Back from Strahan

 Picked up a plane from Michael this morning. He had been hanging on to it since I left for Strahan. Whilst there I saw this beaut little dove tale saw, I had bid on, but missed out, weeks ago. As happens the guy who won it has not paid for it, so his loss .... my gain.

I think I like the saw more than the No 7 Stanley. I have to check, but I recon it is about 1910 vintage.

First dovetail box using the new saw. This box was gifted to Owen on his birthday to keep his model paints and materials in.

Hercus Tool and Cutter Grinder

Some discussions here, http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=195176 

On there's grinders.

... My latest project.
This little Hercus T&C is a bit of Australian machine tool manufacturing. More research needed, but looks like my winter evenings will be fully occupied bringing this little baby back to life. Michael found it at Officer.

Happy Christmas to me.. Happy Christmas to me.. Dad da da dah..

A late Christmas. Michael called, said he found a couple of tools I might be interested in. Interested IN? Hell yer....
Record no 010 .. Wow,
Record no 77A ... Yerrrr.
Stanley no 79... Wowsers.
And a very, very old Stanley 78. US Pat 6-7-10 .... Brilliant.

Plus some Carters and A Falcon spokeshave.

Life is good.

Marples 44, a Stanley 102 and. A couple of Addis Chisels today from the Market.. Sweet..

Update: I was looking at my 'new' Marples M44 along side my previously purchased one and noticed a small difference. The newly purchased one does not have a blade lateral securing screw, meaning it is older than its brother.

Cool huh. I found this link http://www.zoogmatic.com/shop/tools/planes/m44plough/index.htm which suggests that the enhancement was introduced in 1949. Other than this info it is very hard to date either plane.

Zoogattic info copied here. I hope this is ok with the original author.

Marples M44 Plough (Plow) Plane

2010.02.11

This is a Marples branded version of the Record 044 plough plane, complete with all the cutters, two sets of fence arms, (rather minimal) manual, and tattered box.  Apparently both were originally made by Turner, Naylor & Co in Sheffield, England.  The Record 044 was made from 1935 to 1970 (replaced by the 044C).  Dating this Marples M44 is a bit of conundrum.  Like the earliest Record models, it does not have a depth adjustment screw for the cutters.  However, it does have the lateral clamping screw Record introduced in 1949.  It has thumbscrews to lock the fence onto the bars, which were changed to round knurled-edge screws in the late 1950’s.  So it probably was made in the early part of that decade. (Thanks to Alf at cornishworkshop.co.uk for all the info.)

The Record 044 / Marples M44 is probably based on the Stanley #50, which included beading and tongue & groove cutters.

A Couple More Planes for the Collection

They include:
Sharmanco rebate plane,
Record 0120 block plane,
Record 75 Bull Nose Plane,
Sargent V.B.M no 81Side Rebate Plane,
Hobbies No 8 Block Plane,
And a Stanley Level.

Excellent buying. I didn't have any of these planes in my collection - until now.

Not much info on the Hobbies out there, but did find this useful link.
http://workingbyhand.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/hobbies-block-planes-study/

Some info on the Sargent 81 here:
http://www.sargent-planes.com/sargent-81-side-rabbet-plane/

Market Rescue.

I found this old 4 1/2 (made in Sheffield ) plane down at the market today. I didn't recognise it but thought after getting it home a quick google search would reveal its origins Unfortunately this proved to not be the case.
No problem, it's a great user.

For Ray

Well here ya go Ray. Some of the latest additions with a little more detail for you. Also the fire wood DID happen.  Smile.

Marples M44 Plough

 The folks at the Cornish Workshop love 'em. See here: http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/ploughplane.html
This one is in pristine condition. Whilst this is good in terms of collecting, it hasn't got the same appeal for me as a tool with evidence of a full life of hard and honest work and the sweat of tradesman past.

Henry Disston Saw Clamp

This Henry Disston Saw Clamp is an ebay find. At 20 lbs weigh I thought that the postal charges would be too much. However the guy who had it was able to get it to me from Melbourne for a very reasonable $15.

