A Master Carpenter's Tools

[sparkydave]

http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=27038

I found this page while looking for a site I'd seen a couple of years ago, discussing the large and heavy chest a master carpenter would carry during the late 1800's, above what a carpenter would normally carry. It's been bugging me lately, like another look at it.

In the meantime, found this very famous tool chest. Very interesting.
I try to imagine when i'm working in what's called up here a "Victorian Home" and imagine wagons of brick and material being pulled up the drive, or carpenters using special planes to produce casing and baseboard for a home.

I do not believe however that today's master carpenters' need feel lesser than they, but we can all appreciate heritage. I like the perspective of comparing methods, etc.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=17C60695ADUC&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=master+carpenter+tool+chest&source=bl&ots=c-QKccqkf3&sig=P81q7B47
(See page 25 of this interesting chapter for a discussion of an apprentices tools)

Dave

[Silvertree]

Yes, the H.O. Studley toolbox is a sight to behold. Apparently he was always working on it.

[Bodger]

http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=27038

I found this page while looking for a site I'd seen a couple of years ago, discussing the large and heavy chest a master carpenter would carry during the late 1800's, above what a carpenter would normally carry. It's been bugging me lately, like another look at it.

In the meantime, found this very famous tool chest. Very interesting.
I try to imagine when i'm working in what's called up here a "Victorian Home" and imagine wagons of brick and material being pulled up the drive, or carpenters using special planes to produce casing and baseboard for a home.

I do not believe however that today's master carpenters' need feel lesser than they, but we can all appreciate heritage. I like the perspective of comparing methods, etc.

Dave

When Duncan Phyffe would have an apprentice that was about to graduate to journeyman status, the apprentice's final thesis would be to build himself a good tool chest that would pass muster of Phyffe's discriminating standards.

A journeyman's tool chest was considered an example of his trade ability, and a representation of himself.

I guess my rusty Greenlee tool can doesn't say much for me.

[sparkydave]

When I was a lad, my dad had a tool chest of 1/2' G1S fir plywood, as I recall, built as a box about 8" wide, maybe 18" high, by about 28" outside, cut after building, piano hinge installed so that side folded down, with storage for handsaw, chisels, etc.

My dad also had a lumber yard, and when things weren't busy we could make projects out of scrap. So I remember trying to build a toolchest like dads, maybe 14 yrs old. I measured the inside, 26 1/2" long. Why the half inch, I wondered?

I knew when my chest was done and my Stanley handsaw wouldn't fit inside.
I wish i could say that was the last lesson I learned the hard way.

http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/studley_1993_tool_chest_article.htm
Like it says, a greatly detailed article on the Studley toolchest.

[Silvertree]

We always need more lessons, and you learned one that day you still remember. I think you did well, and did you cut the handle or the blade to make it fit?

[sparkydave]

I don't recall, but while writing that i decided when dad's done with his tools He's 86 and still needs them) I want my share.

I also noticed that many of the tools in the collection were Stanley or Starrett, so we do have some continuity to tradition. I can't claim to have made any, though. There's a thought; have any of you made/ or though up tools or jigs that solved a problem, or worked out better than what was available?

[Bodger]

I don't recall, but while writing that i decided when dad's done with his tools He's 86 and still needs them) I want my share.

I also noticed that many of the tools in the collection were Stanley or Starrett, so we do have some continuity to tradition. I can't claim to have made any, though. There's a thought; have any of you made/ or though up tools or jigs that solved a problem, or worked out better than what was available?

Yes. I once made a large spoon out of rock maple for a neighbor's birthday gift. He was a pastry chef. His wife was a Flamenco dancer who owned a dance studio.

She saw the spoon, and immediately told me that if I could make that spoon, I could make castanets. Apparently the old masters of hand made castanets have pretty much passed on, and fibre castanets are what everyone uses now anyway and they are much more economical. But the purists of the art still prefer hand made wood castanets carved from solid blocks of gabon ebony and grenadillo.

It was trial and error all the way. I had to make a jig for damn near everything. The cuts on the band-saw, the holes for the strings, a shadowbox so i could sight the shells and make sure the stock I was removing with the rasp was equal so the castanets would not be out of balance (or out of tune).

Lots of fun. Not enough money.

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt10/dingoff/castinets1.jpg

[Silvertree]

I made a jig from MDF that had a slot for a 3/4" bar screwed to the bottom of my Makita circular saw.
I would clamp that to 8' sheet goods like melamine and it would cut as well as a tablesaw without scratching the melamine.
I had a 4' and 8' and the cuts were nuts on.

[Bodger]

I made a jig from MDF that had a slot for a 3/4" bar screwed to the bottom of my Makita circular saw.
I would clamp that to 8' sheet goods like melamine and it would cut as well as a tablesaw without scratching the melamine.
I had a 4' and 8' and the cuts were nuts on.

Sounds like a better rig than I cooked up.

I would clamp an old 8' level to the ply and use that as a guide. Problem was, when the plywood sheet inevitably sagged in the middle, the base plate of the Skil would slide UNDER the straight-edge and really fook me up.

I bought a table saw that would handle a full sheet after that.

[naptownCr]

anyone ever heard of a shooting stick?

its a piece of 1/2" ply with a piece of 1/4" ply nailed to it very straight. make the thing wider than the table on tyour circular saw and cut off the excess
you now have a guide that the table won't slip under you can set the cut line precisely and you don't have to spend a fortune on overpriced green tools.

