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107052 "Donald C. Thompson" <don@s...> 2002‑06‑05 Bio: Don Thompson
First I must say that I first discovered the Old Tools list because of
member John Ruth ( a childhood friend) sending me some excerpts of
humorous postings.  I now try to read it as much as possible, given the
heavy volume at times.  I have made use of many URL links and addresses to
help in finding new and old tools and parts.  Thanks to all.

I was born and raised in New York City in 1954, and lived there or in its
environs until I was 22.  Since then I have been in the greater Miami,
Florida area.  I did not have a father present when I was a child, so I
have no tender stories of learning woodworking at my dad's knee (but am
jealous of those who did), but some how learned to saw, cut, drill, etc.
by osmosis (neighbors' dads?  wood shop?).  I was the trouble maker
rounding up the kid gang to make the treehouse *too* high up in the tree,
etc.  My most infamous project was to try to reproduce the ten-kid fire
engine/go-cart that was in a Little Rascal's episode.  We had liberated
three sets of baby carriage undercarriages to make trucks and steering
wheels, when one of the dads caught wind of what we were doing and put a
halt to the project.  The silly fellow was an engineer, and said that it
wouldn't turn or stop.  Did I mention that we lived at the top of a
1/4-mile-long hill?  So much for youth.

Skip forward through twenty-four years...

I got married to a wonderful gal who buys me *TOOLS* (most recently, and
anvil).  Buying a 40-year old house and watching Norm on tv turned me into
a Normite, making furniture and garden furnishings.  I have the usual shop
full of machinery, but used to have the devil of a time making minor
adjustments and fitting of joints, etc.  By means of magazine reading, I
slowly figured out that some of what I was trying to do would be easy with
the right kinds of planes and chisels.  Of course, then I had to learn how
to sharpen them, but that's another story.  While reading about planes,
chisels, etc. on the Old Tool list and on the Badger Pond forum, folks
kept recommending tools no longer made.  I mentioned how someone once said
that "a Stanley #78 is so common that you can find them under rocks around
here."  I repeated this to someone on the list, and pointed out that I
NEVER see this sort of tool in the Miami area, and he sent me a Craftsman
#78!

Well, it's been all down-hill since.  I think I'm still ok, because I only
have *one* each #45, 46, 50, etc.  I still can't find them around here,
but like those in other Tool Hells, I cruise the 'bay and Tony Murland's,
etc.

Lastly, I am pleased to note that this list might be called the Old-
*style* Tool list, in that some folks have (or lust for) and recommend
Clark & Williams, Knight-toolworks and other newly-made versions of fine
hand tools.  Some day many of those may be thought of as fine old tools!



Recent Bios FAQ