Restoring grandfathers tools #1: Setting a stage

I have always aspired to do something creative. I love the challenge and the rewards of taking an idea and bringing it to reality using my mind, heart, and hands.

I grew up as a farmer, cattle, pigs, chickens, tobacco, milking to some extent as well. My papaw on my fathers side taught me those skills, as well as other things. My maternal grandfather was a handyman, businessman, and teacher. He taught me many different things. Repairing things around the house, fixing lawnmowers, and woodworking.

I used to hang out with him, when i was out of school, doing these things. He lived a couple hours away so didnt see him all the time. Some of my earliest memories involve us being in his small ga

rage refinishing furniture and or down the street working on lawnmowers at his friends garage. Sadly he passed on about 12 years ago, lost him to cancer.
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I have held a variety of occupations which have taught me a lot of skills. Farming, landscaping (college major), some construction, wholesale salesperson/delivery, and now tugboating (mechanic). Many other odd jobs here and there but I have always had a knack for fixing or creating things.

A couple years ago, after finally convincing my grandma that the tools in my grandfathers shop were doing nothing but falling apart. I grabbed up most of them and been slowly getting them back in shape. Bad part is that i dont have the room to store or use them all. I have been remodeling my house room by room but i lack a garage or outbuilding to have a shop. I have basement, but i am 6’1” and i barely can stand up between the joists.

A month or two ago i acquired a job to dismantle an old house for some friend of the family. This house is pushing 100 years old, and though the floor is about to fall through, all the lumber above the floor joists is solid. I worked out a deal that i would dispose of all the scrap, for the right to get all the lumber. So long story as short as i can make it, this lumber is going to be used to add onto my house and to build me a garage/shop. The ball is rolling!

This is just been a long ramble but i wanted to set the stage, so to speak.

-- Justin - the tugboat woodworker - https://www.facebook.com/justinb78