Welcome to the World of OldToolUser
OldToolUser is a retired Mechnaical Engineer with over 45 years experience mainly working on predictive diagnostics and condition monitoring of rotating equipment and real-time fatigue analysis of drilling equipment. Here I share my experiences with my hobbies of woodworking and ham radio.
The purpose of this site is to provide a means to share experiences with ham radio adventures and my observations of antique tools based on my collection of same and also share observations made during the course of building various woodworking projects given herein. All information provided on this site is for educational and research purposes and my be considered as my personal notes on the tools I have or wish to have. Comparison of existing type studies, catalog reprints, patent drawings and text, and the authors collection of antique tools is undertaken herein. This comparison is pursued with the intent of bringing each tool to life via samples the author has acquired which typically range in both tool size and age or "type".
Ham Radio Stuff
KE5YKR Info
I have always had an interest in electronics. When I was around 10 years old I had setup an electronic bench on a low self in my closet where I would experiment with transistors. Made one transistors AM radios, audio oscillators and the like. In high school I read Popular Electronics magazine which featured kits by Southwest Technical Products out of San Antonio. I built many of their kits including a 100 Watt Stereo Amplifier, Music synthesizers, function generators, color organs, strobe lights, etc.
In my first year of colleage at University of Houston Cullen Collage of Enginering I worked at Earth Sound as an electronic technican building speakers, 1000 Watt Audio Amplifiers and studio mixer panels. In my second year of colleage I got a job as a senior electronic technican at the Civil Engineering Department Ocean Systems Modeling Facility (the Wave Tank) building instrumentation amplifiers, servo control systems for the wave maker and the like. I also built an IMSAI 8080 Microcomputer from a kit. It had 48 Kbytes of Ram, two 8 inch floppy disks, and Microsoft Fortran complier. It was used to collect data using a homebrew 8 channel 12 bit A/D card I built. It also sent a signal to the wavetank sero controler to generate random sea states using a D/A card I built.
I have always had an interest in electronics. When I was around 10 years old I had setup an electronic bench on a low self in my closet where I would experiment with transistors. Made one transistors AM radios, audio oscillators and the like. In high school I read Popular Electronics magazine which featured kits by Southwest Technical Products out of San Antonio. I built many of their kits including a 100 Watt Stereo Amplifier, Music synthesizers, function generators, color organs, strobe lights, etc.
In my first year of colleage at University of Houston Cullen Collage of Enginering I worked at Earth Sound as an electronic technican building speakers, 1000 Watt Audio Amplifiers and studio mixer panels. In my second year of colleage I got a job as a senior electronic technican at the Civil Engineering Department Ocean Systems Modeling Facility (the Wave Tank) building instrumentation amplifiers, servo control systems for the wave maker and the like. I also built an IMSAI 8080 Microcomputer from a kit. It had 48 Kbytes of Ram, two 8 inch floppy disks, and Microsoft Fortran complier. It was used to collect data using a homebrew 8 channel 12 bit A/D card I built. It also sent a signal to the wavetank sero controler to generate random sea states using a D/A card I built.
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After college and I started a family and job working I did not pursue my interest in electronics till much later.
I first got a Techican lisence on 12/09/2008 and shortly after that got the General Ticket on 6/1/2009. Back then I worked PSK on and off but not that active .
I stilll like to build kits and started again in 2001 way before my lisence after I purchased a 1970's vintage Tektronic 475 dual trace 200 MHz ocilloscope off eBay for $200. It was the same scope I had at University of Houston in the 70's. I have built many various ham radio kits by Rick Campbell (KK7B) and others that I saw in QST. Some still need enclosures and perhaps now I will complete them. For operating after I got my lisence, I have mostly used the FT-817 with the 20 Watt HFPacker amplifier I built from a kit.
I recently retired in October 2023 and got a new setup. I now have a FT-710 with a HG-1 PreciseLOOP MLA in my office and a Budipole Deluxe Package for POTA and BOTA (Backyard on the Air). Lately I have mostly worked FT8 and FT4 but with the new setup I would like to try SSB. I would also like to complete some of the kits I built long ago.
In my profesional life I was a Mechanical Engineer who developed software for real-time condition monitoring of gas turbines and compressors. In my last job before retiring I developled software to do fatigue monitoring of drilling equepment. I have worked on various rotating and drilling equipment all over the world though mostly remote. I have spent alot of time in Norway in the early 90s setting up condition monitoring systems on offshore platforms.
