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Who likes vintage tools?
- Thread starter reetpleat
- Start date
carouselvic
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,981
- Location
- Kansas
I have an appreciation for vintage tools, as well as Japanese woodworking tools.
"Skeet" McD
Practically Family
- Messages
- 755
- Location
- Essex Co., Mass'tts
The Magna 10ER....
I had always wanted a lathe...and finally living in a house where there was room for a proper shop, began looking for one I could afford. Our new/old Yankee neighbor said that an acquaintance had an old 5-in-1 combination machine that could be used as a lathe, and would sell it for $50. Being naturally suspicious of combination ANYTHINGs, I asked Gerry if it really worked? Oh, yes! said he.
And so a large chunk of rusty cast iron came into my life. I'm a historian (even musically....), and while I don't have a background in machining or mechanics, I look at this object and see tons of history: a big,
well-designed and well-made steel and iron contraption from the days when
we MADE stuff in this country--and made it better than anywhere else in the
world. I imagine the fellows who were making these were turning out
battleships and tanks just a few years earlier--and it shows. Could you buy
something this well made today at any reasonable price? I doubt it. And I see the explosion of young first-time homeowners, who grew up in the depression, went to fight a war that saved the world, and then came home...to be the first in their families to own a home. I'm from the generation THAT generation produced...and like many things we grow up close to, we don't tend to appreciate it until we gain a bit of distance. My "new" 10ER is helping me understand, and appreciate, the America that produced....me.
Not bad value for $50, any way you look at it.
There's a great website devoted to these machines; if anyone has one in their basement or ends up acquiring one like I did, you won't find a better resource for restoration and use than
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shopsmith10ERusers/
I had always wanted a lathe...and finally living in a house where there was room for a proper shop, began looking for one I could afford. Our new/old Yankee neighbor said that an acquaintance had an old 5-in-1 combination machine that could be used as a lathe, and would sell it for $50. Being naturally suspicious of combination ANYTHINGs, I asked Gerry if it really worked? Oh, yes! said he.
And so a large chunk of rusty cast iron came into my life. I'm a historian (even musically....), and while I don't have a background in machining or mechanics, I look at this object and see tons of history: a big,
well-designed and well-made steel and iron contraption from the days when
we MADE stuff in this country--and made it better than anywhere else in the
world. I imagine the fellows who were making these were turning out
battleships and tanks just a few years earlier--and it shows. Could you buy
something this well made today at any reasonable price? I doubt it. And I see the explosion of young first-time homeowners, who grew up in the depression, went to fight a war that saved the world, and then came home...to be the first in their families to own a home. I'm from the generation THAT generation produced...and like many things we grow up close to, we don't tend to appreciate it until we gain a bit of distance. My "new" 10ER is helping me understand, and appreciate, the America that produced....me.
Not bad value for $50, any way you look at it.
There's a great website devoted to these machines; if anyone has one in their basement or ends up acquiring one like I did, you won't find a better resource for restoration and use than
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shopsmith10ERusers/
MrNewportCustom
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,265
- Location
- Outer Los Angeles
I have a few:
Torches.
Scythe and ice tongs.
Gas can.
Bubble levels.
Whatever these are.
The work they do most (and best) is collecting dust.
Lee
Torches.
Scythe and ice tongs.
Gas can.
Bubble levels.
Whatever these are.
The work they do most (and best) is collecting dust.
Lee
WildCelt
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 178
- Location
- My Imagination, South Carolina
MrNewportCustom said:Whatever these are.
The work they do most (and best) is collecting dust.
Looks like a bullet mold to me.
Jay
Practically Family
- Messages
- 920
- Location
- New Jersey
A Whole Garage Full, Yeah
I don't think I've worked on something without using a vintage tool. My Dad has the garage and basement filled with old tools. He had to get most of them when he started working as a mechanic in the 50s. The rest came from my Uncle Joe after he passed. I'll try and dig up some cool stuff next time I'm over.
I don't think I've worked on something without using a vintage tool. My Dad has the garage and basement filled with old tools. He had to get most of them when he started working as a mechanic in the 50s. The rest came from my Uncle Joe after he passed. I'll try and dig up some cool stuff next time I'm over.
LizzieMaine
Bartender
- Messages
- 33,697
- Location
- Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Whenever I need tools, I get in the car and drive to this place:
http://www.jonesport-wood.com/jwLibToolPhotos.html
http://www.jonesport-wood.com/jwLibToolPhotos.html
Featured products
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Gustin Vintage Heavyweight Sweatshirt - Natural Rainbow Nep - $119 Rugged 14oz cotton that gets better with every wear. -
Grant Stone Diesel Boot Dark Olive Chromexcel - #395 Goodyear welted, Horween Chromexcel, classic good looks. -
Iron and Resin - Buffalo Shirt - $119 Classic, yet modern. 6.5oz yarn dyed cotton flannel with a warm micro polar fleece lining.
