Thread: 100 tools

Originally Posted by jimbur

ps Lloyd's book for apprentices, The Australian Carpenter, has some great advice. Mind you when it was written, carpenters carried their own tools in a bag. One bit I remember is not to buy tools you might need as they could be "borrowed" and you wouldn't miss them for ages.

Jim

. I have that book and had never noticed the quote. I went back to have a look. Sure enough Pg 6,Para 2 . I then checked "The Australian Carpenter & Joiner," but it was not as flipant and offered no such snippet.

Regards
Paul

Paul, It's amazing how much is covered.
Cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by jimbur

Paul, It's amazing how much is covered.
Cheers,
Jim

Ain't that the truth. I built a house with that book close by.

Regards
Paul

(Sorry, starting to highjack the thread. Just about to bail out. Now, where's that parachute? Never mind; I'll get it later.)

It's late and I'm a bit bleary eyed, so I may have missed one or two things but here is my updated list of tools. It runs to 90 items so there is still some leeway for some extras that people have mentioned they would include in their own kits such as extra knives, files and drill bits. Some things I haven't included even though they should go in, because I have them in my other work kit, such as scissors and utility knives. I could add a tapered reamer, 'carpenter's' axe (I was given one), a few more chisels, or clamps but this is looking like the basic kit. I'll beta test it before I finalise the line up in the time I have before I head off.

As usual any comments, doubts, suggestions are greatly appreciated

Cheers
Matt

The bolded items are the modifications to the first list.

Tools

Chisels
Bench

X@&$#%

List accidentally deleted by a moron

Actually, i think the phone-ap is to bame, but in any case the list does contain more than chisels...

***************
It's late and I'm a bit bleary eyed, so I may have missed one or two things but here is my updated list of tools. It runs to 90 items so there is still some leeway for some extras that people have mentioned they would include in their own kits such as extra knives, files and drill bits. Some things I haven't included even though they should go in, because I have them in my other work kit, such as scissors and utility knives. I could add a tapered reamer, 'carpenter's' axe (I was given one), a few more chisels, or clamps but this is looking like the basic kit. I'll beta test it before I finalise the line up in the time I have before I head off.

As usual any comments, doubts, suggestions are greatly appreciated

Cheers
Matt

The bolded items are the modifications to the first list.

Tools

Chisels
Bench – 6, 10, 13, 16, 20, 26
o/c Gouges – 8, 16, 28
Mortice– 6ish to 14ish x 4
*Fish-Tail– 9
Paring – 50 *


Drilling
*Brace – 10”* and 14”
Auger bits – 9, 12, 16, 19, 26, 32
Egg Beater
Brad Points – 3, 4.5, 6, 7, 8.5, 10
Driver bits – Phillips, Flat, Posi-Drive

Screw Drivers
Phillips, Flat, Posi-Drive

Hammers/Mallets
Mallet –
Plane setting/tack hammer
*Claw Hammer*
Cat’s Paw

Marking
Wheel Marking Gauge
*Mortice Guage*
Scratch Awl
Marking Knife

Measuring
*8 metre tape
Combi Square
*Steel ruler
Straight edge, 600
Dividers
Spring Calliper

Saws
Frame Rip, 700 and 600 (4tpi)
Frame Cross, 600 (6tpi), 400 (12tpi)
Gent’s, 16tpi
Stair
Flush

Planes
Scrcub
Jack
Intermediate
Shoulder – straight and skew
Smoother
Jointer
Plough
Dovetail
*Router
Spoke Shave, (straight and convex)*

Files
Saw
Bastard
Auger

Rasps
Cabinet Rasp – medium and fine
Rats Tail – coarse and medium

Sharpening
Water stones – 1200, 4000, 8000
Slips – 800, 1200, 4000

Finishing
*Card Scrapers x 3*
***************

(something like) 100 Tools

Once again, bolded items are new inclusions

Chisels
Bench – 6, 10, 13, 16, 20, 26
o/c Gouges – 8, 18, 28
Mortice– 6ish to 14ish x 6
Fish-Tail– 9
Paring – 50


Drilling
Brace – 10” and 14”
Auger bits – 9, 12, 16, 19, 26, 32
Egg Beater
Brad Points – 3, 4.5, 6, 7, 8.5, 10
Driver bits – Phillips, Flat,

Screw Drivers
Phillips, Flat,

Hammers/Mallets
Mallet –
Plane setting/tack hammer
Claw Hammer
Cat’s Paw

Marking
Wheel Marking Gauge
Mortice Guage
Scratch Awl
Marking Knife

Measuring
8 metre tape
Combi Square
Sliding Bevel
Steel ruler
Straight edge, 600
Dividers
Spring Calliper
Saw Set x 2

Saws
Frame Rip, 700 and 600 (4tpi)
Frame Cross, 600 (6tpi), 400 (12tpi)
Gent’s, 16tpi
Stair
Flush
Coping

Planes
Scrcub
Jack
Intermediate
Shoulder – straight and skew
Smoother
Jointer
Plough
Dovetail
Router
Spoke Shave, (straight and convex)

Files
Saw x 5
Bastard
Auger
Half Round

Rasps
Cabinet Rasp – medium and fine
Rats Tail – coarse and medium

Sharpening
Water stones – 1200, 4000, 8000
Slips – 800, 1200, 4000

Finishing
Card Scrapers x 3

Clamps
Hand Screws x 2
F Clamps x6

""I believe "Gear Addiction" is a hugely counter-productive hang-up that can prevent the acquisition of skill. You see it in every hobby.

