Cumming Antique Power Expo -- 8 November 2014

Mornin' Folks,
  Here's a real picture heavy post for you!  These pictures were taken at the Cumming Antique Power Association's 11th Annual Cumming Steam, Antique Tractor, and Gas Engine Expo.  I thoroughly enjoyed walking around looking at all the tractors and hit-and-miss engines on display and watching the saw mill in action.  I wish the show had been bigger, it seems like I covered the whole thing too fast!  I'm definitely going to make plans to attend next year!
  Enjoy the photos!
     -Nick

The Steam Shed

There's something exciting about old crawlers, too!

My dream car! A Stanley Steamer, mid-restoration.  They had it running just about all day and even drove it in the parade!

Thought I'd throw in a hand tool picture as well.  This new-in-box Craftsman plane is available at one of the local antique stores, it just exceeds my $10 antique tool budget!

It's still not quite done, but here's a shot of the saw till I've been working on.  I needed a safe way to move my saw collection around and this fits the bill very well.  I don't care for the oak dowel handle though, it flexes way too much under the weight.  I'll post better pictures when I get a new handle sorted out.

Another Update!

Hey Folks,
  I finished the Disston D-23 crosscut saw that I had been working on!  I'm really happy, and proud of the results.  I'm working on a full write up on it and I'll try to post it really soon.  I've already started the next saw, so I'll get some pictures put up of that as soon as I take some.  I've also completed my first set of knife scales.  I made these out of reclaimed mahogany from an old entry door.  This was a really fun, simple project and I'm already looking for my next knife!  And the last picture here today is my next project.  I don't want to give away what it is just yet, but I will tell you that it is fly fishing related, and it's to replace an item that I've always wanted, but always hated that they're made out of Chinese plastic!  Mine is going to be solid walnut!  I'm making it entirely with vintage handtools, no power equipment will be used at all!
  I hope you're all doing well.  Keep the sawdust flying!
     -Nick

My Disston D-23 Skewback Crosscut saw.  Ready for to be sharpened and put back to work.  I'm extremely happy with the way it turned out!

My first stab at making knife scales! Sorry, couldn't resist the pun!  This is a Sarge knife kit.  I had a lot of fun with it and can't wait to do another!

My next project in the works!  That's a number 16 Russel Jennings auger going into some solid walnut.  It really needs a good sharpening!

A Quick Update!

Just a quick update! With school, work and The Suburban Angler blog keeping me busy, I haven't had much time for my saws. I'm still working on them, plus I've gotten a few more and a few more projects. I'm going to try to post here more regularly, so stay tuned! Finished saw pics coming soon!

Vintage Toolboxes

Evening Folks, 

  I took a stroll around the local antique mall this afternoon and happened to find a few vintage toolboxes. I love these things, especially knowing they were purpose built by the craftsmen that needed them to specifically fit the tools he wanted to put in them. I wonder if two pre-industrialization tool boxes ever looked alike. I hope not. I've already blown my antique tool budget for a while, so I wasn't able to adopt one for myself. One of these days I'd like to bring one home. I'll keep sharing pics as I find them, though. 

  Take care, 

       Nick

$5 ebay Saw

Hi Guys!

  It's been a while since I've posted anything, this page of the blog is probably going to get a bit busier here in the near future.  I haven't done many projects because I'm still gathering the tools required for the items I want to build.  Well, with my tight budget and the number of tools I need, I decided to go "old-school".  I've been purchasing old and antique hand tools from the area junk stores and ebay and plan on refurbishing each back to usable condition.  I've always loved antiques and and hand-tools in general, so this is a "best of both worlds" and a "work with what you can" scenario.  That being said, the next few posts are going to be chronicling the steps I take to rehab the beautiful old tools and make them live again.  I am of firm belief that if it was made in the U.S.A before World War II, then it is probably of a higher quality than anything out of China today, and I think they still have a lot of use left in them.  I've never restored much of anything before, so I've been doing a lot of research on the subject.  I'm going to show all of the trial and error that I go through to get these tools back to usable condition, I'm not looking for museum pieces, just usable.

  I'll start off with some "before" pictures of an old Disston D-8 Skewback cross cut saw that I bought off of ebay.  It was advertised as being manufactured in the 1940s.  I really like the shape of the handle (or tote, I believe is the correct term) on this saw, the curves really make it eye catching.  There are some chips and nicks in the tote, but nothing that should keep it from being used, I don't think.  The plan is to disassemble the saw, sand the tote back down to raw wood and reseal it, clean the rust off the blade and polish the screws.  Like I said, it won't be "like-new" or fit for any museum, but it'll be a damn fine looking saw that'll still cut wood after 70 years!  I think that's saying something!

  Enjoy the pictures and check back soon for more!

     Thanks,

         -Nick

Here's my $5 ebay saw as delivered.  The tip of the blade was hanging out of the cardboard when it arrived!

         

Here's a good shot of the Distton Phila Medallion.

The Angler's Workshop

A variation of a 6-pack carrier. 

Hi guys!                                           

  I hope everyone is doing well, had a happy holiday season and you're having a wonderful new year. This is the second of two new pages I've added to The Suburban Angler blog. I call this one The Angler's Workshop and it is where I'll be showcasing my various woodworking projects going forward. Some will be fishing related, some pipe related, but mostly just small woodworking projects as I develop yet another hobby. I hope you enjoy looking and please give critiques and opinions on my work and ideas to make my projects better.

 Thanks so much for looking! 

       -Nick