Does this count as shop made ?

[David Gendron]

They look great! And since you made every thing other than the casting, I think it count! Do they work great? Was it hard to bring the rough casting to the beautifull finish product you have? Was it a lot of work to make every thing square and flat?
thank you for sharing!

[Gary Roberts]

Lots of great tools here, more then enough for me to fry my keyboard with drool! If anyone would like to have their work featured in a gallery at the Hand Tool Makers site, drop me a line and I'll create one for you.

If this trend continues, we may put the big manufacturers out of business...

Gary

[Harlan Barnhart]

This shop made tool gets a lot of use but I didn't make it, my Grandfather did. It's made of osage orange or "hedge apple" and the blade is just a length cut from a band saw bland.

[David Gendron]

realy nice saw and i wish i could put my hands on some of that wood!

[Harlan Barnhart]

David, it is a dream to work with hand tools, hard and extremely dense but it cuts like butter with a sharp blade. It also has great elasticity, once heated it can be bent tightly and will hold the shape after it cools. I saw my Grandfather heat a 1/4" by 2" strip maybe three feet long over the shop stove and twist the center section like a cork screw without splitting.

[David Gendron]

Probably the reason it was used and still used today to make bows!!
One day I will get some!

[Bob Strawn]

realy nice saw and i wish i could put my hands on some of that wood!

I get most of mine from M@G Sawmill (http://www.mgsawmill.com/product.htm), near Huntsville Texas.

Every once in a while someone cuts down a tree of it around here, so I am always watching for it. I have established almost a hundred of the trees, but they are not yet twice my height.

I followed the old timer method for making a hedge, rot the horse apples till spring, spread the slurry in a ditch you dug for the purpose, water the ditch when needed for the first three years.

The plan is to get a bit of wood from it and make an old time hedge, horse high, hog tight and bull tough. Besides, I owe the trees a few children after all the osage I have made shavings out of.

Bob

[David Gendron]

Way to go Bob! But I'm sure the Osage wont grow in my neck off the wood!

[Zahid Naqvi]

The Following individuals have been banned from posting on SMC on account of posting pornographic material on this forum

Glen Evans (#45), Derek (several) and Cliff Ober (#15)

;):D:eek:

P.S. I have linked this thread to the FAQs section