Thread: Hand tool virus. Is it terminal or do people recover?

Originally Posted by ian

sometimes there's little choice. e.g prepping a plywood panel for a finish, or working on a surface curved in 3 dimensions

Ian, I said "avoid" because I do use sandpaper, much as I detest the stuff. I'm neither a purist, nor do I have the skill & patience to go completely 'paper-free'. I can get most 'flat' work pretty close to ready with cutting tools (I include scrapers in that category), but I cannot get the surface I want on woods like Aust. Cedar without resorting to a bit of sandpaper, unfortunately.

I was scarred for life when I bought one of the first random-orbit sanders that hit the domestic tool market. I spent about two days sanding this humungus set of bookshelves, tediously working my way through successive grits until I thought I had a perfect surface. Then I hit it with stain, & , out popped a rash of swirl-marks over the entire acre of wood surface! I tried to sell it to my other half as a great avant-garde finish, but that was abruptly & vehemently vetoed, so it had to come off. That was when I first really came to grips, both literally & metaphorically, with card scrapers - they saved the day, at the expense of some rather sore thumbs. I never used that damn thing again, and managed to swap it for a six-pack soon after. I reckon I got far & away the better deal. So that's why, to this day, I only hand-sand, in the direction of the grain, with as fine a grade as possible....

However, swirl-marks certainly did become fashionable - I see them so often on commercial stuff; a little more subtle than my effort, perhaps, but plenty there if you look closely.....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by seriph1

Here is the cure.

It'll take time to take full effect but I'm assured it does cure people of the addiction

On the contrary, Steve - seeing the the Studley chest for the first time exacerbated the condition, in my case!

It led to a number of additional symptoms, such as re-handling a couple of sets of chisels so they matched better, a set of fancy marking-gauges, and eventually, this: TC1.jpg TC.jpg

Not as compact as Mr. Studley's, but since I don't have to carry it to job sites, my aim was to make all the tools easily accessible.

And although I desperately wanted a #1 for a long time, I've gotten over that after trying to actually use one. It does look cute in that little arched recess in the Studley chest, though....

Such wonderful work gives me great joy. Well done mate. It's truly beautiful.

BTW Is the large tenon saw sporting a bull-oak/ she-oak handle? I not much lovely Silky oak there so I imagine you might be in brissy or at least QLD.

I grew up in Rainworth, if you've ever heard of it

Originally Posted by seriph1

............BTW Is the large tenon saw sporting a bull-oak/ she-oak handle? I not much lovely Silky oak there so I imagine you might be in brissy or at least QLD.

I grew up in Rainworth, if you've ever heard of it

Steve, the large tenon saw in the top right of the LHS door has a Flame oak (aka Hairy oak = Allocasuarina inophloia) handle. The carcase saw, top right of the RHS door is Eastern She-oak (A. torulosa). At the bottom of the RHS door are a couple of dovetail saws, one with a Bull oak (A. leuhmanii) handle, the other is Rock oak (A. hugeliana) from W.A. You might've got the idea I have a bit of a thing for the She-oaks (and backsaws)....

The (northern) Silky-oak drawer fronts are recycled from the fronts of huge banks of drawers that were chucked out of the old Qld Museum. I thought they deserved a better fate than being burnt or buried.

And yes, I know well where Rainworth is, I go through that way when on my way to my favourite hardware store (Paddington Hardware)....

I never thought I'd get to this stage when I started out, but I saw examples of fine tool chests in mags like FWW, etc, At first I thought they were a bit wanky, but afyer a while, I started to think a little more ambitiously. Slowly, slowly, I found the tools I wanted (or I made them), til eventually they outgrew the recycled ply box they'd been forced to live in. By that stage my skills were getting up to the task, too. So for those who aspire to a decent tool chest full of nice old tools, it just takes time & patience & keeping your eyes open for the occasional bargain that falls into your clutches. You never shake the bug, completely, a nice-looking tool at a good price can cause an unexpected relapse. But you learn to live with it.....

