OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

67483 Peake Frederick T Civ 38 EIG/EICG <frederick.peake@t...> 1999‑09‑02 Bio and Question
 I have been lurking under the porch for several months now so I thought I'd
post a bio.  I've been a woodworker for several years, and I appreciate the
great advice and discussions on the porch.  It has really helped improve my
basic technique.  My workshop is a workmutt in the garage.  My two biggest
inspirations have been the works of Roy Underhill and Toshiro Odate (some of
you galoots may remember one of Roy's shows from a few years back where he
had Toshiro as his quest).  Unfortunately my local PBS does not carry his
show any more.
  I built a Japanese style tool chest, out of oak, a few years back and have
been slowly filling it with all those wonderful Japanese tools I love to use
(never collect).  I have a set of Japanese chisels, hammers, several saws,
marking gauges, square, inkpot, waterstones, and an assortment of 25
Japanese woodies.
   My western tools consist of a #4, #5, #7, #45, #82, #110 and a couple of
dogmeat #9 1/2s.  This is rounded out with a couple of Diston saws, Bell
Systems brace and some bits, a couple of drawknives, a froe, a broadax and a
felling axe.  Last year I built a springpole lathe from one of Roy's designs
and have done a couple of small turning projects.
  I have a very understanding SWMBO and two GITs.  Just scored a very cool
old hand crank scrollsaw for the littlest GIT's birthday last week, and look
forward to spending some time with him on a birdfeeder project.
  In the real world I'm an Electronics Engineer working for the Air Force.
I have a temporary duty assignment this month to Mildenhall and Lakenheath
in the UK for 3 weeks.  I've found a couple of lists on line of old tool
haunts in the UK, but would appreciate any further assistance any of you
could provide.  I read so many posts extolling the virtues of the Norris
infill, I am considering looking for one.  However, I get very good results
with the Japanese smoothers I now have, so I may look for something else.
Any advice?
   By the way, there are poor quality thick bladed smoothers out there.  I
picked up one in Korea a few years back that had a very thick laminated
iron, but was very poorly ground.  The body must have been worked green
because after several months of sitting in the box at home, it shrank around
the iron so badly that it developed splits.  After I reground and refitted
the iron and trued the sole it made beautiful curlies.  So the thick iron
must really make a difference, because thickness was the only thing this
smoother had going for it.

Fred Peake
Looking forward to some relief from the heat in Oklahoma



Recent Bios FAQ