WW1 carpenter/wheelwright chest filling

[Steve Webb]

Well I am starting have enough to post and some coming in. A few items I have not looked for and have not gone through my planes yet. This will also be a few restoration working of tools. it will not be a period correct but using my 3 generation of tools in my family stuff I got from other people locally and stuff I am buying will try to do a good job of it. I don't have the patience to research everything and finding scare info on govt numbers plus I think it would be a budget buster if I went down that rabbit hole so that is my take on this.



These items left of the 2' folding rule are in the list Jeff provided.



These items are things I have would have been used in that period and I would have gotten them if I could as a carpenter/wheelwright to use





The chest is 50 lbs so loaded it would be quite the beast. That is a K-38 tool trailer under the tarp for the curious eyes

[17thAirborne]

Nice to see you have a mostly matching set of chisels. I find them difficult to...find!

What maker are they?

Kit is looking great. I need to get back on my sets.

[Steve Webb]

They are Pexto they were my grandfathers. Supposed to be 8 according to the list I know I don't have the 2" listed not sure what other size I am missing. 2 handles are not original. I have had no luck finding handles only. I had cleaned them and sharpened the ends once. Need a little tlc.

[Steve Webb]

I don't know what the filling of the chest is and a few things I can see looking at it. The steel square is on the main lid but inside the inner chest was a wooden piece that was notched I see nothing on the sheet with what would fit. I decided to put my backsaw in there as the slot was same height just too shallow for the rib. I made it deeper with the rasp and took a small piece that was in the handmade saw holder that i won't be using and put in a stop for handle and blade. The other piece on the right had nothing so I made a slot in backside and cut a little shelf/stop for the try square. I like it and I am using some pieces of wood that came with chest s to keep it looking the same. Also cutting and rasping 100 year old wood is pleasant smell. I used the handtools with the set and have found a source of steel wood screws with mindset of keeping it original looking as I can.





Here is source of screws.

https://www.kennedyhardware.com/plain-s ... irection=1

I ordered 8 sizes 25 of each.

[Steve Webb]

I cleaned up my spoke shave and a little of the hollow auger although it is in very good shape. I had to give it a whirl. I was pretty sure and have confirmed this is no good on soft wood. You would not use soft wood on wagons or furniture anyway but grabbed what I had to mess with it. The spoke shave is used to find center of item and it is a cone with a blade that is basically self centering. You put in the brace and clamp piece securely then turn until you have a area that you want the tenon to be. You want a snug fit. If you select the hole on the hollow auger too large it leaves a knob and you can more easily wobble the auger.





I have a pretty good edge but will work it better





You can see how the wood fibers just get ripped up by the blade. But it does find a center pretty well



That is selecting the hole on the auger then adjusting the blade. It was very dull and I got it somewhat sharp but more work on it also. There is an art to adjusting the blade and the soft wood clogged the tool made it very slow to use



This would be the finished product and it has a stop for what height your dowel would be. It also has a flat square edge so fitment into piece would be good and tight. I can see where a good carpenter/ wheelwright would be considered a skilled tradesman

[Steve Webb]

I spent a long time today sharpening the chisels. Did not quite finish them to absolute bevel on the ends. Will see how they cut. 25 degree bevel. Other choice was 30 degree not sure what makes one better than the other.



I did find I am missing a 5/8 and 2 inch chisels. Not going to hunt for a 5/8 may grab a 2 if it pops up.

These are tools I am done with and ready for the chest. The pipe wrench is not on list and the other wrench is called a parrots beak. I would have been used on wagons/buggies/ and wheel work. It was my grandfathers and I know it came from the farm in Freeport Ohio when they moved to Massillon in 1943.

[Steve Webb]

I have finished my ripsaw. I found it was a Disston D-27 during cleaning. I thought it was odd the handle had no horns/ears. It is for tree work nursery and limbing stuff. It is 5 tpi so fits for a ripsaw. I had another handle on a saw so I switched it over. I had to drill 2 holes for the bolts. I tried even though I knew it would not work using regular bits. Did a little checking and carbide tipped drills and colbalt are what will work. I have dozens of tapcon bits from doing electrical so used them 3/16 and drilled holes quickly. A little burr on back side I have a ratty unibit and using cutting fluid just hogged it out. The handle was sanded and coat of linseed oil. I like the color showing age nicely to me. I found a spot in the chest i am sure was where handsaw was stored. I am going to take the other homemade piece and use it to make another piece to hold crosscut saw.

