how to get your hands on old school tools cheap

[Twinnie]

g'day every one

i'm sick of this bit being to empty so heres a post

it seems the biggest problem people wanting to do green woodworking in oz face is getting the tools, well the truth is you have to look over seas and also (and you should all be good at this) look at using things in a way that they wern't ment for.

first an axe.

there are a heap of difrent axes around the world but in oz you have a hard time getting any apart from the gransfores bruks one which are brilliant but at $200 min each! unjustafiable. so the trick is to go for a wetterlings i got one reasently for $75 to my door from the states. they are just as good still hand made and you can get them SHARP.

second a draw knife

well this one had me scratching my head for a bit but a 12" planer blade is the right shape all it needs are handles and the come in packs of 2 so if you snap one you'll have a spare. they arn't cheap at $40 a pair but alot less then the $120 asking price for a draw knife.

third a froe

this one i'm still working on but a froe is a lot like the end of a leaf srping and an old landrover or cruiser or what ever spring isn't exactly hard to get your hands on. so bend the eye around a bit more and cut to about 12" long. it will probly pay to weld the eye up and most welding places will be looking for somthing for the aprentice to do any way. one more note on froes, they split timber rather then cut it so they don't have to be super sharp a belt sander or file will give a good edge.

i'll add some pictures of the tools at a later stage

and i'm sure i've missed a few things so i'll be adding those too

cheers

matt

[prozac]

Some good suggestions Matt. I particularly like the one for the Froe.

I am not sure whether welding a leaf sping might make it brittle adjacent to the weld. Maybe if you were to form the eye as complete as you could and then slip it over the froe handle as you would an adze head or a mattock. The striking force is applied to the back of the blade and the handle is really there just to hold the blade in position prior to being struck...I think.

[Andy Mac]

second a draw knife

well this one had me scratching my head for a bit but a 12" planer blade is the right shape all it needs are handles and the come in packs of 2 so if you snap one you'll have a spare. they arn't cheap at $40 a pair but alot less then the $120 asking price for a draw knife.

Hi Twinnie,
Some good ideas there, but I don't reckon you need to pay that much for a drawknife. Go secondhand! I saw a couple at the markets yesterday, I think the cheapest was about $18, and in useable condition. Even saw a couple of side axes, however I don't think I've ever seen any froes for sale.

Cheers

[Twinnie]

well there you go, i'll have to have a look around the "local" country markets.

there are a few threads on making froes i found too.

Matt

[Claw Hama]

Twinnie, I,m not sure that have an axe flown in from the states is the greenest thing to do. As the guys above said, find your local markets. I use more second hand tools than new ones, most from the markets or antique shops some of which are very reasonably priced.

[weisyboy]

dont buy an axe from teh states.

they atre made for cutting american wod not ausie wood.

the yanky woodchopers came over here with tehre double ended axes and were going to wipe the floor with us.

all that happen was the edge of the axes bent over on our wood:U. i think they took back a boat load of ausie axes.

you should be able to find good second hand plumbs pretty cheep.

iv got 3 full size plumbs, 2 half size and 2 half broad axes, along with a few kellys that people gave me that i never use.

[derekh]

I get my tools from the markets. I've bought 4 drawknives, one hewing side axe, an adze and a froe. I also had a blacksmith friend make me a froe from an old car spring recently. I think my oldest drawknife is nearly 100 years old. Froes are definitely hard to find.

I have to resist temptation everytime I go to the markets because there are so many tools available. Try here for some tools: http://www.toolexchange.com.au/index.htm

cheers
Derek

[derekh]

Actually, books are damn difficult to get here. I ordered mine from the UK and they took 2 months to get here. In an electronic age it took seconds to order them but the delivery was just a little faster than the first fleet.

Originally, I only wanted one book but considering postage, I ordered 3 books and a DVD to make the postage worth it. I've had two family members travel to the UK and I never got around to asking them to bring back things for me.

[derekh]

I spent all day Saturday learning to use the froe, shaping on the shavehorse and then turning on my pole lathe. I tried this with different timbers to see how they worked. I've still got a long way to go before I produce anything recognisable.

[Twinnie]

wow... so there are a few green wood workers out there

and there all in Brisbane :p

some one said somthing about a yankee axe, and some one said something about not being the greenest way of getting it, well the axe is a Sweadish one i just got it from the US because of the exchange rate, it's a wetterlings large hunting axe. the problem is getting this style of axe in austalia, it's known as a limbing axe and it has a 50 cm handle with a light hand forged head at 56-58 rc hardness. i could have got the gransfores bruk equiverlent from oz but at $200 it's way to steep for me. and i work in a tool shop so when i say you can't get one here new or second hand i'd like to think you can trust me :U.

that said i'm keeping my eye out for an old kelly or plumb at the markets just to have a full size felling axe as well.

some one aught to post up some photos of things they have made i'm all exited to see what you wonderfull people have been doing.

Matt

p.s. i'm always happy to be proven wrong,it means i'll be right next time

[Claw Hama]

Twinnie there are things spread all over the forum that forumites have been building, check out the carvers gallery etc some of us have web sites like myself and then you will find peoples latest projects etc there's heeps to see. Speaking of which how about a picture of your limbing axe.

[Twinnie]

here are some pics of the little wetterlings and don't worry that "tree" ends just above the photo. it was taken at my local council wood dump.http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/fs37/300W/f/2008/245/b/1/axe2_by_matts3d.jpghttp://fc06.deviantart.com/fs36/f/2008/245/1/a/axe1_by_matts3d.jpg

Matt

[Claw Hama]

And what are you going to use this little gem for? Wish my local council had a wood dump like yours!!