Woodworkers who suck at woodworking but have elaborate shops, richly outfitted with every tool imaginable, most of which they hardly know how to effectively use... ""

This is very well said and oh so true. Years ago, I was in thatg trap, I had to have every tool, fixture, gadget that came on the market or was in one of the magazines. Spent so much time fiddling around with all the stuff that I didn't have the time to do any real shop work. Once one can clear the clutter and as above, concentrate of the acquistion of some skill then I think the enjoyment really begins.

Neil

Yes Neil, I agree. Seeing the list may make this look like an exercise in collecting tools but this really is about trying to draw a line through my kit. I will buy, replace maybe 10% and then get rid of the excess.

Cheers

the list may make this look like an exercise in collecting tools but this really is about trying to draw a line through my kit

nah, this list doesn't even look close to an exercise in 'collecting'..i'd say its more like a basic essential list, slightly tailored to your needs, there are still a number of tools that could be added and would still not be 'collecting' tools, at worst, more like useful additions..

some of the comments earlier about hoarding or buying duplicates, being duped to have a fancy new 'rosewood & brass' tool because some person promotes a tool on a forum have some merit, but just so long as you have a reason for it then it can hardly be called collecting

Hey chippy, you brought this up in the axe thread, about abandoned log houses in the bush, but they must have had a pretty Spartan approach to tools. Do you get a sense of what they built their houses with? Saws as much as axes no? Cypress logs always seem to have so much epicormic(?) growth that the logs must be a pain in the #### to build a cabin with... Saw, axe, gimlet, slick, back-of-axe as hammer. That's a nice trim kit

Cheers
Matt

Originally Posted by Berlin

Hey chippy, you brought this up in the axe thread, about abandoned log houses in the bush, but they must have had a pretty Spartan approach to tools. Do you get a sense of what they built their houses with? Saws as much as axes no? Cypress logs always seem to have so much epicormic(?) growth that the logs must be a pain in the #### to build a cabin with... Saw, axe, gimlet, slick, back-of-axe as hammer. That's a nice trim kit

Cheers
Matt

well its testing my memory a bit, but definitely axe work, i remember seeing it on the logs, if you can call 4-6in (much was just 4in on the thick end) cypress, a log haha, possibly adze work as well but as you say they probably didnt have a great many tools, they all had evidence of cutting with saws as well, usually around door jambs an such from memory and some in the rafters etc, also some of them must have been lived in for a long time because they had upgrades, home improvements so to speak where the construction methods showed more refined (milled) timber and tool use, the differences stood out like the preverbal pooches ...cypress grows pretty straight and does have lots of branches shooting out but it didnt strike me as hard to remove them, an axe or adze would make short work of them i think, i do recall seeing all the left over evidence of branches trimmed off but i was more in awe of just how straight they were and the vast number of trees that were chopped down to make one home, albeit small homes, i'd go outside an look around, far and wide, and in some cases i would see a small sprinkling of cypress growing but not enough to build a home in this fashion, obviously they denuded the whole place lol

If you're interested in remote construction, I'd suggest looking up a DVD called "Alone In The Wilderness" which was compiled from 8mm film shot by a man named Dick Proenneke, who set out to live deep, deep in the Alaskan wilderness in total isolation from everyone.

Richard Proenneke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss]Alone in the Wilderness - YouTube[/ame]

Dick is pretty much the beginning and the end of the debate, as far as whether tools or skill is more important. He had immense skills, very limited tools and was able to make everything he wanted or needed. For example, he would pack in tool heads without handles, then make the handles on the site. He lived in total wilderness from the age of 52 to the age of 82, with essentially no support save for a friend who occasionally flew in supplies a few times a year.

People who knew him in his living years remarked that he was incredibly methodical with the work-ethic of a team of pack of mules; he could remain totally focused on carving an complicated bear proof lock out of a spruce root for a three weeks straight... but still, he does stand as pretty good example that a lot of the tools we consider so 'essential' are hardly much more than modern timesavers. A good hatchet, a good knife, some chisels and saws can make close to whatever you want, if you're patient enough.

Dick is pretty much the beginning and the end of the debate, as far as whether tools or skill is more important

was there ever a debate that skills are not more important? who said that, where?