# A few shopmade tools



## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

Since I didn't have them, and I am what people politely call "frugal", I decided to make a large mallet and some marking knives. 



















The mallet is made from local Oak (probably Post Oak). I bought a bunch of it for a bench I'm building. I'm not sure of the weight, but I'd guess about 2 pounds. 











The knives are handsaw blades, wood scraps, and metal ferrules. The ferrule on the maple one is actually a piece of aluminum arrow shaft. I really enjoy repurposing scrap into useful tools.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Looking good!!! too bad you couldn't make our swap!


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## adot45 (Jul 8, 2013)

Look pretty darn useful to me, good job.


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

I'm looking foreword to the next swap - whatever it may be. Thanks.


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

Forward. Darn autocorrect.


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## Camden (Oct 22, 2013)

Great looking tools! Would it be possible to get a picture of the marking knives with something for scale? Just trying to get an idea. Thanks!

WCT


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

The longer one is 7" with a 1.75" blade. The smaller one is 6.5" with an 1.33"
Blade.


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

Those look great! I've made a few tools and I think it is _fun_ more than just being _frugal_. If I was going to buy all my tools then why not just buy all my furniture and picture frames, too?


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

Right on. My ultimate goal is to make furniture for my home WITH tools I made
Myself.


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## Camden (Oct 22, 2013)

I really like the idea you have going there. So far, I've been satisfied to restore tools, both hand tools and machinery, but the more I see stuff like this, the more I'd like to try my hand at some fab. I have no intentions of trying to cast plane bodies or anything like that, but smaller things like marking knives and gauges and such... Chisel handles, mallets(actually just did my first mallet a week or so ago), and whatever else seems reasonable. Winding sticks, maybe? Thanks again for the post.

WCT


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Camden, I don't know if you are aware that in addition to several mallet swaps there has also been a marking knife swap and a marking gauge swap. Lots of different designs were used in each of those and if I remember correctly, there were quite a few links in each thread on designs and on choosing/heat treating tool steel. 

In addition, I know of at least one thread on making winding sticks and two or three on making your own wood-body plane. 

I've been looking at designs and want to build myself a York pitch (50 degree) or middle pitch (55 degree) smooth plane. That's probably a bit expensive for a trade - not to mention intimidating to a lot of people (me included). 

Lots of different ideas for tool swaps were discussed at various times and I think there is a list that we voted on at the beginning of the marking knife swap.


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## Wema826 (Jul 22, 2012)

Eastex,

Great job on the tools. I am with you 100% on making as many tools as you can. I am frugal or cheap when it comes to things that I can make myself. It also adds to the building process. When you grab a tool that you made. you know everything about that tool. the way it feels in your hand It builds not only your project, but your pride as well. built by you with tools you made. 

Dont stop at a couple mallets and knives. look into awls, gauges, screw vises, handles be it chisel or scewdrivers, planes (wooden) shaves, saws, scrapers and scratch stocks. 

Old cheapo saws that the local junk store sells for $3.00 that are rusted and bent worse then a dogs leg or other appendage.... can be cut up with tin snips and made into card scrapers and scratch stocks. If you happen to come across a gem of a saw, carve a new tote for it. Heck you can even make the saw nuts yourself. buy some brass bar a tap a die and a hack saw, An old spade bit can be ground into a saw nut driver easy enough, I used a worn out 7/16" to make mine. 

Back in the day of Moxon and Roubo and the owners of the furniture shops would sell the employees the scraps left over from the projects they were building. the craftsmen would then use these scraps to make their own handles and tools. Luckily today most of us have an abundance of scraps that we can use. Been saving that 1 1/4" squared x 6" piece of walnut, cherry, holly because you knew it was too big to toss but too small to use? perfect oppertunity.

Enjoy building your tools, Enjoy using them even more!


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