Kenneth Stagg wrote:

> Just a friendly reminder since we are seeing so many new "faces": please be
sure
> to send an introductory message about yourself.

> The bio's are archived by Russ Allen at
> http://www.mcs.net/~rallen/oldtools/html/galoots.html

I thought I would take a look at the BIO list and I find mine isn't
listed there... ??  I sent one back in '96 sometime, in any case here
goes again, time to update it in any case..

My name is David Grabill, I'm 61yrs. young and I've been dabbling in
wood working ever since I got married back in '59.. I'm presently retired
after working in a computer environment since '64, here in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada..

My interest in OLD TOOLS started when I inherited an old tool chest that
had belonged to my grandfather (it wasn't his chest, as he didn't do
woodwork), where it originally came from I don't know. However, the
chest came full of tools which mostly all belonged to one father and son
family.. Identifying these old tools was quite difficult until I came
across the early 'Old Tool' discussions on rec.woodworking. I quickly
purchased some reprinted catalogs, Walter's price list and many other
books as recommended on the list. I've joined the 'Tool Group of Canada'
and the 'MWTCA', both groups have helped me to learn more about Tools
and how to use them..

I made a pine bed (no metal) for my youngest lad in '72 and it's still
being used today.. A desk for the older boy about the same time and
several shelves, bookcases, etc. since then. The last couple of years
I've been making old tools just for fun... hand clamps, scratch awls,
bow-saws, centre finders, depth gauges.. etc.

Currently I'm making a small, mahogany veneered tool box to house a #143
plough plane, in order to keep all the parts together. I hope to have the
parts fitted so that can't bash one another. It's being built very
similar to the "Lord" box on page 44 in Mike Dunbar's book on Federal
Furniture.

I hope to get started this winter on the long delayed building of a new
work bench. I plan to base it on a smaller version of the Hancock bench
as pictured on the cover of the 'Work Bench Book', not unlike the one
that's shown on page 43 of the same book. I don't know about the rest of
you, but I've bent down and searched in saw dust under the current bench,
for some small item that's dropped and rolled under there, once too often
not to want an enclosed base this time around..
I had been wondering where I could get a wooden bench screw for the leg
vice until I saw an unfinished stool with an adjustable seat (like a
piano stool) in an 'Ikea' store. Bought the stool and dismantled it for
the screw and nut(s) and now have a 1-3/4" bench screw..
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 Dave Grabill, Toronto, Canada - Trains, Planes, Boats & Old Tools
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