Opened the box; or what I did on my holidays...

[Alf]

Right then, as promised, The Toolchest. Strictly "as is" pics here, although if you go here you can see what I was doing all through Sunday and Monday... :roll: A few more pics not on the web page:

The Chest.

Interior.

Box full of gauges and about 25 moulding planes - including skew hollows and rounds (rubs hands together Arkwright fashion :wink: )

Some of the lose stuff (see that lovely bevel gauge in the middle? Nice.)

Wooden bench planes etc.

Just about the best bit of all these tools is that they are nearly all ready to use; sharp and largely rust-free. The only exceptions being the metal planes, which all appear to have been stored at the bottom of Mounts Bay. :? The worst bit? The 40-odd very steep, very uneven steps up to the cottage where the guy was selling the chest. Lovely view, but somehow this is no compensation after the third or fourth trip up and down them. :shock:

I'm pretty sure the tool gods were determined that I should have this; not only did I have the funds to afford it but the ad for it was supposed to go in the paper the week before - when I was due to be in Somerset pillaging the rust haunts there (and spending said funds). Serendipitous eh? To top it all, exactly 2 years ago to the day I didn't follow up on a similar ad in Mousehole (just next door to Newlyn) and about a month later, by ill-chance, met the dealer who did. Needless to say it was a mistake not to go... This makes up for it though. Yep, all those sacrifices of burning moulders at Stonehenge pays off in the end. :wink:

Hope I haven't bored you all to tears. 8)

Cheers, Alf

 

[Aragorn]

Fantastic collection Alf! That'll keep you busy.
As for what you were cleaning up over the weekend - it's beautiful!! Some sort of screwdriver, is it?? :wink:

Aragorn

 

[chiba]

Fantastic collection Alf! My missus wants to know what "barsteward" means in Japanese.

 

[Philly]

Alf,
What can I say? A tremendous find! I am sooo envious :twisted:
Come on then, twist the knife a little harder- How much?
yours tearfully,
Philly :wink:

 

[Alf]

Some sort of screwdriver, is it?? :wink:

Close enough :wink:

My missus wants to know what "barsteward" means in Japanese.

Ricewine-san? :?

Come on then, twist the knife a little harder- How much?

Would I do that? Actually no, I wouldn't, 'cos it isn't that gloatable to be honest. Fair market price I think. Certainly not a patch on the 50 quid's worth I got from the patternmaker last year (but perhaps I never mentioned that one...? :wink: )

Thanks for all the envy folks; makes it all worth while :wink: (Kidding! Just kidding! :lol: )

Cheers, Rustfinger

 

[DaveL]

Well done Alf, that explains the plane in to soak comment :lol:

So when do you start building the boat :?: :twisted:

 

[Chris Knight]

Alf,

Congratulations on the great find - and virtually next door too! That little lot should keep you busy for a while.

Don't forget we want piccies of the shavings from your #46!

 

[dedee]

Great find, well done. I hope the tools will get some use.

My own workworking exploits will have to take a back seat. Twin girls arrived 27th March - 10 weeks early. Will be another 3-4 weeks before we get them home so in the time available I might just get some name plates made for the bedroom door. Deliberately choose short names (Emma & Claire) so I might just have time.

AndyP

 

[trevtheturner]

Fantastic collection, Alf. Look forward to hearing more about them in due course - any info. on their history?

I would never deign to enquire as to how much you paid - but if somebody else should wheedle it out of you...................... :wink:

I have a similar chest in my loft. Well, it looks the same from the outside :roll: It is full mainly of old wooden planes, plus some other bit & pieces, and a very well worn mallet which reveals on the handle, when the head is removed, written in pencil 'new head fitted 1923'! The whole lot is probably not worth a lot as it seems to be perhaps run-of-the-mill stuff of its day. The box full cost me a fiver about 20 years ago.

Enjoy your playing (sorry - planing) :wink:

AndyP - Congrats. on the twins. Sensible reasoning for choice of names. :wink: Now your tools budget will take a dive

Trev.

 

[Pete W]

Okay - ignore my post in the other thread :roll: - trying to catch me out, eh?

Anyway, congrats Alf - a fantastic find. And if you should now be in possession of many duplicates, remember your friends, hmm? .

And AndyP - congrats to you, too. Although, as a father of three meself, I'd rather be in Alf's shoes

 

[Alf]

Andy, Congrats! 10 weeks early though. :shock: I bet that was a worry, and you'll be glad to get them home. Better start looking for suitably sized tools ready for when they're a bit older.

Trev, sounds like you did lots better than me. Nice to have a date on at least one of the tools isn't it? So far I'm hving to guess a rough time span mainly based on the Stanley types.

Pete, still a little laid back from the Carribean eh? Lucky blighter.

Dave, I've often fancied the idea of building boats as it happens. I reckon I'd have a good marketing ploy too; I can't swim, so if I trusted myself to my own boat I must be pretty confident in the joints! :lol:

Chris, you've got to stop issuing these challenges! :wink: I know, not spectacular, but it is against the grain.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Chris Knight]

Alf,
If I was as skew as yew, I could do that tew!

An excellent demo of why this was better than the 45.

 

[Alf]

Another poet, and he know it. :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

congrats Alf and AndyP too.

You've both done marvelously

 

[Steve]

My word - what a find!
Alf - PLEASE let us know how much you paid for it!
After all - market guide and all that! Were any of us to stumble across a happy find such as that, how would we know what to offer/haggle over?
Personally - I wouldn't have a clue. I'd be so besotted with the possibilities, I'd put meself in hock.
So go on Alf - spill them there beans!

AndyP - congratulations!
I have a little advice for you - which is to turn the situation to your advantage. Make something small but really nice (a little blanket box or a keepsake chest with name etc) - eg something that SWMBO will love to bits. That opens the door to the workshop. You'll be making baby/kiddies stuff a lot, but as long as you're making something, it doesn't really matter!
(It worked for me. Up to a point, anyway. :wink: )

Steve

 

[Signal]

Great Googly Moogly Alf thats superb

So just how many planes does that make now in your
collec..., er no better not say the C word might get a
battle pastie up the noggin


Great find, well done