Purfler
16th March 2010, 07:33 PM
G'day all,
I joined the forum mainly because I have developed an interest in old tools - a subject of some mirth and amusement amongst some of my family and colleagues at work. I have always liked making things, but I'm a classic case of someone whose grasp exceeds his reach. This has never sopped me. My interest in old tools comes via violin making - something I owe to Harry Vatiliotis (if you don't know who Harry is google him). Harry put back together an old violin (1783 old) played for a while by my oldest daughter. Both my daughters play violin to a more than reasonable standard. My youngest's current violin is the example of Harry's work in Alan Coggin's recent book Violin and Bow Makers of Australia (http://www.abcviolins.com/book.html) (again, buy a copy if you are interested in instrument making - it is a bargain in violin books). Anyway, having got the bug from Harry I needed tools. Planes are briefly important in violin making. I started looking around and found old ones at markets (not the tiny violin making type - they are new), my father-in-law was trained as a carpenter and joiner in the dockyards in Malta and knows about such things. I bought a few, it spread to chisels and gouges - having discovered cast steel (and more recently Damasus steel Japanese knives - but that's another story). I decided to concentrate on Australian tools - despite buying things when travelling. I have lost count of how many planes I now have (50+?).
So, to stop rambling, old tools and old violins fascinate me but the real challenge is to make a good new fiddle.
Regards,
Tim
I joined the forum mainly because I have developed an interest in old tools - a subject of some mirth and amusement amongst some of my family and colleagues at work. I have always liked making things, but I'm a classic case of someone whose grasp exceeds his reach. This has never sopped me. My interest in old tools comes via violin making - something I owe to Harry Vatiliotis (if you don't know who Harry is google him). Harry put back together an old violin (1783 old) played for a while by my oldest daughter. Both my daughters play violin to a more than reasonable standard. My youngest's current violin is the example of Harry's work in Alan Coggin's recent book Violin and Bow Makers of Australia (http://www.abcviolins.com/book.html) (again, buy a copy if you are interested in instrument making - it is a bargain in violin books). Anyway, having got the bug from Harry I needed tools. Planes are briefly important in violin making. I started looking around and found old ones at markets (not the tiny violin making type - they are new), my father-in-law was trained as a carpenter and joiner in the dockyards in Malta and knows about such things. I bought a few, it spread to chisels and gouges - having discovered cast steel (and more recently Damasus steel Japanese knives - but that's another story). I decided to concentrate on Australian tools - despite buying things when travelling. I have lost count of how many planes I now have (50+?).
So, to stop rambling, old tools and old violins fascinate me but the real challenge is to make a good new fiddle.
Regards,
Tim