How I store my hand tools - how do you do yours?

[Paul Chapman]

Sadly, even at the hand tool events, I often find planes not ready to try.

This is often the case. At one of the hand tool events (West Dean, I think) a bloke was trying out a Veritas #80 scraper and was struggling because the hook was no good. I borrowed a burnisher from Mike Hudson of Clifton and put a new hook on it for him. It worked so well that he bought it

I really should be on commission...... :-k :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[MikeG.]

Mike,
As for bench planes, I'm sure you'll agree that a smoothing plane is pretty well useless for joining long edges with a 'rubbed-joint'. You need a jointer for that job. You might also need a fore-plane for flattening panels, or cross grain prep-planing. You need a jack plane for rough planing from sawn. You can use a Jack for some smaller rubbed joints where the long jointer would be cumbersome. You need a smoother for finishing.

With some timbers you will need a bevel-up block plane for the finest finish and end-grain. A scraper plane, if you can find one, will provide the best finish on awkward grain, without the need to burn your thumbs using a panel scraper.

John

But I do all of that with one plane and a scraper. Now that I have a planer thicknesser, cleaning up edges for rubbed joints isn't an issue. And why on earth would you need more than one mallet?

Paul.....the belt sander is useful, but I always finish with a blade (expect that spalted sycamore.......which was impossible).

Bewildered

Mike

 

[wizer]

a bloke was trying out a Veritas #80 scraper and was struggling because the hook was no good.

How odd. That was what I was trying to play with at Westonbirt and the guy demo-ing didn't have a clue how to sharpen it. Needless to say I didn't invest.

 

[Paul Chapman]

That was what I was trying to play with at Westonbirt and the guy demo-ing didn't have a clue how to sharpen it. Needless to say I didn't invest.

Yes, they probably lose a lot of sales because of that.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Benchwayze]

Mike,
As for bench planes, I'm sure you'll agree that a smoothing plane is pretty well useless for joining long edges with a 'rubbed-joint'. You need a jointer for that job. You might also need a fore-plane for flattening panels, or cross grain prep-planing. You need a jack plane for rough planing from sawn. You can use a Jack for some smaller rubbed joints where the long jointer would be cumbersome. You need a smoother for finishing.

With some timbers you will need a bevel-up block plane for the finest finish and end-grain. A scraper plane, if you can find one, will provide the best finish on awkward grain, without the need to burn your thumbs using a panel scraper.

John

But I do all of that with one plane and a scraper. Now that I have a planer thicknesser, cleaning up edges for rubbed joints isn't an issue. And why on earth would you need more than one mallet?

Paul.....the belt sander is useful, but I always finish with a blade (expect that spalted sycamore.......which was impossible).

Bewildered

Mike

Okay Mike.. Horses for courses then! If you can get away with one plane, then that's great. I can't criticise you for that.

I have these tools because I wouldn't want to spend time trying to level a long edge with a No 4, smoother, any more than I would want to set 1/2", No.16 gauge panel pins with a 2 lb Ball-pein hammer. You must agree there are some tools that have to be 'duplicated'?

 

[Paul Chapman]

But I do all of that with one plane and a scraper. Now that I have a planer thicknesser, cleaning up edges for rubbed joints isn't an issue.

You really shouldn't judge everyone on the basis of how you do things. We don't all have planer/thicknessers, table saws, band saws and lots of other tools and machinery that you have.

We each do things the way we do for our own reasons and based on our own circumstances.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Benchwayze]

Mike,

More than one mallet?
Okay:

I use a small mallet for dovetailing and small mortices. I use a larger carpenters' mallet for heavy morticing.

I also have a 12" P/T, a darned good one, that I use for planing and thicknessing rough stock, because I don't have the strength or the time any more. I could use my planer to do rubbed joints, but it's a matter of pride to me, to do this with hand-tool. For that I need a Stanley Jointer or at least a Fore-plane.

If I buy more planes, it will be because I think they will do a better job than my older ones. Will I offload the older ones? Only if they weren't presents from my family, which most of them are.

We'll have to beg to differ here Mike!

Alla best.

 

[MikeG.]

You really shouldn't judge everyone on the basis of how you do things. We don't all have planer/thicknessers, table saws, band saws and lots of other tools and machinery that you have.

I don't Paul, and I really hope this incredulity of mine isn't seen as anything else......I sincerely don't mean to offend, or say that I know best.

I speak from a position of having had no machinery whatsoever until 2 years ago...........I did it all by hand, and with hand-held power tools. I have therefore done 30 years or so of hand-work aided by a router and a belt-sander, and hindered by a jigsaw. For 6 months of the year for a good number of years I made a living making furniture like this.....
....and never needed all the kit that seems to be the accepted minimum on here. Hence my incredulity.

Maybe one of you guys in East Anglia should invite me over to show me what I am missing out on?

Apologies again if I have sounded strident.............I am just honestly dumbstruck.

Mike

 

[woodbloke]

Mike,

More than one mallet?
Okay:

I use a small mallet for dovetailing and small mortices. I use a larger carpenters' mallet for heavy morticing.

I also have a 12" P/T, a darned good one, that I use for planing and thicknessing rough stock, because I don't have the strength or the time any more. I could use my planer to do rubbed joints, but it's a matter of pride to me, to do this with hand-tool. For that I need a Stanley Jointer or at least a Fore-plane.

If I buy more planes, it will be because I think they will do a better job than my older ones. Will I offload the older ones? Only if they weren't presents from my family, which most of them are.

We'll have to beg to differ here Mike!

Alla best.

