Thread: Minimalist Hand Tool Kit

Right then. Show time:

It's been a rugged one weather wise today and I confess I retreated to an air-conditioned room for an hour, but it is safe enough to venture outside and a quick check of the thermometer in the shed say it has cooled to 40.5 degs C.

I wanted to show the story and needed more pix

The package is together:

Minimalist tools final collection.jpg

It included:

HNT Gordon Jack Plane with spare blade (for smoothing) ..........1.546
Shoulder Plane I" Ironbark .....................................................684
Brace (Ratchet) ................................................................1.473
Auger Bits (8) ......................................................................836
Draw Knife ..........................................................................434
Chisels (4) ..........................................................................545
Travisher ............................................................................158
Marking Gauge (Twin beam) ...................................................152
Mallet (Small for plane adjustment) ..........................................231
Coping saw and spare blades (3) .............................................182
Saw files (3) including two handles ..........................................110
Needle Files (6) For auger bits etc............................................074
Marking Knife (large) .............................................................101
Tape Measure (2m) ...............................................................056
Rip Saw 26" (Simonds No.72)...................................................818
Hand Saw 26" (Simonds No.8)..................................................736
Panel Saw 22" (Simonds No.4)..................................................494
Saw Set ..............................................................................310
Micromesh 3M film .................................................................113
Ruler with stop .....................................................................110

Ok, you want pix:

Minimalist tools final collection 015.jpgMinimalist tools final collection 017.jpgMinimalist tools final collection 018.jpg

A little bit of explanation as to why I decided on some items.

This is a present given during the festive season (albeit a little late) so there is some wriggle room for items that are driven a tad more by the heart than the rational mind. The biggest example of this is the set of saws. Simon probably could buy some hard pointers locally and I could give him the cash instead of postage to do the job, although the rip saw might not be so easy (or cheap), but they would be short as in seriously challenged for length. For some
things size does matter ( but not everything ) .

Minimalist tools final collection 001.jpg

I changed the saws as you know several times and in the end the only original saw was the Simonds No.72 which is a rip saw. I sat back and thought about if I was cutting up pallet stock and decided I would probably want a fast crosscut so I included a 7ppi saw for cutting to length. The 12ppi panel saw can be used for precision cutting and as a passable substitute for a back saw in medium level joinery. The panel saw was a new restoration and I would not normally have parted with it, but I am expecting another No.4 soon.

The No.4 panel saw is a delight to use. I had a little trouble getting the thing to come off my hand when I was placing it in the box .

Of course the down side of including re-sharpenable saws is that they have to be resharpened so three files and a saw set were included. Incidentally, the two 26" saws are his as I gave them to him a couple of years ago not that they have been used much. However they were checked for sharpness and in the case of the crosscut re-set and sharpened to cope with rough timber, which might also be "fluffy."

I am not wholly convinced about the brace and bits, but I have gone along with their inclusion. He may be able to supplement the bits from second hand stores or garage sales or whatever Slovakia has.

I did find his coping saw in his tradies trailer when I was looking for other items, but it weighed a little more than the saw I included: There wasn't really much in it.

Thank you to all of you who contributed your wealth and advice and my apologies for not taking up the magnificent suggestions that involved purchasing new tools. I'm afraid new tools were never on the agenda for me. Part of the reason is that I can see some level of subsidy for machinery down the track when he rents a workshop space. However, I need to see some commitment there before I get too serious.

I think the complete package will meet the 10Kg limit and postage on this will go just over the $200 mark. So that and the tools are his present for that little festive occasion we traditionally celebrate during December.

I hope you have enjoyed this little journey as much as I.

Regards
Paul

He's a lucky lad that one for sure Paul.
Forget Xmas present thinginy .
Your late anyway[emoji849].
It a Chinese New Year present,
That might arrive on time .

Matt

I have to wander along to the post office on Monday. Simon's package may get to him in time for the Chinese New Year (28 Jan ?).

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Matt

I have to wander along to the post office on Monday. Simon's package may get to him in time for the Chinese New Year (28 Jan ?).

Regards
Paul

See
All goods that's end well

Matt

I think you may be a Shakespearian fan: I am just not quite sure if you realise it. It is not clear whether Billy was a closet woodworker.



Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Matt

I think you may be a Shakespearian fan: I am just not quite sure if you realise it. It is not clear whether Billy was a closet woodworker.



Regards
Paul

I am actually quite a few "things" apparently but recognising any on them is a strong weak point[emoji849].
I'm sure Anna Hathaway may have opinions here lol.
But her cottage is a loverly tour.

Paul if you keep it to your self.
My father was a private school teacher specialising in English and Australia literature.
Who I kid you knot send our school reports back to there respective teachers "corrected"[emoji849][emoji849].
YES lol

Of course you possible gathered he didn't to a great deal of teaching on the home front lol.

Cheers Matt

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I am actually quite a few "things" apparently but recognising any on them is a strong weak point[emoji849].
I'm sure Anna Hathaway may have opinions here lol.
But her cottage is a loverly tour.

Paul if you keep it to your self.
My father was a private school teacher specialising in English and Australia literature.
Who I kid you knot send our school reports back to there respective teachers "corrected"[emoji849][emoji849].
YES lol

Of course you possible gathered he didn't to a great deal of teaching on the home front lol.

Cheers Matt

Matt



I think we have just had the post of the year already in week three!!!



