Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Nov 14, 2007 07:10pm | #1

   Perhaps the caffein hasn't taken hold yet, but what does this have to do with Hand Tools?  Seems like a cafe-appropriate thread to moi.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
1. 
   Toolemera | Nov 14, 2007 10:10pm | #2

   Well, you could say this is a cafe subject. The vast majority of the material in both my blog and website concerns the books and ephemera that surround hand tools. Sometimes it's the tools themselves, sometimes it's the product that the hand tools created. In the end, we can learn more about how to use hand tools by studying how they where used. That's where books and ephemera come into play. Best
   GaryGary Roberts
   Dedham, MA USA
   http://www.toolemera.com
   http://toolemera.blogspot.com/

1. 
   mwenz | Nov 15, 2007 08:48pm | #3

   Hi Gary,

   My getting around the web is slow these days--many thanks for letting us know the latest on the site--saves me from having yet one more bookmark!

   The cards are always interesting to me. Lot's of adzes, axes and the like in a lot of them like in this one. Bet there was a bit of handsawing as well.

   Take care, Mike

1. 
   Toolemera | Nov 15, 2007 09:08pm | #4

   MikeNow there's the thing. At least one guy is holding a saw. But given the size of those timbers and planks, adzes and axes must have been the primary way for hand shaping. At the time of this image (my guess on dates)people did have some major league machinery for cutting and shaping, but this doesn't look like a boat yard that had such stuff. I can imagine ordering material from the sawmill of certain dimensions but still it has to be sized and finished. We don't seem to use axes and adzes now, but sometimes I think that would be a quieter and cleaner way to shape wood! Sorry, no 18th C tenon saws in view in the image.GaryGary Roberts
   Dedham, MA USA
   http://www.toolemera.com
   http://toolemera.blogspot.com/

2. 
   Dockside | Nov 16, 2007 01:13am | #5

   Gary

   I live in Michigan, have been around boats all my life and have no clue what the crew may be building...  BUT I'll bet the man to give you some insight is George Buelher.  Contact through website.

   http://georgebuehler.com/

   Ric

1. 
   Toolemera | Nov 16, 2007 03:21am | #6

   RicThanks for the lead. I'll get in contact with him. So far we have two votes for a Great Lakes coal/ore schooner. But trying to identify a vessel by it's hull is a tough one. Maybe George can help.Best
   GaryGary Roberts
   Dedham, MA USA
   http://www.toolemera.com
   http://toolemera.blogspot.com/

1. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 16, 2007 03:56am | #7

   a Great Lakes coal/ore schooner..I think there are hundreds down at the bottom of the Great lakes..Amazing that the Great Lakes can be rougher that the Oceans at times.. God bless the men lost...

2. 
   Dockside | Nov 17, 2007 12:53am | #8

   I'll be looking forward to hear what you find out.

   Have a great weekend & GO BLUE!

   Ric