W/NW: Tools

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My grandfather's tack hammer, with a magnetized nail pull.
GR macro
 
I think I've posted this one before, but it fits here.

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Leica M5, 1970's Summicron 50, HP5+, HC-110, Canon flatbed scan of neg.
 
John, I very much admire that style of artwork, and flattered this picture reminds you that. You could complain that my pictures of common things are too "arranged", but that's what I enjoy doing.
Thanks for the compliment. I am glad to be in such good company in this thread.
 
Swift1 said:
Before photography, and before ALS, my life was my work and my work was carpentry, or more specifically, timber framing.
After nearly 8 eight years doing conventional, modern stick framing, I realized that I hated my work. It was all about quantity and speed, and not really about quality and craftsmanship. I had decided to quit and start looking for another career. Then I found timber framing.
Timber framing, or timberframing, combined my love of building with my pursuit of creativity, it opened by eyes to a whole new world of woodwoorking and craftsmanship, it gave me something I could be proud of when I went, most of all it help me see who I was and what I wanted to be.
Timberframing also introduced me to traditional western and Japanese hand tools. For years, I collected and restored old beat up woodworking tools. Sometimes I splurged and bought new tools, and some I was given as gifts. Nearly ever tool in this photo is a tool I cherished and used quite often, and nearly every one of them is ready to go to work tomorrow.
Barely 7 years after I cut my first mortise, I was diagnosed with ALS and within a year and a half I could barely lift a hammer. Over the last 5 years I have had to let go of many things, but I still can't let go of these tools.
Daiku San is the Japanese title for carpenter, and regardless of whether I was or not, it is/was what I aspired to be.

To see some of what these tools have done, please visit my company website,
<a href="http://www.swiftsuretimber.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.swiftsuretimber.com/</a>


Remnants of a Past Life par Daiku San, on ipernity​
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A poignant story with a profound message. Life is too precious to waste doing what you hate. Follow your passion. Thank you for sharing, and best wishes.
 
FrankS said:
A poignant story with a profound message. Life is too precious to waste doing what you hate. Follow your passion. Thank you for sharing, and best wishes.
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+1
And you must visit the Swiftsure website (see Swift1/Colton's link way above here) to see some exceptional craftsmanship.
 
Swift1--per Dave's suggestion, I took a look at your website. Wow! Some spectacular work. I particularly liked the Greene and Greene interpretation. Those brothers sure built some wonderful houses and furniture. Thanks for the look..
Paul
 
FrankS said:
A poignant story with a profound message. Life is too precious to waste doing what you hate. Follow your passion. Thank you for sharing, and best wishes.
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daveleo said:
+1
And you must visit the Swiftsure website (see Swift1/Colton's link way above here) to see some exceptional craftsmanship.
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Paulbe said:
Swift1--per Dave's suggestion, I took a look at your website. Wow! Some spectacular work. I particularly liked the Greene and Greene interpretation. Those brothers sure built some wonderful houses and furniture. Thanks for the look..
Paul
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Thanks everyone :)
I do love photography, but I'd trade it in an instant to be able to timberframe/build again.


Who can guess what this is? It's not really a good photo, but it's a tool.

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FrankS said:
It's a mortise maker/plunger.
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daveleo said:
A hand-operated timber drill that can go in at various angles ?
"Power by Armstrong" :D
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You're both pretty much right. The most common name fir it is a Boring Machine. It was used by timber framers circa 1895 for drilling out large mortises, typically on timber framed barns. Another name is a Barn Beam Boring Machine.

That particular one was very rough and rusty when I bought it. I took it apart completely and restored it nearly back to 100% operational condition. For rust removal, I used electrolysis, which is a pretty amazing process that will only remove oxidized metal and it won't harm the good metal at all.
 
Earlier in my life I built a passive solar heated house for myself on my dad's farm. I felled Ash and Elm trees and had the trunks milled into posts and beams. For the smaller floor joists, I cut down poplar trees and squared the trunks myself with a chainsaw jig. The walls and floor were masonry for thermal mass with exterior insulation.

I'm afraid my joinery was crude and no where near as exquisite as what you did.
 
FrankS said:
Earlier in my life I built a passive solar heated house for myself on my dad's farm. I felled Ash and Elm trees and had the trunks milled into posts and beams. For the smaller floor joists, I cut down poplar trees and squared the trunks myself with a chainsaw jig. The walls and floor were masonry for thermal mass with exterior insulation.

I'm afraid my joinery was crude and no where near as exquisite as what you did.
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I bet you had lots of, learned something, and made something cool. In the end that's what counts.
 
j.scooter said:
Thanks Swift1
This was taken at the oldest working water powered mill in Ontario. Aside from making flour, they have a woodworking shop in which they do not use any modern tools.

True to form, they do not have a website :)
But I found an online feature on them from 2009
http://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/3465494-tyrone-is-still-milling-after-all-these-years/
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Wow, looks like a cool place. There is an old water powered flour mill about 20 minutes drive from me. It's still in operation and was built in 1872.
 
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