Actually I had a maths teacher who could not add up (we used to frequently correct him) so I think it is quite acceptable to make a spelling error and those errors that are unacceptable you can blame on predictive texting or whatever it is called.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Matt



I think we have just had the post of the year already in week three!!!



Actually I had a maths teacher who could not add up (we used to frequently correct him) so I think it is quite acceptable to make a spelling error and those errors that are unacceptable you can blame on predictive texting or whatever it is called.

Regards
Paul

Post of the year lol
Thank you kind sir

I expect you thought I was all done and dusted on this one, but I did end up making a teeney weeney change. The dreaded fine point crosscut saw inclusion was revised and this delayed the sending of the parcel.

It should have been posted yesterday, but a late torrential rain storm, which was very welcome incidentally and means that only half SWMBO's plants will still die while she has left them in my care, prevented me posting the package.

The change involved substituting the Simonds No.4 panel saw for another fine tooth saw. Remember how I said I had difficulty persuading the cute little No.4 to leave? Well I substituted another Simonds No.4.

Another No.4 . Is he losing his marbles (quite likely, but irrelevant here)? The fact is this replacement was the saw I had always intended to include. The reason was it was a cut down 26" handsaw. When I acquired it the back (top side) of the saw had 6" of teeth cut along the toe. I simply cut 6" off the plate. I did this because I originally regarded it as an abomination.

I had been looking for a replacement No.4 and had forgotten I had the panel saw. In fact I had inadvertently pulled out the wrong saw.

This replacement saw is 10ppi (the panel saw was 12ppi) but still fine enough for purpose and quite a bit more rigid courtesy of the 20" length and the thicker plate. It has been worn down a bit as can be seen from the model number only just surviving the tooth line. It cuts like a demon.

Simonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 001.jpgSimonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 002.jpgSimonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 017.jpgSimonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 012.jpg

I am always a little wary of user saws that have been sharpened down as there is the distinct possibility of the toothline encroaching into the taper ground area meaning that the gauge of the toothline thickens towards the heel, but this saw is still good.

I ended up throwing in an eclipse jig for plane blade and chisel sharpening too. I suspect I will pay the weight penalty for that little rush of blood !

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

I expect you thought I was all done and dusted on this one, but I did end up making a teeney weeney change. The dreaded fine point crosscut saw inclusion was revised and this delayed the sending of the parcel.

It should have been posted yesterday, but a late torrential rain storm, which was very welcome incidentally and means that only half SWMBO's plants will still die while she has left them in my care, prevented me posting the package.

The change involved substituting the Simonds No.4 panel saw for another fine tooth saw. Remember how I said I had difficulty persuading the cute little No.4 to leave? Well I substituted another Simonds No.4.

Another No.4 . Is he losing his marbles (quite likely, but irrelevant here)? The fact is this replacement was the saw I had always intended to include. The reason was it was a cut down 26" handsaw. When I acquired it the back (top side) of the saw had 6" of teeth cut along the toe. I simply cut 6" off the plate. I did this because I originally regarded it as an abomination.

I had been looking for a replacement No.4 and had forgotten I had the panel saw. In fact I had inadvertently pulled out the wrong saw.

This replacement saw is 10ppi (the panel saw was 12ppi) but still fine enough for purpose and quite a bit more rigid courtesy of the 20" length and the thicker plate. It has been worn down a bit as can be seen from the model number only just surviving the tooth line. It cuts like a demon.

Simonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 001.jpgSimonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 002.jpgSimonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 017.jpgSimonds No.4 handsaw 20 inch 012.jpg

I am always a little wary of user saws that have been sharpened down as there is the distinct possibility of the toothline encroaching into the taper ground area meaning that the gauge of the toothline thickens towards the heel, but this saw is still good.

I ended up throwing in an eclipse jig for plane blade and chisel sharpening too. I suspect I will pay the weight penalty for that little rush of blood !

Regards
Paul

I've come to realise my expectations lead me astray.
[emoji3]
Constantly

Originally Posted by bueller

I'm a little light on spare tools but I'd be happy to donate some extra $$$ for additional weight. I'd hate to be away from my tools!

Bueller

I have done my favourite trick of parking a post (#19) in the depths of my mind meaning to return to it at a later date.

In this instance it was a unforgiveably rude omission. Thank you so much for your kind offer. It was, and is, much appreciated. I may have given out the impression that the shipping cost was testing my resources and while it is true to say that any expense encroaches on the single bucket of money, it was still my choice to spend it in this way.

What I will do however is alert Simon to the fact that he has friends he did not know he had.

Wonderful.

Thank you.

Regards
Paul

No problem mate, didn't bother me in the slightest! This forum has been good to me in the short time I've been here, I'm a firm believer in paying it forward 😊

That original put forward was pretty good, and I must admit I didn't follow the thread to the end as it is up to 6 pages.

He can pick up a knife at the local version of the op shop with a few others for coins. So there is his knife, and the other little cutters he needs.
Those Europeans sometimes get right into green woods for material. A small Drawknife maybe?

Thanks Clinton

The package did include both a drawknife and a marking knife in the end.

The package is now in a post office in Bratislava and has been for several days. According to the esteemed son this is par for the course and nothing happens particularly quickly there. I will post again when the parcel arrives and hopefully with news of a favourable reception .

Regards
Paul