Heads-up, stolen Thompson tools
From Doug Thompson of Thompson tools
"A guy I knew from the club (yes, a woodturner) 12-14 years called me about a job. He worked for his dad for 25 years then took his dad's customers to start his own business and that's all I knew when I hired him. Well, a few things started to disappear the after the Florida symposium a whole pallet of tools vanished... I let him go. When I called the police they showed me a mug shot then his whole story fell into place. ... The bottom line is he stole over $80,000 worth of tools, and the only place to sell them is to you. He can't change steel or flute shape so that helps find the tools.... if you see anything contact me. Thank you, Doug Thompson"
(Hmm..., must not have been a "real" woodturner since all I know are really nice and honest people.)
Those of us who use his tools now can probably recognize them on sight. If you are not familiar with his tools, they are black 10V tools, the construction and look quite distinctive compared to others, for example the way the round rod is a bit larger in diameter than the nominal gouge size and machined down slightly for a couple of inches on the end that goes into a handle. The skews are radiused on one edge and flat on the long edge. The roughing gouge is machined from 5/8" round bar with a deep U flute with straight upper sides. Bowl gouges are a "V" shape. Spindle gouges are in three flute depths, one quite shallow. All tools are black where not sharpened. I could post some photos of some I have if anyone wants.
Perhaps they will show up on Craigslist, eBay, welded into a sculpture, who knows.
I'd bet a nickle Doug would reward catching the thief - maybe even with a complete set of tools!
JKJ