I don't know when this one was made but they were patented in 1893, so some time between then and when they stopped making them the price has gone from Shillings 30.00 a dozen to my purchase price of $50. Should have bought a couple of dozen back then when I was a kid. I'd be disgustingly rich by now.

The brass backed tenon saw is a TRULYN brand of which i can find no information at all. 

Starrett Combination Set.

 The square and ruler were kept out on a shelf by its previous owner and so suffered from the normal stains when dust and moisture settles on a tool which is not used regularly. However he kept the other two pieces (as the old timers used to) wrapped in an oil rag. Didn't do heaps for the box, but look at the condition of the tools... Wosers!!! The graduation are clear and precise and easily read.I put this one into my category of very, very lucky finds.

Square and ruler after a light clean

Pope No 4 after a clean and sharpen. Works Nice.

Redgum bowl. 

Future masterpieces saved from the fire wood pile

Elm on the chopping block waiting for inspiration. 

 Lemon scented Gum waiting for the fireplace.

Spokeshave

I've seen this logo before, but can't remember which manufacturer.

Some Days are Golden

07:30: caught up with Laurie ( the local tree guy) to help him bring over some recently felled lumber, suitable for fire wood. It's destined for Steve's fire place in Shepparton.
09:00: Deliver the new table to Laurie and Libby.
09:30: cutting said lumber into suitable sized pieces for the fire place. Keeping some for turning blanks.
11:30: Coffee.
12::30: Michael calls. He has a new bunch of tools that I might be interested in.
13:00: rummaging thru boxes of old tools.... Heaven!!!!
15:00: Completed rummaging and now proud owner of a bunch of new tools.... cool!!!
15:30: Sanding newly cut red gum bowl... rather pleasing colours!!!
17:00: Laurie drops by with a bunch of beers and a couple of lotto tickets as thanks for the table... Cool ...!!!!

Who said retirement was boring?????

The little Pope plane is gold... Also a slippery slope to collecting one of every type of Australian made planes.

Should be easy, 4 or 5 companies only made them here over a period of 10 years post WW II. Piece of cake... Ha ha.

Stanley 92 Gets a New Home

Michael gave me a call yesterday. Said he had found a little Stanley 92 Shoulder Plane and would I be interested. Hell,, yer. My Stanley 93 had become quite lonely since I found it several years ago and not been able to locate a mate for it. Let's hope they get well together and become a breeding pair. I'm yet to find a 90, 90a, 90j and 94 to complete the set.

Stanley 55 Combination Plane

I picked this little beauty up a couple of weeks back from Michael and only just now have had the time to take a pic and post it. It is a Stanley 55 Combination Plane. It is complete with the 4 boxes of cutters that originally came the the plane. Originally designed to replace wooden moulding planes, these planes now are rarely used these day as they have in turn been replaced by (screaming) electric routers and spindle moulders. However when time permits they are great to set up and cut mouldings, beads or trenches etc. with the only noise that of the shavings coming away from the timber. 

From Stanley Tools, by John Walter. Mfgd from 1897 to 1963. Type 1 from 1897 to 1905. 

Type 1 will have the 9/19/1893 and 1/22/1895 patents stamped on the skate.

That's great --- mine is a Type 1. --- Cool.

Here is a little further reading from a web research:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Articles/Articles.aspx?ArticleId=424

http://www.tooltrip.com/tooltrip9/stanley/comb-planes/stan-com.htm

http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/combinationplanes.html

http://www.handplane.com/136/stanley-no-55-universal-combination-plane/

Some info on Record Planes: http://www.recordhandplanes.com/index.html

http://www.jonzimmersantiquetools.com/features/combo.html

Woden Push Pin

I am rather thrilled with my latest little purchase. Michael had invited me down to take a look at a new lot of tools he had recently purchased from a retiring cabinet maker. Amongst the Stanley planes, mortice chisels, Arkansas oil stones, Record cabinet scrapers, Diston saws - all users and beautifully kept - was this little mystery object.

    

I had never seen one before, so off to Google. It turns out to be a 'push pin'. It is used to set small brads saving your fingers from the hammer. I used it to make a little box. I can't understand how I (moreover my fingers) have survived all this time with out one. It is now my most favourite tool. 

