Dan, Welcome to the Porch. I am just up the road apiece from you in
Normal or Bloomington-Normal, Il depending upon whose chamber of
commerce is writing the materials! Wow, tools unchanged since 1600?
Now that is a tall order here on the prairie, anything native is going
to be French or a rock! But, be not dismayed my good man, there is
water even in the driest desert, ya' just gotta dig real deep or if
you don't mind mixing metaphors, ya' have to cast a wider net.
I'm not a member, but the MWTCA just met in Decatur, Il recently and
that is not too far afield to go seeking after early technology? It
probably isn't bottom-feeding, but what can I say, supply and demand
is a rough tax master! That I believe is a fall event every year. I
just returned from a triumphant tour of the Spoon River country in
Western Illinois and found enough to warrant the long drive and what
felt like a longer walk! I worked there in "Forgotonia" for many years
and know the deep pools of rust, OK, so they are puddles, but fun.
Should you desire to drown your tool-collecting-woes in a pot of my
most excellent coffee, give me a holler. I'm here most days, except
when I'm not, but I always come back, unless I get lost. I'll even let
you tour Tool Hell, where old tools go to live in high-density format!
Paul in Normal
On Oct 13, 2008, at 4:00 PM, barondevin@c... wrote:
> Hello. My name is Dan Hurst. I'm fifty and married, with three step
> children and one grand daughter.
>
> We all live in Springfield, Illinois, which seems to be a bit light
> on old tools in the flea markets. At least at the ones I've been
> able to find.
>
> I'm part of the "poofy shirt" brigade (SCA), and that might be part
> of my problem findling tools. My preference is for tool that haven't
> changed substantially in form or function since before 1600.
>
> As a result of that and only having been seriously looking for two
> or three years, my collection is pretty meager. Half a dozen wood-
> bodied planes, three metal. A wooden brace and a couple of metal
> ones. One dozuki, a small flush-cut and a straight-handled gent's
> saw. I got a nice set of augur bits in their original box off eb@y,
> and a set of spoon bits from a guy who's probably a member here. A
> bunch of cheap modern chisels, and some socket chisels that need new
> handles.
>
> I've spent years messing about with wood, sacrificing electrons, and
> have only seen the light in recent years about hand tools. During my
> first hand-tools-only project (a Mastermyr-style box), I discovered
> the "zen"-like qualities of OldTools-style woodworking.
>
> I've read all of St. Roy's books (absent the upcoming one), and am
> in the middle of one recommended here (Bealer's "Old Ways of Working
> Wood").
>
> I haven't had much to contribute, but am very happy about finding
> this list. I look forward to reading it every day, both for the
> eloquence of the writers, and the knowledge passed on.
>
> Dan Hurst
> Springfield, IL
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