[Rustman]

When I'm home in a couple of weeks I will go through my chisels and see what I have. I have some Pexto (and even older Peck, Stow, Wilcox) that I picked up years ago because I'm a fan of their later sheet metal tools. I might have a loose handle of the type you desire as well. As for the bevel angle. Historically with bench and firmer chisels that are doing heavy work the steeper angle of 25-30 degrees was used (remember honing jigs for precise angles are a new thing) while fine careful paring work where you push, don't strike the chisel the angles are less, maybe down to 20 degrees. You get a sharper but more delicate edge that way.


Matt (user of chisels and other wood butcher tools)

[Steve Webb]

Thanks, I may also have a opportunity to get the use of a lathe. I have wanted to learn but not sure about buying one. A lady whose husband had died had a lot of hardwood planks which down here are not easy to find. She also had a military trailer with a tent set up I was working with a friend to buy but he had other things come up so everything fell through. She had 2 Studabakers a buddy bought from her and I called one of her neighbors to see if she was still in house and what he knew about items. He said the guy who bought the cars also bought the wood. That was nice because if I bought it I was going to see if he could store it for me. I talked a bit about my chest to the neighbor and he said he had a lathe in his workshop so he when he comes down from Ohio for the winter and the other guy comes back from North Carolina I might have wood and a lathe to see about turning a set of handles.

[Steve Webb]

Good progress today. I have places for my rip and crosscut saws done and should have the crosscut handle cleaned up and refinished today. I had a mystery block of wood with a hole in it I took out. Can't figure out what it was for looking at the tool list from Jeff. Anyone who thinks they have an idea pipe up.






As an aside this is a tool I use in my shop a lot probably my favorite item. It is from the early 1900's and other attachment I don't have allowed it to have a grindstone and a horizontal drill with a crank handle for different speeds. I got it from a man's family who passed away that went to our Church. He had 3 daughters and I was doing some electrical work so they could sell the house. He had 3 small metal sheds full of stuff and they had people lined up to haul it away. Said if I saw something I could have it. Did not have time to look it all over and they would not stop for me to do that so I grabbed this. Breaks my heart to think what went to scrapyard.



Here are the holders. The one towards the front was already there so I made other holder for saw using wood from chest. I believe it will stand up but if not just unscrew pieces and repair.







This is a legit period piece. Company was Maple City Stamping Peoria Ill. The history states they made fuel cans and containers for US Army during WW1. I was hoping it would fit in the bottom compartment under the removable box but spout was too tall so I made this little holder for now. Don't know if it will stay but I love that patina on the can. I also have one plane that is correct for the chest 8" and a jack plane a little shorter than the specs but I will use it.

I don't know if I should look for a tool roll for the chisels and auger bits or make holders for them. Wish there was more info but have not found anything to take as gospel.

[Rustman]

The electricians and carpenters engineers tool kits in WW2 had a canvas roll for the chisels and auger bits.

Matt

[Steve Webb]

I would think that would be practical and I may start looking for rolls have to be unmarked to me. I don't think if any WW1 rolls exist I will find them. I had Oz send me a facebook link to another chest like mine. Had some tools on the list and a whole lot more not on it. It also had the block with the hole in same spot so not a fluke. Only thing I can come up with is the handle on the 4" vise listed to go through but why and how the vise had to be stored like that doesn't really make sense either.

[Steve Webb]

Well crosscut saw is done. Not crazy about the handle and I have another one would be closer to correct with smaller finger holes but it has a twisted blade so may swap handle later depends on how this saw cuts.Unmarked Disston



Got my spokeshave cleaned up and chisel pretty sharp, working on my planes next.

[Steve Webb]

Planes are done. All nice and sharp. I have the 8" smooth on the list so ok there. I don't have the 15" jack plane. I have a Stanley Bailey 5 1/2 which is a little shorter so close enough. I also have a Stanley 220 block plane not on list but going anyway. The other plane is supposed to be a 21" jointer plane. If I run across one in person may get it but don't think I am going to order one.



Starting to load chest so planes will go here.



Have to clean up wood on the brace and refinish but that will be all. Only missing 2 items from list

[17thAirborne]

Looking great. I love those Disston saws. Looking forward to seeing the complete filled kit. What an ejoyable "disease" this is. I have it also and love it.