There's only so much guilt I can take before I get prodded into action. Tools for Self Reliance is featured at the Axminster Show this year, and a forum thread about it has finally got me to do something about it instead of just thinking about doing something. 'Cos it's a bit of a way to carry stuff, I limited myself to one carriable box. Anything that wouldn't fit, doesn't go. If I can't carry the box reasonably, something has to go. Looking down their list of what's in shortest supply I had a rummage through my boxes o' rust. It was good fun actually; bit like my own private car boot sale of tools, and only tools. I'm ashamed of how many things I'd forgotten I had to be honest; a whole load of brace bits I'd completely over-looked, chisels, gouges, all sorts. Now I'd happily donate some of those, but I assume the list is indicating to me that they're knee-deep in that sort of thing, so I went for the asked-for goodies. A no-name #4.5, which is a delightful plane to use, but the holes in the sides don't make it a looker; a Salmens block; three folding rules (metric, metric/imperial, and imperial); two mortise chisels, one a good size for furniture but a bit short, the other a gorgeous monster I'll never use; couple of back saws I've yet to get round to cleaning; coping saw; and finally a nice fine grade of oil stone. The hand grinder wouldn't fit in the box!
I had a good chuckle though. Normally my mum doesn't come into the workshop, but just for once, while I was packing up these goodies, she did. Her eye fell on the folding rules. I'd forgotten she has a major thing for them; not that she uses them, it's the gizmocity factor that gets her. I suppose I had to have got it from someone... Anyway, I was practically prising them from her hands and pointing out the need of poor Africans was greater than her's. I had to repeat it quite a few times before she relinquished them though :~) Not that she's usually like that, but in this case it was a definite struggle. It was hilarious as she went through them; "too short but the brass is nice" "oooo, this one's really long" etc etc Concealed in the workshop I have a large size, 2m one (about 18" long when folded) - if she ever gets hold of that, all is lost...
Result. Holes successfully drilled and tapped in the jointer plane. Yee-hah! Having woken up at 1am this morning worrying about it, I knew I had to grasp the nettle, bite the bullet and generally get on with it. Not helped by the opposite side to the one I was drilling being less than square to the sole of the plane. Grrr. So it was all very dicey wedged up with this 'n' that and not clamped down. Don't try that at home kids... But luckily there was lots of leeway in the whole thing, so all was well. Nearly wasn't though; I marked up the wrong holes first try, so I now have some additional dimples on the plane where dimples should not be. Ho hum. Anyway, I had a bit of a play and so forth and the main thrust of my thoughts are already committed to paper. Just a pause to let it stew a while now.
Also made progress with one of the other LV things, which I suppose I have to not say about yet. No worries; s'no big deal particularly. As it is, it seems fine and I'm struggling to come up with anything to say beyond "Great, I'll take one. Except, er, I already have one now, don't I...?" Well I would have bought one if things had been different, if I'd had the thing it goes with, which I probably wouldn't have I'd have had to buy it... Hmm, I think I'll have to re-draft this whole thing...
I'll leave you with the thought that, while I knew Tool X was a complicated thing with lots of parts, it's not until you see one laid out, with the blades alone taking up a third of the workbench, that you really know it.
Tune in tomorrow when I Blog about how I started a rumour about a Lee Valley Combination Plane. (chuckle)
Decided that the imminent arrival of stuff from Canada meant I'd better pack up the out-going stuff for next week before it got here. Mainly saws, as you can see! Just a final choice of which dovetail saw of three to go for has to be made; so two will have to come back again. Other than that, the saw rack is a little emptier. :~) Just as well I can hand them over at the Axminster show though; the postage would have been a bit of a 'mare.
Yep, it's that time of year again, when I venture east in search of tool drool. 'Cept the drive to look at the tools is less and less and it becomes more of an excuse to meet up with friends old and new and put names to faces. And flog a few tools... ;~) Well to be fair, if I didn't do that I wouldn't be able to support the new toolmakers, so it's for the long-term good. Although it's very hard to get excited about going to a show to see tools when some turn up on your doorstep the week before. It's horribly ungrateful to say it, but in a tiny way it takes away some of the pleasure of the show. Terrible, isn't it? Bet you're yelling at the screen "what?! Why you stinker; step aside and I'll do it then!" It only does it a little bit; but there is that miniscule regret that I don't get to fight the wondering masses for a look at the new router plane, f'rinstance. Heck, I may loose touch with the feelings of the ordinary woodworker at the bench, and that would never do. So I'll have to fight off the wondering masses at the L-N stand instead; which I'd be doing anyway, no doubt. :~) I'm also hoping one of the turning tool manufacturers will have a sizing wotsit to fit a 3/8th parting tool. I'm getting a bit fed up with my hit 'n' miss method of making chisel handles - and as I have a lot to do it makes sense to bite the bullet. If Axminster still listed one I'd have got it long before now; as it is I never order from places that do have them so it hasn't happened. And of course there's also the competition entries to gasp in wonder at. I'll have a shot at getting to those early, while it's quiet, if I can - just for a change.
Anyway, in the mean time, there's at least one, and really probably two, reviews to write; some feedback to give; and, oh heck, some holes to drill and tap... For a moment there I'd forgotten that horror. Wonder if I'll be able to slip in any real woodworking while no-one's looking...?
Got a call from UPS; looks like I'm going to be stung big time for the L-V parcel. Bum. Not that I won't be reimbursed, but heck, it's nearly the Axminster show! I may need every shekel! It'd help if they employed folks who could speak clearly; I must have said "can you repeat that?" a dozen times. Repetitiously, you could say...
In the opening salvo of my new attempt to sell some of my tools I'm trying to create some demand for wooden moulding planes. It should work a treat as long as no-one reads this Blog and sees through my cunning plan.
Hmm. Probably shouldn't have linked to it in the same thread then... ;~)
As it happens one or two items are due to get shifted at the show next week, which is good. I can stop feeling guilty about having tools I'm not using and someone else can get hold of reasonable tools at reasonable prices. Shill! Heck, if you can't advertise in your own Blog, where can you? Actually maybe you can't... Where's that TOS...? :~)
Dovetails are on hold; in fact practically everything is. TPTB have got hold of a painting on glass that they fancy being made into a fire screen though, so I may not be making anything but I'm at least thinking about making something.
There's only so much guilt I can take before I get prodded into action. Tools for Self Reliance is featured at the Axminster Show this year, and a forum thread about it has finally got me to do something about it instead of just thinking about doing something. 'Cos it's a bit of a way to carry stuff, I limited myself to one carriable box. Anything that wouldn't fit, doesn't go. If I can't carry the box reasonably, something has to go. Looking down their list of what's in shortest supply I had a rummage through my boxes o' rust. It was good fun actually; bit like my own private car boot sale of tools, and only tools. I'm ashamed of how many things I'd forgotten I had to be honest; a whole load of brace bits I'd completely over-looked, chisels, gouges, all sorts. Now I'd happily donate some of those, but I assume the list is indicating to me that they're knee-deep in that sort of thing, so I went for the asked-for goodies. A no-name #4.5, which is a delightful plane to use, but the holes in the sides don't make it a looker; a Salmens block; three folding rules (metric, metric/imperial, and imperial); two mortise chisels, one a good size for furniture but a bit short, the other a gorgeous monster I'll never use; couple of back saws I've yet to get round to cleaning; coping saw; and finally a nice fine grade of oil stone. The hand grinder wouldn't fit in the box!
