Old Tools (antiques)

I check out furniture when I go to friends houses. Try not to be too obvious. I find lots of tools at the yard sales this time of year. It’s like a kid in a candy store.

-- Bruce from Central New York

I dabble in woodworking geekdom. My weakness though is old power tools. The newest tool I currently have is a mid 70’s Delta bandsaw. The closest thing to it is a 50’s drill press and table saw. I am starting to look at older hand tools, but I am hesitant to pay the prices at teh auction house.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Dude, I’m jealous! I’m in Malaysia right now where they don’t do yard sales or have antique shops – at least not with woodworking stuff…

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

Well Brian I found an old Craftsman scrollsaw at a thrift shop for 15 dollars. It was also 50% off day WOO HOO.

Guy at work had an old Craftsman bandsaw bought it for 100.00 so far the most I paid for old. Got an old drill press, it is the kind where you actually mount a plug in drill into it. I am looking at a foot peddle scrollsaw now. Just for kicks. No power except pump the peddle.

The Craftman scrollsaw is cast iron and it has a shaft labled ATTACHMENTS. I am now looking for those.

-- Measure once cut twice....oh wait....ooops.

I’m not so much into old power tools, but I love old hand tools. There’s something about the feel that you get when you put them in your hand. I’ll spend hours just dumping some TLC into a few tools to clean them all up and make them functional.

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

I like the old handtools myself. Especially hand planes. Anytime I see one at a good price I buy it, even if I already have a similiar one. Just something about hand planes, I love em.

-- Steve-o

Mike be very careful how far you take this. It is a slippery slope and if you fall it will be hard to recover from. You will find yourself in every antique shop, yard sale, flee market, and auction house…

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Mike, you certainly aren’t alone, That is if E-bay is any indication for old hand tool passion.

I have to wonder if the people buying up all the old stuff are using the tools… or simply making nostalgic wall hangers?

Are you a hanger or a user?

Q

-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."

Check out WayneC’s writing on old tools, esp. planes.

-- John

I’m certainly a seeker-out, buyer and user of old tools, and I’m often seen on hands and knees raking through rust, at what we call car-boot sales. Two planes do sit on the bookshelf over my PC though; one being a nice little Stanley #2. The ridiculously small #1 has evaded me up to now.

There are still bargains to be found. See here and there.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business.

I also went thru quite a phase when single, before LOML and daughter moved in. Planes were quite a weakness. Still love them, all their history and unique nuances make only the numbers the same, every other aspect makes them as true one of a kinds like snowflakes. The slope is indeed slippery and steep. When the ideals of original as found condition vs. restored ready to use causes you to examine your principals, your really in deep water.

Theft, expense, and the thought of owning non users has shaped my purchases to only needed users or to truly unique or absurd. To end the quest for the #1 a LN was an acceptable sub, later sold after its importance no longer was of significant importance. Family was a far better and fulfilling trade. A small collection which includes my grandfathers bucks bro. chisels, measuring and machinist instruments. A few sentimental items; an old mentors pencil, utility knife and linesmens. Gifts; LN#4, 62 and LA AM block, and other assorted items all sit in my greatest find-a Gerstner 7 draw chest-$60 at flea market.(pic will be up on my home LJ page tonight, see workshop). A 2C is my only collector on display. All others are true users in my home shop. I still love to search around, in person and on computer, wallet is rare to open now and I am quite content with my whittled down stash of guilty pleasures. Of the items both past and present my favorite by far is considered by many to be the worst and poorly designed plane ever—The Shelton1914509.

Sorry about the long winded post, JM2cents on this topic. I feel this site main reason for being so great is because end results of finished projects are highlited and displayed as well as tips and technique freely shared. Seems many others are so busy talking about their tools that finished projects seem to take second fiddle. Thanks for all the inspiration!

-- Ciao, gth.

Hi Mike:

Some great places to find old tools here in Northern Kentucky include:

Florence Antique Mall in Florence,KY on Mall Road
4th Sunday Antiques Show in Burlington, KY at Fair Grounds
2nd Sunday Antiques Show in Covington, KY at Main Strasse

-- Randy (P), rustic wood crafts, Morning View, Kentucky

i to have a fondness for old hand tools,but my obsession of latley has been to find a full set of james swan chisels. i have 4 or 5 right now and am still looking, so if you guys see any let me know. thanks.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

Well Quixote I Cleaned up the big Jack plane and used it on the Cherry bench I am building. It has a live edge and I am mortising it onto Taphole maple legs.

It was a little hard getting the blade just right but that long plane works heavy and stable. I will get some pics up.

-- Measure once cut twice....oh wait....ooops.

Yep Harp been to the antigue mall in FLorence a few times. There is a new place called Sin City in Newport on Monmouth They have a few planes also.

-- Measure once cut twice....oh wait....ooops.