[Twinnie]

And what are you going to use this little gem for? Wish my local council had a wood dump like yours!!

unfortunately that yard is a bit of a tragedy, logs of red ceder, a million different types of eucalypt, and all sorts of wonderful wood just gets chipped! :no:

as for the axe I havn't had it long but it'll probly get used for collecting willow, and wood ID plus it fits in a back pack so you don't look suss walking to the wood yard :U

oh and this http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs36/i/2008/245/f/4/camp_axe_by_matts3d.jpg

matt

p.s. thats my old bunnies cheapo axe.

[derekh]

Our council has a green waste dump and I sometimes scrounge there for timber. They mulch the waste and you can collect as much as you want for free and even offer a bobcat service on weekends to load your trailer for you.

[prozac]

Out local council (Warringah) has timber section at the tip where they reclaim what they can and sell it. Haven't gotten round to going there yet.

Twinnie, I have heard only good things about Plumb axes and Brades (English). I have some of each. There are other Swedish axes whose name escapes me at present that can be had 2nd hand for reasonable prices. Sometimes you see the odd old Gransfors come up on ebay and sell cheaply. I don't know what the old ones are like.

[prozac]

There are other Swedish axes whose name escapes me at present that can be had 2nd hand for reasonable prices.

'HB' , and here is a picture.

Here are some currently on evilpay. Item: Brades 160276811670 , Mustad (Norway)160275973635 , Plumb Axe with cover (looks good) 280262298525 ,

[Twinnie]

'HB' , and here is a picture.

Here are some currently on evilpay. Item: Brades 160276811670 , Mustad (Norway)160275973635 , Plumb Axe with cover (looks good) 280262298525 ,

that mustard axe looks good, might have a punt at that. time to start working on the froe too. i managed to pick up a tct auger bit cheap at carbatec, they stoped selling them and are getting rid of there remaining stock cheep like the budgie!

Matt

[derekh]

My Drew Langsner Green Woodworking book has plans for a froe. I can scan and post them on here if required.

[prozac]

My Drew Langsner Green Woodworking book has plans for a froe. I can scan and post them on here if required.

Yes please.

[derekh]

Froe plans, copyright acknowledgments to Drew Langsner.

[Twinnie]

i managed to get some photos of stans froe today so i'll post those up soon

he also had a david foster axe, a gransfores bruks sweadish carving axe, some sort of english pattern drawknife (100+ years old). as well as the useal saws and fence axes, oh and an adze.

Matt

[prozac]

Who's stan?

[Claw Hama]

Stan's the man, those froe plans look very tecnikol not sure if I can follow those. I have been going to do the leaf spring thing for a while, oh for a little spare time. tic tic tic ..............

[Twinnie]

ok here are the pics of stans froe,

http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs36/f/2008/257/b/b/froe_1_by_matts3d.jpghttp://fc06.deviantart.com/fs37/f/2008/257/6/1/froe_2_by_matts3d.jpghttp://fc07.deviantart.com/fs36/f/2008/257/a/9/froe_3_by_matts3d.jpg

[prozac]

Still don't know who Stan is but if they be his fingers then it's a good thing you have the photo.

[Twinnie]

Still don't know who Stan is but if they be his fingers then it's a good thing you have the photo.


ha ha no those are my fingers

stan is the owner of http://www.mullumbimbywoodworks.com.au/ and there is a profile of him there

he does a realy entertaining stage show at the working with wood shows and imho has inspired a whole new generation to get out there axes and have a go to traditional style wood work.

Matt

[Eli]

the yanky woodchopers came over here with tehre double ended axes and were going to wipe the floor with us.


Is this some sort of historical parable, or personal experience talking?:doh:

[thebodger]

hey there all...my first post this. good to see there is lots of you green woodworkers here in oz. i've been an aussie now for 8 years but in another life i did much green woodwork and bodging in england...feel free to ask any questions.

i see lots of talk about leaf spring froes...but they also make damn good draw knives too with a bit of modification.

also made a good skew chisel from a sharpened file...cuts wood like butter...i know they're brittle but so long as your wood is green and nicely rounded, you shouldn't have any probs.

[Twinnie]

hey there all...my first post this. good to see there is lots of you green woodworkers here in oz. i've been an aussie now for 8 years but in another life i did much green woodwork and bodging in england...feel free to ask any questions.

i see lots of talk about leaf spring froes...but they also make damn good draw knives too with a bit of modification.

also made a good skew chisel from a sharpened file...cuts wood like butter...i know they're brittle but so long as your wood is green and nicely rounded, you shouldn't have any probs.

welcome!

can i start by asking what timbers you used in the uk? and whats close to then in oz? i've tryed with oak and it's hard!

cheers Matt

[thebodger]

can i start by asking what timbers you used in the uk? and whats close to then in oz? i've tryed with oak and it's hard!



thanks for the welcome twinnie...

timbers used in the UK? depends what you want to make really...if you're looking to make strong furniture then ash (different to aussie ash) is the way to go. basically, anything with a long straight grain should do it, maybe spotted gum? i've mostly done decorative stuff in oz, so any fruit wood is good...purple leaf plum is good, as is cherry. if you are talking of the english oaks, beware! the tannins in the unseasoned timbers will eat the edge off your beautifully honed tools before your eyes!

but pretty much any hard wood, so long as it is really green - ie just cut - will work well so long as your tools are very sharp. a lot of people slip up using the same tools they use for their power lathe, but these are mostly made for scraping (hence sawdust) as opposed to the chisels used to bodge which should produce long ribbons of wood. so i tend to use carving chisels rather than woodturning tools.

hope this helps.
cheers
thebodger

[prozac]

Welcome bodger. I have some fruit wood (peach i think) lying around. Will give it a go if I can decide what to make?