Shops, tools, materials and tips

[coffeecup]

Versa-vises in all their various clone-flavors are about the neatest handiest vice around. One of my brother swiped my Versa-vise to use on some telescope-building project so I picked up a Parrot clone. I've used that for everything from gunstocking to plumbing to bookbinding to luthery. Your only limit is your sanity (too much can be a limiting factor!). The teeny anvil isn't good for much but straightening pins, but it is a great vise.

I got torqued one time about excessive pull on a knife, stared at the vise for a while, and went a little nuts in the shop. I rigged up a way to actually test/measure the amount of force needed to open the knife, instead of using old subjective "1-10 scale." Turned out the original Remington 1123 I formerly considered to have "stout" pull (about 8 or 9 on the 1-10 scale) took 23# to open; the one that was bothering me was almost twice that! Knowing the numbers, I felt much better about returning it to the seller.

Jim

[FRJ]

Jim, I'm glad to know someone else knows about the great Versa-Vice. I use these two alot.

Knives with "stout" pulls tend to be a little irksom to me, the older I get.

Will you show pictures of your shop?

[coffeecup]

Will you show pictures of your shop?

You think I'm organized enough to have a shop??? I haven't even managed to get everything in the same county yet! My PM66 is 100 miles west of here (brother has 3 phase, I don't), my "big" shop is over at the sawmill about 30 miles west, and here at home stuff is everywhere. I've got wood drying in 3 rooms, a gunstocking bench (w/Parrot vise) and overstuffed mechanics chest in the kitchen, SRO out in the garage . . . and NONE of them have A/C!!! Arghhh.

I'll try to put some pics together over the weekend, its only supposed to be about 90 degrees Saturday.

Jim

[orvet]

Joe,
Pic #57 appears to be a saw hammer, used to true large saw blades.

[CCBill]

WOW, Joe! Keep on postin'! I'd never seen a versa vice before but I'm going to try to find one. I just started on the hammers about a year ago. You are waaaay ahead of me on them and a lot of other stuff.

knives-are-quiet, didn't mean to leave you out. Great pictures of your shop and tools. Glad you didn't clean it up first. That takes away a lot of the character and of the area. I won't know how to act if I ever get MY mess straightened up.


coffeecup, please post all the pictures you care to. I think this is a great thread and I hope a lot more Members will post what they got.

glennbad, can't leave you out. Have you noticed that these areas all have a personality all their own? They are as unique as the person or persons that work in them.

I don't want to leave anybody out but I'm out of town and have limited access to this laptop. We'll be gone a couple of days.


I'm ashamed to show anything but my work bench and a few tools. Hopefully, I'll have my shop straightened up in a couple of weeks. My shop is a 20'X20' but right now it's more like a 5'X5'(LOL)...

Much thanks to all of you.
...CCBill...

[coffeecup]

CCBill, if I can find it I'll post a shot of my bench from my previous lifetime as a cabinetmaker. Between the open space on my bench, the floorspace between my bench and the 15 horse air compressor behind me, and the tool cabs, I didn't have 25 square feet of working space.

Could have been worse though. I knew a luthier down in Central America who floored his entire shop with a sheet of plywood, then moved in his bench and tools. He did some very nice work, proving once again that the size of the shop isn't the critical factor.

Jim

[ringergary]

Hi all, I don't have a shop, mine's a work area in the annexe.
Just got my bench that gets used for everything. I built for mostly
leatherwork, that's why it's got the big marble slab in the middle.

It does the job for me, but sometimes more room and extra benches would be good.


cheers Gary

[FRJ]

Gary, at least you have a place to be creative. That's important.

[FRJ]

I've got wood drying in 3 rooms, a gunstocking bench (w/Parrot vise) and overstuffed mechanics chest in the kitchen,
Jim[/quote]

Jim, there's something about all that that make me envious of you somehow.
What instruments do you make? Can you show us some gunstocks and hopfully some barreled actions?

Dale,
thanks for that reply. Now that I think of it, was it used to set the tooth of the saw blade?
I rehandled that head.

Can anyone find the "Cheneys" in picture 53?