I first got a Techican lisence on 12/09/2008 and shortly after that got the General Ticket on 6/1/2009. Back then I worked PSK on and off but not that active .
I stilll like to build kits and started again in 2001 way before my lisence after I purchased a 1970's vintage Tektronic 475 dual trace 200 MHz ocilloscope off eBay for $200. It was the same scope I had at University of Houston in the 70's. I have built many various ham radio kits by Rick Campbell (KK7B) and others that I saw in QST. Some still need enclosures and perhaps now I will complete them. For operating after I got my lisence, I have mostly used the FT-817 with the 20 Watt HFPacker amplifier I built from a kit.
I recently retired in October 2023 and got a new setup. I now have a FT-710 with a HG-1 PreciseLOOP MLA in my office and a Budipole Deluxe Package for POTA and BOTA (Backyard on the Air). Lately I have mostly worked FT8 and FT4 but with the new setup I would like to try SSB. I would also like to complete some of the kits I built long ago.
In my profesional life I was a Mechanical Engineer who developed software for real-time condition monitoring of gas turbines and compressors. In my last job before retiring I developled software to do fatigue monitoring of drilling equepment. I have worked on various rotating and drilling equipment all over the world though mostly remote. I have spent alot of time in Norway in the early 90s setting up condition monitoring systems on offshore platforms.
Woodworking Projects and Antique Woodworking Tools
In general the tools that I collect were made by Stanley, Disston, Miller Falls, Irwin . As such the references, links, and new type studies for certain Stanley tools given herein reflect that interest. Original material developed by the author has been combined with data presented by Walter's to provide more complete type studies for the Stanley #20 Try-Square, the Stanley #25 Bevel Square, the Stanley #41 Pocket Level, and Stanley #20,#40,#50 Everlasting chisels.
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Block, Rabbet, & Fillester Planes - Which includes two of my favorite Stanley Planes, the #140 and #289
- Stanley Tongue & Groove Planes Stanley #48 Tongue & Groove Plane
- Stanley #49 Tongue & Groove Plane
Stanley Scraper Planes
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Stanley Circular Planes
Stanley Combination Planes
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Stanley Everlasting Chisels
The Stanley Rule & Level Co. acquired the Hurley & Wood Company of Southington, CT in 1904 as a means to enter into the chisel market. Stanley introducted the Everlasting Chisel Line in a 1911 catalog as shown to the left. Stanley acquired in this aquisition the patents for the classic design known as the "Everlasting Chisel", which was a creation of father and son George E. Wood and George A. Wood. The Everlasting chisel is of a unique patented which incorporates a one piece solid steel blade and shank which goes through the handle completely, ending in a peened end cap. As such, there is no loss of energy between the hammer and the cutting edge.
Sources:1. Walter, John . "Antique & Collectable Stanley Tools, Guide to Identity and Value", 2nd Edition, 1996
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Wood Carving
Woodworking Tool Patents
Type Studies
Woodworking Antique Tool Type ResourcesIn general the tools that I collect were made by Stanley">
Woodworking Antique Tool Type ResourcesIn general the tools that I collect were made by Stanley, Disston, Miller Falls, Irwin . As such the references, links, and new type studies for certain Stanley tools given herein reflect that interest. Original material developed by the author has been combined with data presented by Walter's to provide more complete type studies for the Stanley #20 Try-Square, the Stanley #25 Bevel Square, the Stanley #41 Pocket Level, and Stanley #20,#40,#50 Everlasting chisels.
Woodworking Antique Tool Type ResourcesIn general the tools that I collect were made by Stanley, Disston, Miller Falls, Irwin . As such the references, links, and new type studies for certain Stanley tools given herein reflect that interest. Original material developed by the author has been combined with data presented by Walter's to provide more complete type studies for the Stanley #20 Try-Square, the Stanley #25 Bevel Square, the Stanley #41 Pocket Level, and Stanley #20,#40,#50 Everlasting chisels.
Bench Plane Type Studies
Bedrock Bob Kaune's Stanley Bedrock Plane Type Study . Patrick Leach's Patrick's Blood & Gore for the Bedrock Planes Bailey Jay Sutherland's Stanley Bailey Type Study . Patrick Leach's Patrick's Blood & Gore for the Bailey Planes.
Stanley Everlasting Chisels
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Disston Saws
Erik von Sneidern's The Disstonian Institute.
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Stanley No. 41 Pocket Level
Stanley No. 20 Try Square
Tool Restoration