and to follow what tom has offered...

On May 7, 2012, at 8:50 AM, Thomas Conroy put, with style and grace:

> It didn't seem like there was much around, and no-one had any big
> gloats to boast about, but at the end of the day we found it had been
> perhaps the most successful run ever; everybody had lots, more than
> would actually fit on the tailgate of Kirk's truck for the usual
> photos. We broke up around 11 or 11:30, with some going off to lunch
> and others heading home.

this is perfectly said. bits and pieces, stops here and there, then
suddenly the front wheels of kirk's truck were up off the ground from
the weight. here's what kirk posted for us:

http://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Woodworking-
Tools/2707230_ZhyWq#!i=1833608867&k=NJL8XqP

> Kirk most noticibly found a hand-cranked grinder with a sturdy, usable
> tool rest, worth the price for the rest alone.

ectually, this was mine. i have slightly longer arms today, to prove it.
it's a milwisus, made in milwaukee, wisconsin, usa (where else?). has a
rest that's pretty worn over the stone (there's a notch where the rest
was cut by the stone), but it also has a built-in rest for doing twist
drill bits. it's smaller than my pike grinders, or the railroad grinders
i've seen, but does have the dual-drive handle (two positions to change
the torque required to get the stone going full speed).

i also picked up a variety pack of small tools, including a pair of
small dykes i'll use in amp repair, a matching pair of starrett inside
and outside calipers, a $10 yankee 2101a 10" brace, two japanese plane
adjusting hammers, one starrett 70a scribe (new in package, and i got
the box after greg and scott? got the other two that were in the box), a
small leather case with five 6" metal rulers, a $1 norton hard arkansas
slip stone, art tatum, kate wolf, and yes albums (the yes is a perfect
pressing mastered by george piros...can't wait to listen!), an el34 and
a 7199 vacuum tube ($2 each!), a nearly perfect stanley 42x sawset
*with* instructions, a couple of nice yankee ratcheting screwdrivers,
and a 3/16" outcannell gouge. however, my best score was a $10 simonds
panel saw, apple handle, crescent moon and star medallion *and* etch,
number 5. there's a tiny bit of a bend in the toe, but otherwise the
sawplate is gorgeous, as is the handle. thanks to greg for letting me
look at it, and then letting me buy it instead of him....

> And in the evening there was the first episode of the new series of
> "Sherlock" to watch. The best Watson ever (maybe the only good one
> ever), Holmes right up there with Rathbone and Cushing, a Mrs. Hudson
> who is an actual character, nu=ot just an animated doorbell, Lestrade
> who knows exactly why he puts up withHolmes without punching him
> ("He's a great man; and, with a great deal of luck, someday he may be
> a good one."). A real red-letter day.

oooh, that sounds like a good watch!

a last thing: as usual, the camaraderie was outstanding, and kirk
tracked us as walking more than 5 miles from 6-11 or so...just about the
right pace for such a packed flea.

best, bill felton, ca

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