Cheers,

Wonderful. It's the worthy work of a lifetime of tool stewardship. I'd love to see it up close one day. BTW the reason I commenced woodworking as more than a loose hobby, is because of Fine Woodworking Magazine - April 1991. It has an open Wooton Patent Secretary on the cover and 'that' tool cabinet inside

Originally Posted by IanW

On the contrary, Steve - seeing the the Studley chest for the first time exacerbated the condition, in my case!

It led to a number of additional symptoms, such as re-handling a couple of sets of chisels so they matched better, a set of fancy marking-gauges, and eventually, this: TC.jpg

Not as compact as Mr. Studley's, but since I don't have to carry it to job sites, my aim was to make all the tools easily accessible.

And although I desperately wanted a #1 for a long time, I've gotten over that after trying to actually use one. It does look cute in that little arched recess in the Studley chest, though....

and I see you have left space for one

I personally blame Patrick Leach. My only problem is that my go to plane for jointing these days seems to be a #6.

Just say, ......... uhmmm

I've definitely got it. When I first got into woodworking I'd envisioned myself with a huge workshop of machinery but the reality is I'm stuck in an apartment for a while so I started acquiring some hand tools so I could build stuff without bothering the neighbours.

Made some simple projects to gain some skills but it wasn't until the last project that a light kind of switched on. Power tools have always frustrated the hell out of me, I tend to move too quickly and this leads to mistakes which can't be recovered from. Using hand tools means I'm forced to slow down and move at a steady rhythm, consequently I make far less mistakes and the ones I do make are usually very minor.

There's also a very relaxing element to it. There's no screaming power tools or machinery, I can get outside in the sun and listen to all the birds chatter while I build things that will serve a real purpose for me. I still want the shop full of machinery but a nice tool chest will never be far from reach.

Originally Posted by Fuzzie

I personally blame Patrick Leach. My only problem is that my go to plane for jointing these days seems to be a #6.

Just say, ......... uhmmm

Why do you blame him? Didn't he tell ya a #6 isn't all that helpful. BTW I own two of them. Sometimes I use them like a #5 1/2.

Originally Posted by seriph1

Here is the cure.

It'll take time to take full effect but I'm assured it does cure people of the addiction

But, Steve, what if someone gives you another chisel? Where would you put it?

Cheers

Graeme


PS: OK, I know its Mr Studdley's problem!

and what a wonderful challenge that'd be!

Originally Posted by justonething

Why do you blame him? Didn't he tell ya a #6 isn't all that helpful. BTW I own two of them. Sometimes I use them like a #5 1/2.

There was this guy in a plaid shirt and Chuck Taylor sneakers. He didn't look harmful, but one day he says "Hey kid want to try this nickle bag #5, it's harmless and you'll never need another plane". While you're trying it out and getting a high from the scent and the curlies, he knows you're weakening and he starts talking bedrock and sweetheart deals. He seizes the chance and starts the dangerous talk peppering blood and gore into the conversation, but you're naive and still think you can handle it all with just a #5. But the hook is set. An evil genius, he has created one of the first computer viruses and callously called it "The Blood and Gore". Despite millions and millions of dollars being spent over decades by the computer industry on anti virus software the virus is still out there infecting people by computers and tablets. You take a look and you find out there is more than just a #5, he's been lying to you, there are hundreds of others out there and they will all get you high, except for the #6 and perhaps something called a fibre board plane. You're damaged goods and your life will never be the same now. You think the indignity can't get worse, but he allows you an occasional peep into the inner sanctum and you now start fidgeting and shaking every damn time you pass a second hand shop. Your life is never the same again.


... That's why I blame him.

Franklin, that was both eloquent and entertaining

This disease was well discussed in Chris Schwatz' book The Anarchists Toolchest https://lostartpress.com/products/th...sts-tool-chest

A tale of buying everything, stripping down, re-acquiring through one-thing-after-another and then again stripping down.

There is ALWAYS one more shiney toy to be bought....