Jay
Practically Family
- Messages
- 920
- Location
- New Jersey
THAT PLACE LOOKS AWESOME!LizzieMaine said:
"Skeet" McD
Practically Family
- Messages
- 755
- Location
- Essex Co., Mass'tts
LizzieMaine said:
Holy Moly! Lucky you.....
"Skeet"
Firefyter-Emt
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Northeastern Connecticut
Yea, I have been known to play with them a little... Check out my web-site below if you want to see more... I have a few that really need to be finished this summer too. 
http://www.yankeetoys.org/lee/shop.htm
Some go from this....
Well, to this....
Or, if you like hand tools better....
Some go from this....
Well, to this....
Or, if you like hand tools better....
"Skeet" McD
Practically Family
- Messages
- 755
- Location
- Essex Co., Mass'tts
Firefyter-Emt said:
Beautiful work, Firefyter-Emt! I find that super-clean workbench the small lathe is sitting on.....scary. :>)
"Skeet"
Nick D
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,166
- Location
- Upper Michigan
Most of the tools in my forge which I didn't make myself are quite old. I don't have many new-bought tools. Several of my tongs, anvils, and hammers come out of old smithies which were once active workshops for farms and mines.
Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,242
- Location
- Hudson Valley, NY
A friend of mine (a dedicated tool collector and very early [c. 1997] Web design pro) put together this site a while ago. Perhaps it will be of interest:
http://www.antiquetools.com/
http://www.antiquetools.com/
MrNewportCustom
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,265
- Location
- Outer Los Angeles
WildCelt said:
I think not. The inside faces are absolutely flat and smooth. They have seen fire, though. Plenty of evidence to that. [huh]
LizzieMaine said:
We have something kind of like that in Seattle.
http://www.ehardwicks.com/about/history.html
cooncatbob
Practically Family
- Messages
- 612
- Location
- Carmichael, CA.
I collect old wood working tool and have quite a few Stanley Bailey Planes.
But my pride and joy is my 1953 South Bend 9A.
Before
After
But my pride and joy is my 1953 South Bend 9A.
Before
After
Talbot
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,855
- Location
- Melbourne Australia
Firefyter-Emt said:Yea, I have been known to play with them a little... Check out my web-site below if you want to see more... I have a few that really need to be finished this summer too.
http://www.yankeetoys.org/lee/shop.htm
Some go from this....
Well, to this....
Or, if you like hand tools better....
Nice resto work, very nice. :eusa_clap
I can still remember the chewing out I'd get in wood shop if I left a hand plane on the bench face down!
And that was more than 30 years ago
Firefyter-Emt
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Northeastern Connecticut
Yea, I hear you! When not in use, mine sit on custom shelves that have a rounded dado cut into it so that the blade is floating. That one had not been sharpened yet in that photo so I was not too worried!
Bob, wonderful South Bend! That photo just tells me even more that Ipicked out for the right color on my FE Reed.
This one is set to be restored this summer, she has a patent date of 1884 and the "clues" tell me she was built about 1890 to 1895. The keyless chuck that came with it has a patent date that dates back to the War against Northern Aggression.
10"x48"
(PS... yes, I know about the chuck key, however, there is not even a motor connected to the lathe!~)
Bob, wonderful South Bend! That photo just tells me even more that Ipicked out for the right color on my FE Reed.
This one is set to be restored this summer, she has a patent date of 1884 and the "clues" tell me she was built about 1890 to 1895. The keyless chuck that came with it has a patent date that dates back to the War against Northern Aggression.
10"x48"
(PS... yes, I know about the chuck key, however, there is not even a motor connected to the lathe!~)
fortworthgal
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,646
- Location
- Panther City
I am not, but my husband is. He has probably 10 tool boxes filled with tools from the 1910s-1950s. He uses them all, too. I think he has a few modern pieces that are necessity items, but everything else is vintage. Mostly he buys hand tools or the occasional precision metalworking item.
At one point we even had a functioning WWII dogtag machine (graphotype) in our garage! We sold that about 6 months ago, as we weren't using it.
I will have to ask him to take some photos of his collection.
At one point we even had a functioning WWII dogtag machine (graphotype) in our garage! We sold that about 6 months ago, as we weren't using it.
I will have to ask him to take some photos of his collection.
D
drafttek
Guest
I have a Shopsmith dated from the mid 50s. I inherited it from a friend when his father died. I also have some old brass spring scales and a bunch of wooden planes that were my grandfathers. Some of the planes are rather large.
