New Tool Wishes

[Gary Benson]

Guys,

Over the years I have found a number of very simple, but handy tools, some old, some new. I really like my small double square, Blue Spruce marking knife, and old no name scratch awl as examples. What are some other examples of old tools that you find useful, but are not common or not made (at least a good quality version) today? I have seen several people inquire about a good set of screw drivers that would fit in with the rest of our hand tools. Why are good quality, esthetically pleasing versions not made? LN has a set, but they are only useful for their planes. What else would you like to see made in a new, high quality, version?

Just thinking out loud,

Gary

[Harlan Barnhart]

Four-fold hardwood and brass rules, 24" and 36". Boxwood is probably too much to ask for but surely there are acceptable substitutes.

[Joe McMahon]

I made the turnscrew pitch as well as a Phillips turnscrew pitch to Robin at Lee Valley. He said that they would look in to it.

Hopefully??????????????????????????????????????

[Michael Peet]

Not a woodworking tool per se, but a good heavy lead pointer for those drafting-type lead holders. Tru-Point was the last one, and they stopped when the proprietor died. I wish I had one.
140664

All the new ones are small plastic things and you need two hands to use them.
140665

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

I made the turnscrew pitch as well as a Phillips turnscrew pitch to Robin at Lee Valley. He said that they would look in to it.

Hopefully??????????????????????????????????????

Got the email of LV news yesterday. They now offer the blades for which one can make their own handles.

jim

[Jack Wilson]

I have been looking for years for a sturdy well made coping saw. The nicest one I have was given to me by a friend who picked it up in Sweden on one of his travels. It has a deep well tubular steel frame, but still has some flex to it, however its not as light as the stamped steel frame that I find everywhere today. How about a small cast magnesium girder frame that won't flex and holds the blade REALLY tight?

[David Gendron]

I have arealy old no name traditional striking knife marking knife that I love but it is prety badly pitted. It would be nice to have one made new... If only i had a forge I could try my hand on one! Also, a nice light 6" brace, like the ultimatum, but with a chuck! And what about good steel dividers in the 6" range??

[Eric DeSilva]

I have been looking for years for a sturdy well made coping saw. The nicest one I have was given to me by a friend who picked it up in Sweden on one of his travels. It has a deep well tubular steel frame, but still has some flex to it, however its not as light as the stamped steel frame that I find everywhere today. How about a small cast magnesium girder frame that won't flex and holds the blade REALLY tight?

Look into jewelry supply companies... Not sure if they are blade compatible, but it always struck me that jeweler's saws are a lot better made than the average coping saw...

[Joel Moskowitz]

Four-fold hardwood and brass rules, 24" and 36". Boxwood is probably too much to ask for but surely there are acceptable substitutes.

A pet project of mine. I work on it whenever I get a chance.

[David Gendron]

Ok Joel, what else is in the pipe???
Thank you and always great to hear from you!

[Joel Moskowitz]

Not a woodworking tool per se, but a good heavy lead pointer for those drafting-type lead holders. Tru-Point was the last one, and they stopped when the proprietor died. I wish I had one.
140664

All the new ones are small plastic things and you need two hands to use them.
140665

Mike

I don't know if the quality has gone down since I bought mine 30 years ago, but they still make these and a good one of these are better than the tru-point. - I still use mine - although I don't have a drafting board set up now I should really.

http://www.pencilthings.com/gedess-lead-pointer-for-thick-leads-swiss-made.html

[David Gendron]

I wanted to had that there is a set of two chisels that are so perfect that I wouldn't get rid of them for anything, they are Ray Ilse pig stickers mortising chisels. these guys are a lot of pleasure to use and get the job done fast and clean!

[Joel Moskowitz]

Ok Joel, what else is in the pipe???
Thank you and always great to hear from you!

At any given time we have projects that are almost done like the sash saw which will be out as soon as I write a description, the saw vise which is out but production is being streamlined, and a dozen projects that we have done work on but haven't decided to make, a dozen projects which we have done basic research and a little design on, and a couple of dozen projects which are just past the idea stage. For example I have been meaning to do phillips head screwdrivers for years - but while the actual project is fairly easy it keeps on getting bumped for stuff we find more interesting or in line with our marketing goals. And we have a tiny staff so we have to pick and choose.

Our actual goal given the staff we have is to get out one major project a year and two or three minor ones. - minor in the sense it doesn't take that many design resources.

[Bruce Haugen]

Jack Wilson1 asks: "I have been looking for years for a sturdy well made coping saw."

David Barnett posted this (http://store.knewconcepts.com/je5prhasaw.html) on WC

[Richard Gonzalez]

Not a woodworking tool per se, but a good heavy lead pointer for those drafting-type lead holders. Tru-Point was the last one, and they stopped when the proprietor died. I wish I had one.
140664

Mike


Does that mean I can claim a retroactive gloat for my $2 garage sale find?

[James Owen]

I have been looking for years for a sturdy well made coping saw. The nicest one I have was given to me by a friend who picked it up in Sweden on one of his travels. It has a deep well tubular steel frame, but still has some flex to it, however its not as light as the stamped steel frame that I find everywhere today. How about a small cast magnesium girder frame that won't flex and holds the blade REALLY tight?

Take a look at making your own bow saw-style coping saw.

After years of monkeying with pretty much totally useless commercial coping/fret saws, I finally made a bow saw, sized to use coping saw blades. It never loses tension, never flexes, and cuts cleaner and tighter than any commercial coping ever thought of cutting.....

Best of all, it only took about 7 hours, being a total hand tool project (for the wooden parts) (and a Dremel tool for shaping/in-letting the brass rod parts); with tailed apprentices, you could probably finish it in 2-1/2 to 3 hours.......

[David Gendron]

That saw look good but no way to set the blade at an angle from what I can see. but I'm sure that frame doesn't flex at all!!

[Don C Peterson]

Not a woodworking tool per se, but a good heavy lead pointer for those drafting-type lead holders. Tru-Point was the last one, and they stopped when the proprietor died. I wish I had one.
140664

All the new ones are small plastic things and you need two hands to use them.
140665

Mike

They still make them: http://www.trupoint.com/product1.htm

[Michael Peet]

Joel, thanks for the info - I hadn't heard of that kind before. For $20 it might be worth a try!

Don, yeah - I found that too and gleefully tried adding one to my basket.. and got a "page cannot be found" error. I think it's just leftover from when they used to be sold :(.

Richard - I'll give you double your money for it :D.

Mike

[Jack Wilson]

Jack Wilson1 asks: "I have been looking for years for a sturdy well made coping saw."

David Barnett posted this (http://store.knewconcepts.com/je5prhasaw.html) on WC

Thats pretty much inline with what I was thinking, though I had more of a girder style in mind. Shoot, I may just go for it.

Who knew jewlers would need tools like this?