Category: tools

Tool Tote

~ George Crawford ~ 4 Comments

The shoemaker’s tote is essentially done and I had the chance to get a couple photos over lunch.  I will be adding more leather pocketing to hold tools but wanted to wait until I knew where things should be.

Laying out the tools

This is the inside of the side panel.  The tools that I know for certain need to be handy, not rolling around on the bottom of the box.

Test fitting a couple tools.  The strap was cut 1 1/4″ wide and is not as long as it should be.  I am using carpet tacks as I had some laying around.  Note that the inside has been given a coat of boiled linseed oil prior to placing the leather.

The essentials in place.  The bent awl is a little too deep and barely touches the floor of the box.

I used a few pan head screws I had handy.  They work as bumpers.  The box has been oiled at this point with boiled linseed.

And the other side.

If you didn’t see the previous post, this is the plan photo.

Three rectangles, two pentagons, and a handle of choice.

Final dimensions are 14 5/8″ long, 9 1/2″ wide, 10 3/4″ tall.  I wanted to be able to comfortably fit a twelve inch ruler in the bottom.

Tool Museum

~ George Crawford ~ 6 Comments

If you love beautiful tools (if you don’t, you should) there is a remarkable web page devoted to some remarkable historic tools.  I hope to see these in person someday.  I hope  I get to Michigan or find him on the road sometime.  He’s got a pretty amazing paint job on the trailer too.

Click the ship plane to open the museum in a new window.

I really like this drill.  I think I need to make one.

Thank to the Village Carpenter (http://villagecarpenter.blogspot.com/) for having a link to the museum.

Folding Camp Funiture

~ George Crawford ~ 6 Comments

I’ve been making folding camp furniture.  The stools are sometime called “pea-pickers”.  They were somewhat difficult to figure out without a plan but some photos of others and experience making other furniture helped.

finished

They’re not as easy to make as I thought they would be.  The holes must be very precise and dowels tight-fitting.  If everything isn’t square and precisely cut, the stool just doesn’t work.

folded

This is their beauty.  They fold flat and have an integrated handle.  They can be made just about any size and out of any straight lumber.  My first one is made from scraps from around the workshop.  These later ones are from premium pine.

17pieces12holes

Seventeen pieces, twelve holes.  Stick ’em together.  Sit.  Mine are sturdy enough to use as a step stool, with some caution due to the narrow width.

strong-enough

A table of similar construction.  The top is about 22 x 46″.  I made it 2 inches lower than a standard table to fit the stool height.  A combination of pine, poplar, and oak.  Definitely strong enough if it is well-fitting.

More Work Horses

~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

Here are more shaving (work) horses. I wish I had photos of my first horse. I liked it well enough but I made it short to fit cross-ways in a narrow truck. These are some better and later models…

0106

A shiny new horse. Hickory arm and head, poplar cross-stretchers. Adjustable tilt table.

0699

Another new horse. Square head and wider treadle to use easily with either or both feet.

0658

Stopped tillering to take an “action” photo in the old shop.

0321

Another action shot fixing the tiller on someone else’s bow at Winter Count. I wouldn’t normally have a stave leaning on the horse but the photographer insisted. I was just hoping it wouldn’t bean me with a very sharp draw-knife in my hand (hence the rasp).

0053

Not my herd. I liked the simplicity of these made for a class at the Bois d’Arc Rendezvous. You could probably make one of these with nothing but well chosen scraps.

Shaving Horse Plan

~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

Here is an old set of plans I made for myself a long time ago. These are meant for dimensional lumber. This plan is for a short horse. If you are tall or don’t mind the extra length to transport, an extra 6 inches is a good idea. You can see from the other horses that this more of a guideline than an actual recipe.
The hard to figure part is the length of the arm, the head, leg height, and other parts specific to your body and what you generally make. I’ll measure more and put up something better when I can.