Hand tool revival

**delbs** · 27th October 2020, 11:37 PM

Hi all, joined this forum a long time ago, went all and fully invested in machinery, hand tools, lathe the lot. had kids tried working full time and make furniture on the side and then stopped and focused just on the fam.

Sold up all machinery, moved houses and kids grew a few years older, i learnt i have adhd and then something happened. I built my own shed from scratch which has been awesome experience and all fully moved in with a sturdy corner bench etc. I then pulled out my box of hand tools i kept from my spending spree initially to take a look, next box was my oils, brushes etc so i decided to quickly wipe some tung oil on the tote of a plane i had and its like the smell captivated me again. I came back the next night and the next like i used to but this time was for me not a client or some deadline and 0 saw dust.

I have a number of handsaws ill be setting for rip cuts, cross and dovetail that im cleaning up along with planes and chisels. Ill post photos in here as i go because i didn't think that just the no4 ive finished deserved its own post given how many are posted on here but perhaps a thread of my efforts over time.

I am restoring these planes and saws not only to use them but because i really enjoy the process, something tangibly rewarding, a small reward for putting the time and effort in and after the years of sinus crap going on due to my Hammer combination machine i am really enjoying the shavings! i get to enjoy the music in the shed instead of the dust extractor. just feels like an entirely different experience this time around, due to space constraints i have no room for machinery aside from hand held power tools. I plan on buying stock i can dress myself or buy it DAR for my jobs and just take my time which sounds amazingly peaceful

tdhtfrh.jpg jtyjj.jpg yukyuk.jpg ghukj.jpg rgerg.jpg gtujku.jpg gjfrytj.jpg tyuj.jpg tygjgnh.jpg thrth.jpg

Anyway just wanted to say Hi and glad to see this forums still alive and well!

Cheers,
Nathan

**Cgcc** · 28th October 2020, 12:17 AM

Welcome (back) aboard!

**IanW** · 28th October 2020, 09:42 AM

Yep, you're among friends here.....

**ian** · 28th October 2020, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by IanW

Yep, you're among friends here.....

**delbs** · 28th October 2020, 07:14 PM

Ha Cheers. There's something therapeutic slowing it down to do by hand

Very happy with this process

**Andy_B** · 28th October 2020, 10:00 PM

Welcome back, delbs.
Looking forward to following your workbench build.

Andy

**verawood** · 29th October 2020, 08:38 AM

Welcome back, I had a few years away from forum and came back.
Couldn't remember my password so registered again and declared previous ID.
Life can be like that.

**BobL** · 29th October 2020, 01:11 PM

Been through the "doing up old tools" cycle a few times.

The latest was tipped off a few months back when a friend bought his dads old tools around and we started doing them up.
Saws, planes, chisels, a small vice, some G-clamps with missing clamp ends on the screws which I machined up on my MW lathe

While mentoring him on his dads stuff I decided to have a look in my stash and found my battered uncles old Falcon 5 and Stanley 78 that he gave me back in 1967. Have since dragged out a box of plane parts that an old timer gave me about 10 years ago and found enough parts to make 4 more planes.

Sometimes I wonder about the effort required versus ultimate use but it's a good feeling to make them fully functional again.

Cheers
Bob

**IanW** · 29th October 2020, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

....... found my battered uncles old Falcon 5 and Stanley 78 that he gave me back in 1967. ...

Did you have to batter him to get him to part with them Bob??

Originally Posted by BobL

....... Sometimes I wonder about the effort required versus ultimate use but it's a good feeling to make them fully functional again....

Even if they're excess to your requirements, I think the warm feeling of bringing a basket case back to life makes the effort worthwhile. And if you've made some bits that look the part, chuck in a small dose of deserved smugness as well....

Cheers,

**BobL** · 29th October 2020, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by IanW

Did you have to batter him to get him to part with them Bob??

Well, . . he was a boxer!

Even if they're excess to your requirements, I think the warm feeling of bringing a basket case back to life makes the effort worthwhile. And if you've made some bits that look the part, chuck in a small dose of deserved smugness as well....

Cheers,

👍

**delbs** · 29th October 2020, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by verawood

Couldn't remember my password so registered again and declared previous ID.

Ha this is what i did exactly, thankfully everything was still here including original photos in 2012 when i first was able to get into woodworking. A good reminder of what not to do

**delbs** · 29th October 2020, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

Sometimes I wonder about the effort required versus ultimate use but it's a good feeling to make them fully functional again.

Cheers
Bob

This is great to hear, i was thinking about this whilst cleaning up the sole of no4 throughout the sandpaper ages. I think what i enjoy the most is taking something so old or unused that may have ended up in landfill if completely neglected and going through the process of understanding it (disassembly) and then either cleaning or upgrading the components to make it your own.

For example i have finished just cleaning and sharpening so the No4 is in a nice useable state. but i am organizing Jarrah blanks to make larger totes and knobs by hand, also the Mcjing replacement thicker blade and chip breaker. Just to make it mine and know i have another 80 yrs of use out of it. Plus will llook the business once up on the shelf when not in use

**delbs** · 1st November 2020, 12:30 AM

Managed to get some more time in the shed today. Cleaned up the Disston better and actually filed the teeth to make some cuts. First time filing teeth, also first time owning a saw i think is worth filing to restore.

Im immediately satisfied knowing (whilst im a rookie at it now) have the ability to sharpen my chisels, planes, and now saws so i can keep going all without starting any of my power tools at 11pm in the shed ha. Its rewarding for me to know i can do this long term.

Managed to clean up the Disston and begin working on the handles for the no5 im beginning to work on. Also put the triton jaws to use with a ladder and a direct light to clean up the saw teeth

rookie but it got the job done! Once my vice arrives and is installed ill upgrade but for now it worked well today3.jpg today2.jpg today1.jpg

ill be reading up more about saw filing for cross cut and planning a wall space to start hanging these up to reach for now that they are useable. Im not trying to get the polish perfect so they look knew. just want them respectable and restored to their glory days but sharp and ready to help me come bench build time

**delbs** · 5th November 2020, 10:36 PM

Just wanted to say thanks to @Zimbo for the haul of timber absolutely fantastic. Have a few things in mind for this

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

**BobL** · 6th November 2020, 04:47 PM

I like the look of your assistant.

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