An Interesting View on Tools in Action *LINK*

I am reminded of my grandfather's bench

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>My grandfather's bench, which I have kept even though I'm not using it anymore, is an amazingly funky piece: fir 2x12's, all splintery and irregular, held together with giant screws into the end grain of the legs, with one bench stop and a leg vise. Drawers made of fruit crate wood (the young will say, eh? Fruit used to come in crates made of pine or other white wood, 3/8" to 1/2" thick. I know he used fruit crates because he didn't remove the labels).

It humbles me to be reminded of how much can be done on a truly basic bench.

Re: An Interesting View on Tools in Action

David Linnabary

>I've been working out of a company carpenter's chest for years. My dad bought it at military surplus auction in the 50's and used it both as a civilian and later in the service on to the end of his life. I assume it was still stocked with many of the hand tools that I use today when he bought it. His aircraft maint company used to get him to build stuff for them from time to time, mobile mess kitchens, etc. One of their H-19 helecopters would stop by on it's way to Akron and they'd load most of his shop up and go. Later as a civilian teaching A&P he used those tools to make wooden parts for various aircraft restoration projects. I really have to thank this group for encouraging me to get them back in shape and use them in a way that would have made him proud.

David

Cool!

Mike L

>

WOW Planing in

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>A full dress uniform. How uncomfortable. Probably a posed photo...

I don't know, Scott

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Let's remember how heavy and complex the battle uniform was in those days, or, for that matter, how much the New York Police uniform resembled the uniform in the picture until very, very recently. In both cases, a good deal of the work was even more sweat-inducing (and more life-threatening) than reducing a rough-sawn plank to smooth, square, and flat.

On the other hand, you may be right - there's nothing visible to keep the board from scooting across the bench under the pressure of planing. He's also holding that jack plane rather casually.

Re: WOW Planing in

George Makowski

>Scott, It is certainly posed, but the cpl. is not in dress uniform and he is holding his plane exactly the way he would be if interupted at the end of a stroke. Also note the shavings stuck to his tunic. There is a stop on the bench somwhere, doubtless, but it may only be a nail or screw in the top of the bench, as was common, and be hidden by the shavings.

My guess is a semi-posed image of a soldier actually at the work he did with the tools he used.

George in AL

Re: WOW Planing in

Ernie Miller Topeka

>It is definatly not a dress uniform if you look closly under his left arm what looks like at first glance as a shaving is actualy white cloth that is visable where the uniform was tore and mended you can se the stiching where a patch was places under the tear and sewn back to make it wearable. I would call it semi posed. Great picture.

WOW... Dick Tracey's &

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Sherlock Holmes abound. Guess I need my eyes checked, or just quit sitting here staring at the freaking monitor all day long. Scott should have been a gardener...