>using hand tools. Equally unfortunate is that I am in Tucson Arizona where
>such tools are both hard to locate and way over-priced.

Brian

Oh man...  I used to live there, up near Marana..   what an Oldtool hole.
No tools, no wood..  and talk about movement problems...  7% humidty most
of the year, but one month with high humidty.   CRACK.

THere is good news for you if you want to move eastwards....  I made that
move and bought an 80 acre bit o' land, and this weekend I walked my woods
again...  I walked up the stream, past the waterfall over the rock ledge
(which is an ice fall now), look at the birch, maple, buckeye, dogwood, hop
hormbeam, oak...   with careful management I can take out all that I'll
ever need and not even need to stress the woods.

Meanwhile, I have occasionally gone to the shops around here...  molding
planes are about 1/2 the price in Tucson, and the wood hasn't shrunk hard
onto the blade and split the cheeks because of drying out...

Mind you, I think I am still a California boy in many ways... but compared
to Tucson Arizona, this place is heaven...  at least, for a woodworker.

Tom