My New Aquisitions

The last three weeks I was able to get my hands on some new old tools so I thought I would share with all of you.  I spent the last few weeks working out of my office in Los Angles, which allows me to hit up the big city swap meets on the weekends.  The first weekend, I ran across this beast and for the lowly sum of $20 I purchased a piece of history. Last made in 1917, the #29 Stanley transitional fore plane.

 Second up that weekend was a nice Stanley #25 10" sliding bevel gauge.  I have been looking for something to replace my new hardware store Stanley wing nut style gauge.  I couldn't get it to lock down good enough for my liking, causing me to break off the wing nut wings with pliers.  This wasn't so bad since they always seemed to be in the way anyhow, but needless to say it was time for an upgrade, and for $10 who could say no.

 The following weekend netted Yankee #1530 egg beater drill, again for $10.  I've wanted an egg beater for a while now, mainly for screw pilot holes and the like. 

  

Next up I went to a OSH hardware store and picked up a 1/4" bit for my brace. My brace and bit set was an auction find, and the "bit set" leaves a lot to be desired, most notably the #4. Irwin, new in the package $15.

I thought I had done well.  Went to the "big city" swap meets, got some really good user tools at a reasonable price.  Little did I know that my wife, here in the middle of Red Dirt Oklahoma, at a garage sale, for the princely sum of $1 would come across this and decide to pick it up for me. Here for your tool viewing pleasure, is the Henry Disston D-8.  26" 5 1/2 tpi rip, with the thumb hole.

 

You will notice that, on all of the old tools, I didn't try to keep the patina or the original finish.  I didn't strive to restore them to like new condition.  I'm not a collector, I'm a user.  I strive to restore them back to a condition that they work like when they were new.  This I have achieved.  The plane takes beautiful thick chips, and the D-8 sings through thick rip cuts, just as they were designed.

As always feel free to post any questions or comments in the section below.  You could always contact me on Facebook or Twitter via the links on this page. 
Until next time....