I'm similar to John in that I've got a p/t to take the hard work out of stock prep and I've got a general purpose lignum carver's maul which I wouldn't be without. The planes have really been collected over the years or have been made or fettled as projects in the 'shop (or indeed have been bought as Christmas presents) Although I always pick up the LV LA planes now from preference, all the other ones under the bench have been accumulated :wink: :roll: over several years and have a bit of a sentimental value, so I wouldn't want to get rid of them - Rob

 

[Waka]

I'm not sure that it's a need to have loads of planes and hand tools, I think in a lot of cases, due to marketing and hand tool shows, we feel that we need that item. In truth this is probably not the case.

I'm guilty of spending silly money on tools, but I have in mind of leaving a well stocked tool cabinet for generations to come, hence the time spent on the tool cabinet under construction.

Do I need all these tools, certainly not, but I don't have the heart to sell them. For example I have a 24" Leigh DT jig that I've had for years but never use because I do them by hand, but its still there just in case.

So whatever your tool stock, just enjoy using them.

 

[wizer]

I only had a square mallet until recently and couldn't get on with it. The new round mallet that I turned at Allen's is much nicer to use, but it's lightweight and won't last long if I use it for a lot of bashing. That's why mallet mk.2 will have a lignum head, as soon as I spy a suitible piece of lignum. So then I'll have 3 mallets I also like the look of the brass topped mallets for intricate carving type work. Ahem, that'll be 4 :-#

I think the main thing Mike 'forgets' is that most of us are either hobbiest or at very least enthusiasts. For every forum member there must be a hundred woodworkers who do only have a minimal kit. Like it or not, this forum (all forums?) attracts enthusiasts who love the subject as apposed to 'like it' or 'do it for money'

I'm and IT consultant and whilst, as a family, we own 2 laptops and 2 pc's. I don't have a need to have the latest technology or the very best equipment money can buy.

 

[wizer]

Do I need all these tools, certainly not, but I don't have the heart to sell them. For example I have a 24" Leigh DT jig that I've had for years but never use because I do them by hand, but its still there just in case.

I can relate to that. However, I am more of the mind that I don't want to loose the money I've spent on them. I've realised I probably won't use my leigh jig much, but I don't think I could sell it, knowing what I paid. I'd have had to have had a good load of work out of a tool to let it go. That way I could say it's earned it's keep.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I don't Paul, and I really hope this incredulity of mine isn't seen as anything else......I sincerely don't mean to offend, or say that I know best.

I speak from a position of having had no machinery whatsoever until 2 years ago...........I did it all by hand, and with hand-held power tools. I have therefore done 30 years or so of hand-work aided by a router and a belt-sander, and hindered by a jigsaw. For 6 months of the year for a good number of years I made a living making furniture like this.....
....and never needed all the kit that seems to be the accepted minimum on here. Hence my incredulity.

That's OK Mike, no offence taken I'm equally incredulous that you worked for 30 years without machinery and only a #4 plane :shock:

You were doing it the hard way. I have no machinery and work mainly with hand tools, so I've had to find the most efficient way of working. Having several planes of different lengths and set up differently makes the difficult task of converting sawn timber into nice furniture relatively easy. You should try it some time - not that you need to now that you have machines - but it would demonstrate, in a very simple way, what the rest of us are on about :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[mahking51]

Waka wrote:

but I have in mind of leaving a well stocked tool cabinet for generations to come

Little does he know that my plans for his imminent demise are well advanced and I have a cunning scheme to get Gill to adopt me so that I will be the benficiary of all his loot!.. :twisted: :twisted:
Martin
aka advisor in chief on how to get him to spend more money on the tool cabinet :lol:

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I don't see why anyone should try to justify or give a reason why they bought any particular tool.

I have two TV's but I can only watch one at a time (unlike Dell boy)

Many people have more than one car, but you can only drive one at a time.

My car can do 115 but I can only drive it at 70, so why buy a car that can do more than 70? Because I liked the car, it suited what I wanted it for. :?

So If I like a particular tool I'll buy it. I suppose I'm a collector then.... :lol:

 

[Karl]

As the OP, I suppose I should contribute to the arguement in favour of all these beautiful, shiny, bubinga handled things.......

My view is that if you don't mind splashing the cash on nice tools (which I accept that not all will want to), then why not? Better than spending it on booze, horses and women!

It's a hobby. Why play golf with [insert name of cheap brand clubs] if you can afford Ping? To me there is an element of self satisfaction in having the best tools - if things aren't going right, you can't blame the tools. Also, as Waka says, these tools will be around long after I am gone (and i'm a youngster!). I hope that my children will one day learn (with my ever watching eye) how to use these tools properly. And put them to good use.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Doug B]

It is a good point about tools being past down, i`ve only bought 1 of my 5 planes, the others coming from grandparents of both mine & my wifes family.
So it`s another good reason to buy quality.
Wonder if the wife will see it that way :lol: :lol:

 

[OPJ]

I'm ashamed to reveal how I throw all my hand tools in to the top drawer of an old filing cabinet - but hey, it is very secure!

I've got Lie-Nielsen plane socks for all my Stanley planes and there's a chisel roll you can't see that sits on top of this lot. My three Veritas planes live indoors. :wink:

One day though, I plan to build a new workbench and house this lot in the drawers below...

 

[The Shark]

Karl,
I spent 80% of my fortune on booze, horses and women. The rest I just wasted. :lol:

Malc

 

[MikeG.]

Karl,
I spent 80% of my fortune on booze, horses and women. The rest I just wasted. :lol:
Malc

George Best, I think.......??