Greetings galoots,
I am from Michigan but have lived for the last 20+ years in Miami, Fl. I
come
to old tools from an art background. I have a BFA and have always drawn,
painted, and tried various crafts. I became very interested in woodworking sever
al years ago, after Hurricane Andrew, when piles of wood literally lined the str
eets. I started making some small wooden sculptures and really enjoyed the
sawing and filing with the few tools I had. This led to more of an interest
in “real”
woodworking and of course tools. From lack of space and interest I don’t have
any large power tools. I’m learning by just reading and doing. I have a basic
pine
bench and newly built shelves in the back of my garage, which my daughter
calls
my little workshop. It is that.
Old tools, as well as good new hand tools are are almost non existent down
here
in Miami. I try to think of that as a challenge and and have found a couple of
user items, but I mostly buy through the mail. My very small but slowly growi
ng “collection” consists of a few benches, blocks, etc. like most people first a
cquire. By coincidence my first few old tools happened to be sweethearts, so now
if I see the letters SW of a list I stop and take notice. Only time will tell w
here this will lead.
My husband does not share in my interest of tools. He’s from England and
ironically his father was a carpenter. He remembers him having many old wooden
planes, but they are long gone. I have a teenage son, and a daughter, 11. S
he shows some interest in woodworking and enjoys making a
few shavings. When not using, cleaning, or reading about old tools I do
bookkeeping for a small business I have an interest in, fix things around the ho
use, lurk in bookstores, garden, pet the cats, and do all the
other stuff that SWMBO’s do. I can even cook, but only occasionally as money
for old tools has to come from somewhere. Hey, there are priorities, right?
I’ve enjoyed the list and its many related sites. You have all been very
informative as well as entertaining.
Janet Fisher JF1616@ aol.com
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