[FRJ]

I wanted to address "tips" in the title of this thread.
For me, accuracy is very important. You have to learn to be accurate. It takes a little effort, but it's not rocket science.
A sharp pencil is very important.
People often ask "why is a carpenters pencil flat"? More importantly, why is the lead flat?
SO IT WONT ROLL? No, it's designed that way so you can sharpen it with a fine edge on that flat surface. That elongated edge will last a long time if you use it correctly, and continue to give you that fine accurate line. And in the early days it was always sharpened with a knife that most men carried. My skin crawles when I see guys sharpen their pencils with homedepot round pencil sharpeners. Many used office pencils. Few used carpenter pencils.
Around here, no exageration, in well over 30 years work, I met only two or three guys that were carpenters, that carried a knife. A slipjoint.

[CCBill]

Keep those pictures coming and Joe, that's a good tip on the carpenter's pencil...
I dug out one of my machinist tool boxes today and will take some pictures, soon.
We've been out of town for 3 days and I have some catching up to do.
...CCBill...

[FRJ]

Looking forward to it, Bill. Thanks.

[FRJ]

Well, I did get those spatula handles made for my daughter.

[glennbad]

Wow, you guys have been busy. I see, Jeff, that you are a tool packrat just like me! So many hammers...

Glenn

[CCBill]

Finally got a chance to do it. This box belonged to an old Gentleman by the name of Albert Weideman. He was nice but kinda grouchy. He was my Friend. His family took several of his tools before I got a chance to buy the box. I told them if thet ever wanted to sell them that I would like first chance at them. About 2 weeks later, a Buddy of mine called and said the tools were up for sale but they sold them all before I could get there for about 20% of what I would have payed for them. Oh well...
No name on the box but maybe one of you guys can identify it by style. It's well made as attested to by the dovetail construction.
I need to put some lemon oil or something on it. It's getting dryed out.
It measures about 20"wide.X 9"deep.X 12&1/2"tall.
...CCBill...

[CCBill]

Here's more...

[FRJ]

Oh baby!! That's some fine old American stuff right there.

[ringergary]

Here's a couple of weapons of work!!!!
Some knockometers,pliers, pin punches,etc.
Was cleaning up and reckon I'd post these.



cheers Gary.

[ringergary]

And some more..

Made that spreader, just used some old antler, natural curve so it fits the hand for twisting.

Haven't used it yet!!!




cheers Gary

[johnnierotten]

Wow.....Bill..I just noticed your Box!! ....Thanks for telling me..I would have missed it.
That is awesome...I have one that is a bit smaller and it doesn't have the front locking panel....Mine doesn't have the dove tail corners like that either. That probably can help you date it.
Looks like you got a bunch of cool old tools with it also.
Heres a pic of mine.

[CCBill]

Thanks for the comments, Johnny. Nice looking little box YOU have, there. Do the drawers lock on it?

[johnnierotten]

No....I wish.

[Miller Bro's]

Bill,

Nice looking Barlow knife, did that come in the box?

Who is the maker?

[FRJ]

Bill,

Nice looking Barlow knife, did that come in the box?

Who is the maker?

I wondered that myself; and do you have the blade for that square handle, top left, same picture?

[CCBill]

Bill,

Nice looking Barlow knife, did that come in the box?

Who is the maker?

I wondered that myself; and do you have the blade for that square handle, top left, same picture?

Dimitri and Joe, thanks for the questions.
The barlow was in the box when I got it and is stamped "Adams & Sons" The stamp is really worn and it took some time to make it out. I have only seen one other one in the last 45 years. Goin's just says, "Adams & Sons" Thats all. Steel bolsters, liners and pins. Bone handles are truly "pocket worn" and have a great feel. Master blade has a wobble to it but the pen blade is solid and both blades still snap both ways.
Joe, I do not have the blade for the little square handle. Wish I did. If you have one to sell, I will gladly pay you for it.
I called Gerstner and they actually had a key to fit this box though the young Ladies I talked with couldn't tell me if it is a Gerstner box, or not. I should have the key in a few days.

I wish a lot more member's would get involved in this thread. There is NO TELLING what some of you Guys and Gals could post in here.

Thanks again for the questions..
...CCBill...