|
|
| Sewing cabinet frame in construction ... |
Challenge: take a dismantled mahogany dining
room table and transform it into a 60 inch long (when fully opened) sewing machine cabinet. My kind of challenge!
The original mid-1950's table was made with beautiful mahogany (only the slides were of another wood),
but its frame design was so weak that it self-destructed over the years. We finally replaced it with an antique mahogany
trestle table, and I decided to recycle the wood into something needed. The final product is shown on Joanne's page
... Joanne's Interests ... and below.
This wasn't the largest project ever done in
this shop, but things do get a tad crowded when working on large projects. A previous refinishing project involving
an eight place dining room set was unpleasantly complicated by the limited space available. Panels everywhere,
and no place to work on the Windsor style chairs to repair their tired joints. Had to be done though.
The table in that set had had a wee problem due to someone trying to "split the wishbone" with the two legs at one
end, and the frame had to be rebuilt to be useful again. Only 40-50 years old, and it was a good, solid
hard rock maple furniture set that needed and went to a good home.
Furniture is one way you can create something
that can last long after you're gone, so I look upon these projects as worthwhile ways to spend my time.
| ... and complete, awaiting attachment of the |
|
|
| folding top, the machine elevator mechanism, and its platform. |
One long term interest has been cars. I originally
went to school with the intent of pursuing a career in automotive design. But, I could read the tea leaves. Finishing a mechanical
engineering degree in the middle of the most widespread layoffs of engineering staff in the history of the American automotive
industry suggested a change in interests and a reselection of courses. That's when I discovered I was really interested
in how engines produced power, and began a career in the energy industry.
Cars are still an interest, but brother Dave
is the active car enthusiast in the family these days. My present involvement, aside from doing much of the fixing of
what we drive, is primarily limited to making shift knobs, shifter grips, and recently, reproduction dashboards. The days
of rallying, autocrosses, volunteer racecourse work and engine pulls are long behind me.
I've made a several dashboards for Dave's
antique Sunbeam Tigers, and now I'm tackling the problem of restoring mahogany & ebony steering wheels for the
Tiger. I've been making wooden shift knobs for about fifteen years, and more recently, some specialty shifter
grips ... the item below shows a set of custom-carved shifter grips in walnut that will fit several early 70's
Dodge & Plymouth musclecar models. I've made a few of these. Most of my shift knobs are more conventional,
and that work has drawn my children into turning several knobs on the lathe as gifts for friends.
|
|
| Efficient layout is crucial in shop space that is small compared to the size of the work tackled |
Click on this text to further explore my little side business activities in shift knobs, saw sharpening, furniture repairs,
and dashboards.
|
I'm adding quite a few saws to
the tool assortment lately. My resharpening skills have improved and I've acquired enough equipment to make the job
much easier than it is in any typical home workshop, so the saw acquisition slope beckons ... I'm moving towards it.
I had to build a new saw till, as there was no room left in the old one, and saws are still taking up space I need for
other things. Into the third dozen, slowly filling in with more specialized saws .....
|
|
| rehabbing a Disston D-12 cabinetmaker's saw |
Joanne thinks I have more tools than I may need,
but you somehow never have everything you need for the next job. A Tool Collector? No, not really. What I buy generally is
for use.
However ... I am looking
for any molding planes or hollows & rounds with all or half of the maker's mark shown below -- "Phoenix Factory
- Warner & Driggs". Given where they were made, it is a 99% probability that Warner's partner, Hiram
B. Driggs, was thought of as a member of the family by my direct ancestors. That Anglicized surname originated just
a few miles down the Connecticut River from the Warner & Driggs 'Phoenix Factory', and had been spoken in the area for
nearly 150 years before Hiram worked to make these tools. Most of the family members had already moved 'out west'
by 1849, but my forebears were still living just down the road from Hiram in his time. I
would be interested in discussing any planes Hiram produced which you might have to offer. I am not looking
at these as "investments" as collectors do, as I don't expect they'll ever be resold if they join the others in my shop. You
can email me at cdinde@verizon.net.
|
|
| Phoenix Factory - Warner & Driggs 1849-53 molding planes |
Have you been thinking that maybe your right-out-of-the-box perfectly stock Stanley #80 could perform a little better? Well,
yes it can. To see how I tuned up the one shown below, just click on this text ....
|
|
| Stanley No. 80, No. 80M & No. 81 cabinetmakers scrapers |
OK, I hear you. This isn't enough. You need a "more tools" fix? To see some of my latest finds and those 'whatsits?' I'm trying
to identify, click on this text ...
|
|
| Squaring ribbon mahogany with a No. 8 |
This page has short descriptions of some of my activities - but click here, and you can find more detail on specfic tool restorations
....
Yes, I try to keep busy. Keeps me out of
trouble. Well, most of the time.
Thanks for stopping by!
Charlie Driggs
|