Spear and Jackson Back Saw

For a long time I have wanted a nice back saw for detailed dovetail work and have over the past 12 months  picked up lots of them at garage sales, and rejected them all - too rusty, bent blade, missing teeth, broken handle etc. If I had found the right one I would have been prepared to pay well. But none turned up ---- until today at the market (and can you believe it ) hiding under a thick coating of grime on the 3 for $5 table, a beautiful tittle Spear and Jackson back saw.  Yooohooo!!!!

Garage Sales

This morning was fruitful. The little hammer ( I think it is a cobblers hammer) has such great balance when I picked it up - just had to have it, After a rub on the wire wheel the handle-less chisel on the left turned out to be a Berg. How cool is that?

On the right of the picture there are several wooden handled tools.
Far Right is a little patented cobblers awl .

Next is a Ward Bros cutter.
On the blade it reads: Ward Bros Cutlers, then some indistinguishable word(s?). Researching, I found the following:
 CUTLERY. 
WARD BROS.
ESTABLISHED 1855. CUTLERS.

WARD BROS. ARE THE OLDEST-ESTABLISHED CUTLERS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

Address 144 SWANSTON ST. NEAR TOWN HALL. 

Next is a little wooden handled screwdriver.

Next again a little knife inscribed: I.P.Hyde. REG US PAT OFF. Made in USA. 

Shipwright's Adze

A very lucky find on the weekend - a beautiful shipwright's adze. The old guy who sold it to me explained that in timber constructions he used it to hammer wooden securing pegs in and then reverse it to use the adze to shear off the remainder of the peg.
As a tool they are rarely used today, primarily superseded by mechanical saws. This is a link to how to care for your adze.
http://corvusboats.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/shipwrights-adze-sharpening-and-care_13.html

A Couple of Chisels get a new Life

Clive gave me a couple of logs of a eucalypt tree (I think it might be yellow box) he had planted in his back yard (ohh?) 100 years ago, which had died (about 15 years ago). I cut several pieces for him to make up some boxes and turned one piece for a handle for an old Ward chisel. - Its the one on the left. Given the finished colour it's hard to believe it is lying on a slab from the original log. The other handle is made from a piece of peppercorn from a tree just down the road from where we live.

Both are green, so it will be interesting to see if they survive drying out without cracking.

Garage Sale Bonanza

Today was a great day's shopping at the garage sales. Prince of the finds was an OK brand British Standard Whitworth tap and die set make by a US company called the Greenfield Tap and Die Corporation. I have been looking for a good set for some time now and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. Only problem was that in a very small garage 30 bargain hunters had collected and three dealers stood between me and the tap and die set. I kinda eased my way over and then down on my haunches to reach thru at knee level to get my hands on it. Having done so, one of the dealers groaned and ruefully congratulated me on new prize. It is at least 70 years old, belonging once to a guy who would today be in his 90's, passed on to his son in law, finally to be sold at this local garage sale. I spoke with the lady owner a bit later who said she that it was her Dad's and that she had hoped it would go to a good home. I reassured her that it would and was definitely not destined for the Sunday Market.

According to Wikipedia: The largest tap and die company to exist in the United States was Greenfield Tap & Die (GTD) of Greenfield, Massachusetts. GTD was so irreplaceably vital to the Allied war effort from 1940–1945 that anti-aircraft guns were placed around its campus in anticipation of possible Axis air attack. The GTD brand is now a part of Widia Products Group.


Interesting Link: http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/collection/itempage.jsp?itemid=18392

and another: http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=36608

Happy Birthday to Meeee...

Went to Oakdean Winnery, courtesy of Steve n Regan for my Birthday

The food was excellent

Then off to Shepparton to visit Owen and Alannah. Here is Alannah on her rocking horse - a pressie for Sue and Dim

Here is Owen enjoying his new swing

Next stop was Beachworth (no pic) then to Yarrawonga

Gaye on the wharf at Yarrawonga

Went further west to Echuca for a steam boat ride

Dinner at the local Mulwalah Bowls Club

The wharf at Echuca with the flood 

Finally, here is my pressie to myself - a lovely Stanley #50 plane from my very good friend - ebay