improvised tools

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chris
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improvised tools

Post by chris »

Share your ideas on improvised tools and equipment...

To start it off here are some cramps I use:
1 is for cramping or holding a centreboard case in situ. Made from threaded studding, slips through the case slot.
2. Wedges, 1001 uses. Can even make a 14' sash cramp: long wooden batten with a block screwed either end and use a wedge for the final tightening.
3. I made about 40 of these when I made a lapstrake rowing boat. they are cut from cheap 9mm ply and go over the two plywood planks and wedges add the pressure. Better than G cramps for that job as they are very quick and very light.
Other things shown include homemade carpenters cramp (I made 30 30 years ago and are the ones I use all the time rather than G cramps).
Masking tape - holds things surprisingly well.
Car inner tubes sliced up.
Bulldog clips and clothes pegs
And something I didn't show and the simlest of all. Strips of wood. Spring them from the ceiling to glue the deck down. Or spring them fro the thwart to hold a floor tread down.
Other suggestions may include weights (bricks, tool boxes fire extinguishers etc)
webbing straps.
clamps.JPG
chris
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Re: improvised tools

Post by chris »

And some other odds and sods:

1 broken surform blade. perfect for cleaning off dribbles of epoxy the next morning before it has gone too hard. as its flexible it gets into all sorts of spaces. (dont cut your hand though)
2 broken hacksaw blades. many uses. cleaning out old cascamite from joints etc. The next little piece is from an old blade but ground with a hook in it and has a very sophisticated handle (insulation tape) but this is even better for hooking out old glue from cracks.
3 Old pastry spatular cut shorter, old knives etc ideal for opening up dodgy joints in wooden masts etc. slip the knife i and then tap it along with hammer.
4 Scratch stock. Easy to make if you need an short bit of moulding or even a rebate in an awkward place.
Special planes - make your own or buy an old moulding plane in a junk shop and adapt it.
cutters.JPG
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Mungo
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Re: improvised tools

Post by Mungo »

I have very little imagination and the only improvised tool I use is... string. Can do almost anything with string and a stick to wind it around. I need a lesson in using wedges, I can never get them to hold.

Going to hijack this a bit...

Do folks buy used tools? Planes etc. Here in Canada a simple Stanley 9 1/2 plane is now selling for ~$100 for anything pre 1960. Something like a 60 1/2, a #18 or a #53 spokeshave are simply beyond reach. I am looking at these two (record 09 1/2 and stanley #53) and they are cheap compared to others ($100) but the plane is likely 80's (quality?) and the spoke shave mouth is askew (it is adjustable but are the springs broken? or is the blade pushing it out).
request 002.JPG
Are older block planes worth it outside of the romance of old tools? Places like woodcraft here sell some chinese planes that have received very strong reviews for $80 http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/208030 ... Mouth.aspx. A simpleveritas block plane can be had for $85 http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... 89&p=46791. Both cheaper than a 15 year old stanley 9 1/2, about 1/2 the price of a 60 1/2.
It's pretty frustrating looking for simple basic tools that cost almost as much as new Veritas and Lie Nielson tools that I assume are far superior. I suspect driven by the collector trade but it makes getting a basic set of tools cheap almost impossible. Is there a better market on the other side of the pond?
mole
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Re: improvised tools

Post by mole »

Hi
Recently purchased a whole box of tools, but mainly pre 1960's, for £15 (23 dollars) at a local auction room. Got to be honest I was more interested in the mahogany case they came in :)
They all need a sharpen/adjust/oiling but all chisels are wooden and some box planes with various forms/profiles. Just nice to handle quality items not sure if I will use many of them.
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Ed
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Re: improvised tools

Post by Ed »

There is still the same collectors market here.....selling some tools for vast amounts.

But there are possibly more tools that come up for sale, totally outside that market and often for a good price.

Either at auctions....or even at the dump, after being thrown away.

one of my best planes is a looooooong 2in jack plane. Not too heavy and really useful for trimming when decking...I bought it for 50p at the dump, all rusted up, but cleaned up in remarkably little time.

quite a find that!

cheers

eib
Ed Bremner
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chris
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Re: improvised tools

Post by chris »

There are still a few junk shops around that have tools. I've bought several tools from one in Frome that does shed clearances. As Ed says you will have to restore them a bit - regrinding blades etc. But old good quality tools will be much better than cheap new ones. Our local auction nearly always has a box full of old tools (might only have a couple of useful items in a box full of rubbish.
There are usually second hand tools at the Beaulieu Boat Jumble. Last time I went there were two main stalls. One with a lot of very interesting tools but expensive, one with a few hidden between boat stuff but quite reasonable.
For a good range of new tools I would suggest www.axminster.co.uk is worth looking at (very good postal service too.) For instance I've just looked up 'Block Plane' They have about 20 to choose from and the price ranges from £17.70 to £280. Their own brand which are the cheaper ones are pretty good. The Steel for the blade may not be quite as good as the more espensive ones but if you can buy a better blade that would be the best of both worlds.
There used to be a couple of good stalls in an antique market in Bath in the old bus depot in Walcot street which was my favourite place but that's gone and been developed and I don't think the market has survived now. I dare say car boot sales a worth looking too.

http://www.bristol-design.co.uk/ is a great second hand tool shop but I've just checked out their website which doesn't tell you much and as I haven't been there for a few years I'm not certain if the shop is still around.
www.pennyfarthingtools.co.uk/ is another great place to brouse in Salisbury. They specialise in certain crafts too eg watchmaking to thatching.
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Ed
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Re: improvised tools

Post by Ed »

Bought a couple of very nice planes from Bristol-Design....

both american as it goes....

pricing there is not cheap....but not un-reasonably so

eib
Ed Bremner
CVRDA


Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
chris
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Re: improvised tools

Post by chris »

Just found another local second hand shop with boxes of old tools. The tools are not 'cleaned up' So need a bit of work. Chisels under a fiver, and there is a Record smoothing plane for £15 which has some surface rust but the 'sharpen before use' label is still on the side of it suggesting it's never been used. I'm tempted by a curious saw, which has a short stiff blade on the end of a long shaft and then the handle - like a stretched out keyhole saw but 2-3ft long. Could be just the thing for reaching the parts that other saw can't reach.
Pat
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Re: improvised tools

Post by Pat »

Pennyfarthing tools has closed down in Salisbury and moved to Wantage - Sandy had some things from there but thought they were a bit expensive.
Which is the one in Frome Chris?
chris
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Re: improvised tools

Post by chris »

One place is half way up Catherine Hill, the other is oposite Christchurch on Christchurch street. They don't have a great deal of tools but worth a look from time to time.
Garry R
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Re: improvised tools

Post by Garry R »

May I suggest that one of the best improvised tools is ebay!! Thinking that I might need some oxalic acid (for the bees actually - anti varroa agent) and given the warnings about it being a poison etc etc I went onto the ebay site with little hope but there were loads of adverts there including a reference to wood bleaching and at very low cost. Thought this may be of interest in this, the season of restoration rather than sailing!!
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