Tools, again.

Various tool drawers and holders. Bottom, foreground is a drawer of hand tools; pliers, nippers cutters, adjustable wrenches and a lot of different screw drivers. Bottom, background is the drawer for measuring and marking tools, including moisture meters, ohm meters, tape measures, squares and small rulers. I have both 4 inch and twelve inch Starrett adjustable squares. Expensive, but accurate. Above those 2 drawers is the drawer for the most used carving chisels. I am very minimalist about carving tools, owning and using only a few dozen. Some carvers own and use hundreds. Various brands, Sculpture House, Henry Taylor, Who Knows, and of late, my brand of choice, the Swiss made Pfeil tools, available in the states from Woodcraft Supply. Well designed tools, octagonal handles so they don't roll, and good steel that comes polished and sharpened and holds an edge. The drawer just above the carving tools has small saws, larger files and rasps, carving tools that seldom get used, and odds and ends, including a supply of ear plugs. Brand of choice: Mack's shooters ear plugs, with the highest rating of any of the small foam type plugs, 32 dcb. They also compress nicely allowing them to be inserted easily. Attached to the wall is a small rack for small files, rifflers and rasps. On top of the carving tool chest is a small group of hand planes that see the most use. In the cabinet below the two red drawers are power hand tools, sanders, grinders routers, etc. I occasionally use a router. Mine is a Porter Cable with interchangeable bases; standard and a plunge base. It also is set up to rout circles. See here.

Tools and gadgets.

The big frame wrapped and ready for transport. Glad it's done and out.

For a long time I've carried a small flashlight in one or the other pocket, though I dislike carrying a lot in my pockets. At the top are two incandescent Maglite Solitaires. The problem with them is they throw very little light, and are finicky. Difficult to keep working. With the advent of LED lights, about a year and a half ago I went to a Fenix EO5, the light in the middle. Very bright, and efficient use of batteries, but it has succumbed to blunt force trauma; dropped once too many times. Now Maglite is making the Solitaire in an LED version. Brighter than the Fenix, and has the Maglite focusing ability, though somewhat limited. It now hangs from a Nite Ize S-biner; a double gated carabiner that doesn't pinch and poke like single gated carabiners, hooked to a belt loop.

 Other tools that I carry. That chunky thing is a Swiss+Tech keyring tool, stainless steel, with very functional, though diminutive selection of tools. Then my Case Mini-Copperhead with a wharncliffe blade. The problem with the Swiss+Tech is it makes for a heavy keyring, so I'm upgrading by going heavier. 8-)

 A Leatherman Skeletool CX.

 The blade can be opened one-handed, and closed by depressing the blade lock (arrow), and carefully pushing the blade closed. In the million or so reviews and videos on line, depressing the blade lock is never mentioned. The next image shows the lock button (arrow) for the bits, which are interchangeable. A nice feature. The design of this tool has evolved since introduction, with the bit lock added and blade going from half serrated to full straight. Early models had a tendency to lose bits.

A minimalist multi-tool, and though I gain in weight 1.4 ounces, it's more comfortable as I can clip the Skeletool to my belt. Also, a tool that is easier to use than the knife and keyring tool combined.

These tools are not for heavy use; quick fixes when a single purpose tool isn't at hand. Generally I find single purpose tools more efficient and more capable, but sometimes they are far away, and this tool is attached to me.

The Case knife won't be retired; it will be my "dressed up" carry tool, and though this post is about EDC (every day carry) tools, I don't think I'm going to be blathering on about EDC more than this post. (I didn't realize there is a whole culture of EDC folks out there).

Reason for slow posting

93 1/2  x  69 1/2  x  3" frame in the center of my main workroom. Plastic film has been pinned up to keep overspray off of tools, etc. I'm using my table saw, sans blade, etc. as one bench, and my actual bench at the other end, both covered in drop cloths. The outer frame has been blocked up to separate the inner from it, and to keep it from sticking to the cloths. My exhaust fan has done a very good job of pulling the overspray out. Large frames are not only larger, but add  some very real logistical difficulties.

I also usually tell myself when doing a large frame, sometime in the process, that I'm not going to do it again. I, of course forget that when I'm presented with another challenge. 8-)

Click on the Lincoln frames label at the right to see some other large frames.

Dome and Statue

Another view , from the side of the Administration building, NDU. There is an alumni fund for the express purpose of gilding the dome and statue.

Yesterday, May 4th. was also the starting stage of the Giro d'Italia. 8-)

Star Wars Day

Let's see, May the fourth, ... May the forth be with you. Kent State Massacre, 1970, Four dead in Ohio. Oh, ... and there is a horse race in Kentucky. Lot's of other things happened on the fourth, but the four dead still reverberates for me, being an unreconstructed hippie, commie, pinko, longhaired, draft dodging, anarchist at heart. Actually, though, I didn't "dodge" the draft. Some time .....

And now, somewhat back on topic, a picture from a few weeks ago of the administration building, back side,  of The University of Notre Dame, gilt at the top.