[Decoman]

My grandfather was a master carpenter (or at least I think he would of been back in his days) He had all kinds of wooden chest and tool boxes I can still remember them to today. I believe he built most of them himself. He was a trim man by specialty and I remember working one Saturday when I was really young sweeping up he was doing crown in some hotel lobby downtown Chicago and he was still at that time cutting all his miters by hand with a hand saw and a jig he made.
Now by the time he pass in 93 he was using a electric miter box it was an 8inch one by Rockwell I keep it for the longest time but finally did get rid of it. I still have all his old plane some wooden some metal.
The only reason I can and will install crown is cause I watch him as a kid... You never know what you will learn even when you don't think your learning...

[WarriorWithWood]

anyone ever heard of a shooting stick?

its a piece of 1/2" ply with a piece of 1/4" ply nailed to it very straight. make the thing wider than the table on tyour circular saw and cut off the excess
you now have a guide that the table won't slip under you can set the cut line precisely and you don't have to spend a fortune on overpriced green tools.

I just bought the Makita rail saw, it's just as good as the green one but a few hundred cheaper.:2thumbsup:

[Msargent]

Damn dennis you are going to have to borrow Jasons trailer to get all your tools home from NY when that job is over or buy a job trailer.Hehe you have a ton of tools there.

[WarriorWithWood]

I just drug them all home with Jason's trailer yesterday Matt. I start my new job the week after next.:2thumbsup:

[Msargent]

Do you really?? Congratulations dennis on your new adventure

[WarriorWithWood]

Thanks Matt.

[Msargent]

You will be missed down there in NY you do great work dennis.

[Bodger]

anyone ever heard of a shooting stick?

its a piece of 1/2" ply with a piece of 1/4" ply nailed to it very straight. make the thing wider than the table on tyour circular saw and cut off the excess
you now have a guide that the table won't slip under you can set the cut line precisely and you don't have to spend a fortune on overpriced green tools.


I will do that from now on. Sound wisdom. I like Paul's idea too.

[neolitic]

........Now by the time he pass in 93 he was using a electric miter box it was an 8inch one by Rockwell I keep it for the longest time but finally did get rid of it. ...

It was 9", makes blades hard to find.
Just used this one A couple of weeks ago. thumb-up

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/032.jpg

[neolitic]

anyone ever heard of a shooting stick?

its a piece of 1/2" ply with a piece of 1/4" ply nailed to it very straight. make the thing wider than the table on tyour circular saw and cut off the excess
you now have a guide that the table won't slip under you can set the cut line precisely and you don't have to spend a fortune on overpriced green tools.

This is one of mine.

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/SawGuide002.jpg

I have a short one for under cutting doors,
and a long one for plywood rips.
I just make them out of scrap birch underlayment.
I call it a "zero clearance saw guide." :grin:

[neolitic]

...... Problem was, when the plywood sheet inevitably sagged in the middle, the base plate of the Skil would slide UNDER the straight-edge and really fook me up.......

Mr Dobbs, I have a cut table that you
can even carry on your pack mule.
It's just 4, 8 foot 2X4s (4pcs 4', 2pcs 8')
cut and notched, so it just knocks apart.
This is a really crappy cell phone pic,
but maybe better than words....

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/CutTable002.jpg

[Derek Stevens]

Just as a note, the studley tool box was owned by a Freemason. Look at the two pillars and the square and compass in the bottom.right

[neolitic]

Just as a note, the studley tool box was owned by a Freemason. Look at the two pillars and the square and compass in the bottom.right

You're a friend of the devil?
Cause "a friend of the devil
is a friend of mine." :laugh4:

[Derek Stevens]

I did spend the night in Utah, in a cave up in the hills...
As a note, I would love that toolcase.( duh) though I have always found it heavier on squares, than chisels.

[Eieio]

Has any of you guys beside Neo used any of the tools in this tool box?

[neolitic]

I did spend the night in Utah, in a cave up in the hills...
As a note, I would love that toolcase.( duh) though I have always found it heavier on squares, than chisels.

The guy was a piano maker.
Wonder what my uncle would have said
to Studley if he was taking too long? :laugh4:

[Decoman]

It was 9", makes blades hard to find.
Just used this one A couple of weeks ago. thumb-up

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/032.jpg

did I sell that to you?? :)

thanks for the post brings back some memories..

I still have the rockwell door hinge jig set

[JasonW]

did I sell that to you?? :)

thanks for the post brings back some memories..

I still have the rockwell door hinge jig set

I have the same one! Nothing better than the original sometimes:2thumbsup:

[Derek Stevens]

Has any of you guys beside Neo used any of the tools in this tool box?
Uh, yeah, and in some cases with the tools, they are the newer version of the ones I use..

[Bodger]

Mr Dobbs, I have a cut table that you
can even carry on your pack mule.
It's just 4, 8 foot 2X4s (4pcs 4', 2pcs 8')
cut and notched, so it just knocks apart.
This is a really crappy cell phone pic,
but maybe better than words....

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/CutTable002.jpg


Many thanks.
I am hoping that pure laziness and impatience, not lack of intelligence prevented me from figuring out that if one were to support the plywood, the sagging would be abated, and the Skil would not slip under the straightedge.

[neolitic]

Many thanks.
I am hoping that pure laziness and impatience, not lack of intelligence prevented me from figuring out that if one were to support the plywood, the sagging would be abated, and the Skil would not slip under the straightedge.

I'm gonna go with the laziness one
this time....:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4: