# Fascination with hand tools despite having many machines



## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

I am not sure what it is about the old school techniques of wood working that really fascinate me but it really does. I have many a power tool/machine that I am glad to have but I am tempted to start picking up some more planes/spokeshaves etc.

I decided a few years back that I want to attempt to find an antique piece of some sort and attempt to duplicate it using ONLY hand tools. Though it would be easier and faster to use the machines I really think it would be rewarding to use the old methods.

I have always appreciated old tools such as the collapsing rule and brace and bit my grandpa gave me.....I love the old saws/draw knives. I was flipping some pages of a mag (shop notes I think) recently and the guy was using a foot powered lathe that had a rope attached to spin the work. Too cool!

Anyone else amazed by these things? (I also have a strong liking for old pocket watches too...maybe an old soul or something)


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## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

Me too, I have a hard cover book my daughter gave me that has many of the tools of old and how they were made and used. One of them was a lathe like you are talking about. I have several old tools laying arround. I buy a lot of old tools that we still use to get the old style hewing on a lot of my work, such as foot adzes, draw knives and many others.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

If you guys haven't played with Google Books yet, give it a look! Though it would be ironic using the web to find old woodworking stuff, it is amazing how many old texts and manuals are free and online. My house was built in the early years of platform framing residences, and there are some weird things here. But then I found google books has a how-to book from the era. Very helpful to know what they were thinking when they did some of this weird stuff.

Have fun!


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

Sounds like you were describing a Bent Pole Lathe? Here's a good site for the history and manufacturing of ancient tools:

http://www.historicgames.com/lathes/llinks.html


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## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

I think somebody was pretty clever and ahead of their time!


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

As they say in the pool room, it ain't the stick, it's the shooter!


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

The pole lathe reminded me.....

I recently gave away a copy of this, which you guys might really dig:
Amazon.com: Country Woodcraft (9780878572007): Drew Langsner: Books


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## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

That was too cool.......thx for posting Hammer!:icon_smile:

Steve that does look like something I would dig for sure! Thx


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## bmaddox (Apr 8, 2010)

Yes I too find that the Antique ,Vintage, old, hand tools are a unique way to build and reconnect with the builders of long ago. I hope soon to post to this site the items that I use and have built over the years with the use of my collection. Mizer and I built a "Spring Pole Lathe" years ago and it is still in use quite often in my shop. Talk about a great way to stay in shape,...it's a new spin on "Sweat'n to the oldies". Last night as I used my matched planes /tongue and groove planes to join panels of pine together for a smaller jointers box I couldn't help but feel a feeling of peace from the feel of the blade of the plane as it sliced through the wood,the sound of the plane as it worked and discharging of the wood shavings . Yes I too have some machines in the shop, they work great for roughing in work,(rough cutting,etc,...), But the use of a wooden brace or English six penny brace with center bits, mould/molding planes, jack planes, pod augers,hand saws, framed saws, and many antique chisels from paring,to bench,to mortise,to gouge,to what ever name the others go by but each with it's own spicific use. I do find though that refurbishing these tools as well and building replica's that work are beyond discription,.... Just like the "Bent pole / Spring pole lathe's in furniture building or boat building farm impliment building or the end product of what ever you wish to place your skill level too. Yes there is little chance of a cure if you come down with this ,but there is help... Then there is the Bearded axe, Broad axe, Adze's, Gutter adze , felling axe,and cross cut saw for the heavy timber work. But only a few are willing to step down that road to using them instead of the smaller hand tools. But both work .


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## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

I would enjoy seeing any pictures of any vintage or home made tools anyone has.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Nice post bmaddox.Gutter adze,yeee'up will tell a story sometime about secret gutters on a '37(1837)Greek Revival.....30' in the air wrestlin with 7x9x10 ft long Oak "gutters".


But post is about OT.....one of my fav. writers is a Very colorful,opinionated(usually right),Wallace Nutting.His books are an insight into highend antique furniture world.He basically refuses to discuss anything built after 1830's or so.And goes off on rants about later pcs thats sorta funny,non-PC way.

This time period(1830's,40's)is the beginnings of steam pwd mills.Up to this time water has been the only real pwr source.My point is once you start to "live" in the moment of hand tools,and really get a handle on their application.......you'll start to see how furniture design,as well as pretty much everything we use today,goes down the design slippery slope.The further you get into hand tool application/design,the more a pce(furn) "smacks" of this later mass-produced'ness.It does explain some of the zen'ness we find in working with hand-tools.BW


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## bmaddox (Apr 8, 2010)

Yes Sir, there is a feeling of satisfaction that one gets when using antique ,or just hand tools in general. I've tried to upload the pictures of my tool collection but I'm running into problems with the uploads .I'll keep trying and get them up later. Signing off for the night!


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## Ogee Fillet (Aug 20, 2009)

A lot of good info on old hand tools. I have spent hours just reading about old saws.:yes:

http://www.evenfallstudios.com/woodworks_library/woodworks_library.html


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

My family owns a house up in the hills in New Hampshire, and I've been thinking about building a workshop up there. The catch is, there's no electricity and no running water... If I ever get around to it, it would be a nice retreat. Gotta build up the shop at home first, though, and replace the siding on the vacation house.


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## SawDustJack (Nov 6, 2006)

I've been seriously considering going cordless in the true sense of the word and doing everything without power tools


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## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

Jack I don't know that I will ever go full on hand tools for everything but I do want to take an antique and reproduce it using the same tools of that time period. I think it would be something to be proud of.


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## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

That is super cool to me!!! Thanks Jorge!!!:thumbsup:


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## Firewalker (Jan 3, 2011)

JorgeG said:


> Yeah, they are very cool and dedicated. Although for me, I would give up sex before I give up my jointer/planer. No way I am sizing parts by hand.


If you gave up either you would be sizing your parts by hand??? Si o No?

:laughing:


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## bmaddox (Apr 8, 2010)

Switching to either way does have it's perks, to coin a phrase from R.Cosman, most woodworkers switch to electric tools because they dont know how to sharpen or re-sharpen the antique tools or hand tools that they use. They remember just how it felt to use a hand tool that had a hand sharpened blade,but when it started tearing out or became harder to use , they switched to power tools to regain the work.
I will research tools that I want to reproduce for use in my shop,( Framed saws,turning saws, and so on ) or I will refurbish antiques, then place them in the Tool box for use later. Folks that know me ,ask where can they find some of them ,but looking at e-n-bay, antique shops, tool sales..... or just the leg work you can find them, And they do not have to be antique one's either. There are plenty of modern hand tools to use as well.
But the bottom line is ," it's a personal commitment" to do or take on one or the other as far as tool use goes. I give demo's to the public on the old tools and there use. It draws quite an intrest, and I'm always asked "can you imagine what it was like to use only those kinds of tools", or" I couldn't use those types of tools,.... they dont have a power cord on them !". Funny as it may seem, it was at one time the only way it was done, unless you choose to go "Stone knives and Bear skins".


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Nice post b,

Switching to a pwr tool comes from the notion of "mass production"(M-P) for most folks.What interests me is how many pcs does it take to become M-P'd.Is it 3?...5?...10?For us the demarcation is,alot of times...10 pcs or 100'.Squeezin this notion a bit more,if a person has never produced X # pcs of this or that(say a certain chair part)with handtools then its speculation.Not pointing fingers...just sayin,in alot of cases handtools get overlooked because of the perception that they're slower.But in my pea brain if its just a cpl pcs,most would be suprised how darn efficient handtools are.

Razor or scary sharp should be the "norm",not the exception.ciao,BW


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I think a lot of the reason people use power tools is that a perception that they're easier. For example:

A plane takes knowledge and practice to use for smoothing: the blade has to be sharpened, the sole has to be completely flat, and you have to set it correctly to get just the right size shaving. A random orbit sander doesn't: you have to put a piece of paper in it and turn it on.

Cutting dovetails with a saw and chisel requires knowledge and practice: you have to know how to angle the cuts correctly, and the chisel has to be sharpened regularly. A router and template mostly doesn't: you have to buy the template, read the instructions, and follow them.

Once people have learned the easier way, sometimes they start getting interested in alternatives, and methods that require more knowledge and skill.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Got some travel time and money in your future? I just stumbled across this.... workshops by the guy who wrote that book I mentioned.
http://woodworking.com/ww/Article/Mountain_Woodworking_Workshop_Provides_a_Vacation_7531.aspx


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## jamesicus (Nov 24, 2010)

Firewalker said:


> I would enjoy seeing any pictures of any vintage or home made tools anyone has.


I invite you to visit my web site (link in my signature block) Firewalker. I include links to old catalogs, references, etc. at the bottom of each page.

James


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

james....clicked on your link.VERY nice pic.Nice colour...nice arrangement...nice,nice.

But(had to be one,haha),get in the habit of turning a chisel,bevel down.Really liked the pic though.BW


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## jamesicus (Nov 24, 2010)

BWSmith said:


> james....clicked on your link.VERY nice pic.Nice colour...nice arrangement...nice,nice.


Thank you, BW.



> But(had to be one,haha),get in the habit of turning a chisel,bevel down.Really liked the pic though.BW


Photographer's license, BW -- besides I like to display them that way now. 

James


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