Thread: Tool Shows

There is always a good selection at the Sydney Wood Show and the hand tools guys at Sydney have their shows quite often. There are several good markets in Newcastle that often have a good selection of old tools too. The Wickham markets are on the last Sunday of every month, there is usualy a good selection there. The Centenary Centre antiques in Newcastle also has a good selection too. I have never had much trouble finding a good selection of good old tools at a reasonable price.
The thrill is in the hunt

Thanks Claw Hammer
I didn't realise Newcastle had so much going in the way of tools shows

TT

There seems to be lots more hand tool trading & swapping south of the Quuensland border than on this side. AFAIK, there has never been any sort of communal tool swap/sale around these parts, & I wonder why? Nothing spare up here? Perhaaps it has something to do with the lack of woodie groups (other than turners) in these parts?

I have acquired a few duplicate & spare tools that really should go to someone who can use & appreciate them, rather than hang aabout my shed taking up space & gathering dust. But I am too busy/lazy to do something about it - advertising & describing a bunch of disparate bits & pieces seems like too much bother. So wot about it, you people around the Brisbane area - anyone else in a similar situation? What would it take to organise a swap meet somewhere in the vicinity? Could it be attached to the Maleny wood show, or something?

Cheers,

I'd be in Ian! Not that I have gear worth swapping with you but some one might be interested in some of the motley assortment in my 'out' tray I think there are plenty of hand tool guys up here just not so many on the forum.

There was a guy at the Rocklee Markets a week or two ago that specialised in old hand tools. He had great stuff, woodies, stanlleys, saws, old measuring tools, a box of assorted plane irons, all sorts. I did a lap to see what else was going on and when i got back around he'd been cleaned out! Someone's using the stuff.

Cheers
Matt

i dont know of any in SA but there must be some in victoria from time to time.

i wandered into an antique shop several months ago and it happened to specialise in tools, the owner was chatting to me saying he still had to unload his truck as he had just got back from a swap meet in Horsham, or somewhere, i cant remember now, where he had a stall set up. he didnt sell much he said, the weather was over a 100 and windy so not many punters about, i am sure i remember him saying he goes interstate, not often, but regularly.

Originally Posted by ch!ppy

i dont know of any in SA but there must be some in victoria from time to time.

i wandered into an antique shop several months ago and it happened to specialise in tools, the owner was chatting to me saying he still had to unload his truck as he had just got back from a swap meet in Horsham, or somewhere, i cant remember now, where he had a stall set up. he didnt sell much he said, the weather was over a 100 and windy so not many punters about, i am sure i remember him saying he goes interstate, not often, but regularly.

Where was this shop chippy?

Sydney has the Traditional Tools Group Victoria also has its own such group.

STTG has two such sales a year one at Asquith a couple of months ago another at Homebush. Here's there events page

Various members off this forum I know of up and down the coast in areas such as Port Maquaire's Hastings Woodworkers ,
Early in the year is Kiama Woodshow which has a small stand also.

It would be great to see an open air market for such as this a 3 day weekend swap/sale meet.

G'day John,
in amongst a bunch of other antique shops in Magil, on Magil rd

he had the odd good tool, some not so good (as they all do)

i already have all the braces i need, but i remember he had a bunch hanging like a mobile and i asked how much some of them were, he said they were just decoration, nobody wants braces (i reckon he would sell em though) he had a nice spofford, but i already have a couple anyway so i thought it just as well

he had this 19th century european workbench (sold, had a price of $1200!!), since i need to knock up a new bench i took a couple of pics

cheers
chippy

Originally Posted by ch!ppy

...he said they were just decoration, nobody wants braces ...

Hush, don't tell Geoff...

(I put a bid on another brace myself, just before heading for work today )

Never mind that workbench, I like the model train .

Cheers, Vann.

Im always on the lookout...but never came across anything up here...just play at the markets and antique stores.
That Us one would be nice to goto but

This is "unbelievable" ...

you'll get it after you've watched

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dXifj7tQjY]antique tools - YouTube[/ame]

I can't believe it that HE can't believe it

TT

Try the Handtool Preservation Association of Australia. Their tool sales are pretty legendary, last time I went to the Melbourne sale there were easily 40 odd tables of old tools, planes etc for sale. Not sure what's on offer in different states.

The Sydney Tool Sale and Swap was first held in 1986 and has been held every year since (save one when I was recovering from a hernia op)in the inner west Sydney.
I attended one in the US xmas 83 and teamed up with a tool freak in Brisbane to kick start sales in Oz. The sale will be held this year at the Strathfield Mens Shed on September 9th. and will be advertised here as it has been for the past few years in the Announcements.
We usually have 40 plus tables of tools and have had 800 plus buyers thru the doors on a Sunday morning.
From the early sales here in Sydney I ran a questionnaire and from the responses started the Traditional Tools Group(who a few years ago started running their own sale on the North Shore).
The Handtool guys from Melbourne and WA used to get up to the Sydney sale but they now hold their own in Vic.
A few dealers come up from Adelaide one has a shop called Gizmo.
Perhaps one of the tool dealers up in Queensland could sponsor a questionnaire and kick start a club or sale up there?
H.