The Ghost of Workshops Past

[Alf]

Hello Havenites one and all,

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I used to torture trees and spend inordinate amounts of time removing rust from old hand tools and convincing other people on the interweb that it was a Jolly Good Idea to do the same thing.

For which I hope to be forgiven.

Real life has subsequently thrown several spanners in the works, metric and imperial, and these days I infrequently pop into the workshop, see rust forming on tools I've previously cleaned up, and then slink away and try not to think about it. But I miss woodworking, and I miss chatting to the folks who go about doing it. Thus I find myself here, seeing a fair few familiar faces, and hoping you won't mind me hanging around, living a vicarious woodworking life and maybe stirring up a few brain cells in hopes that I haven't actually forgotten everything I ever knew. Such as it was.

Cheers, Alf

 

[AndyP]

Hey Alf and a very very warm welcome.

Great to see you here. Every time a pick up a still very sharp Disston back saw I think of you and the fine job you made of sharpening it.
Plenty of folks here to help and encourage those woodworking brain cells back into action and even some that share that hand tool addiction.

Edit i was known as dedee elsewhere

 

[Mike G]

The legendary Alf! Good to have you here.

 

[AJB Temple]

Even I have heard of you Alf!

Legendary. Time to teach us please.

 

[Trevanion]

Ahoy hoy Alf, I've only heard good things.

It's a shame Chas (CHJ on UKW) hasn't come along here, his last post on there, before he stopped posting, was about how he missed the old days with you and some other members, which has since been deleted, unfortunately.

 

[novocaine]

Welcome. You may recognise the names but you may not recognise the relaxed nature brought to you buy grownups capable of holding a discussion without devolving in to playground behaviour.

It has come to my attention however, that we are being watched by trolls.

Good to see you. Now get back in the worlshop and show us the ways of the Alf.

 

[AndyT]

Well hellooo, can you hear the echo across the years? You are one of the handful of people who so gently and entertaingly got me interested in old tools, their ways and workings, quite some time ago.
Good to have you back again! Does the tall Scotsman still find the good stuff and keep it back for you? Or have you still got a bit of a backlog to clear?

 

[Lurker]

Welcome Alf, I fondly remember your excellent posts and humour.

 

[Mike G]

..........Does the tall Scotsman still find the good stuff and keep it back for you? .....

Is this some kind of code? "Lo, the postillion hath been struck by lightning" or somesuch being the required response. :lol: :lol:

 

[DaveL]

Hi Alf,

It's very good to see you here. I miss your web site!
I still use a number Tools bought from you and it reminds me of the trip to Axminster.

 

[Woodbloke]

Welcome from me as well....a long, long time since we met in Penny Farthing Tools (as was) in Salisbury. I still have the Ulmia Reform smoother I bought on that occasion for the princely sum of £12 - Rob

 

[Pete Maddex]

Welcome Alf.


Pete

 

[TrimTheKing]

Well well, I mentioned to the other Mod chaps yesterday that a new member had just been admitted and all the signs pointed to it being your good self. Welcome aboard Alf and thanks for finding us.

As Andy says, hopefully we can give you whatever you need in terms of vicarious stimulus and/or even some impetus to wield the odd tool again yourself. Cheers.

 

[Philly]

Alf, how wonderful to see your post! Hope you're doing alright and look forward to catching up.
Philly

 

[Woodbloke]

Alf, how wonderful to see your post! Hope you're doing alright and look forward to catching up.
Philly

Do you still use those firmer chisels, the ones with the London pattern handles I gave you? They were made years ago following Alf's excellent tutorial on a distant website, far, far away :eusa-whistle: - Rob

 

[Philly]

Do you still use those firmer chisels, the ones with the London pattern handles I gave you? They were made years ago following Alf's excellent tutorial on a distant website, far, far away :eusa-whistle: - Rob

Yes, still use them. I've ruined the handle on one but they get a fair bit of use, especially the 1/4" one.

 

[Alf]

@Andyp - Good heavens, if that Disston is still sharp you can't be cutting nearly enough joinery! Said the pot to the kettle...

@MikeG - Thank'ee. The Tall Scotsman was my, or rather one of my regular tool pushers back in the day. The correct countersign usually seemed to be "How much d'you want for it? Oh, go on then."

@AJB Temple - As soon as I can remember anything, I'll be sure to pass it on!

@Trevanion - Aww, shucks. I'm glad to hear that Chas is, at least, still about. Everywhere I look there seem to have been huge changes and I'm a bit reluctant to ask what's happened to some of the familiar faces I don't see in case of the answers.

@novocaine - I gather the policy here is not to dwell on events elsewhere, which seems a very sensible idea, but I did have a nose about to see what had occurred and was somewhat taken aback. This place, on the other hand, seems to have hung onto the atmosphere I used to remember on woodworking fora.

@AndyT - Sadly I've lost touch with the Tall Scotsman. He had a heart attack a while back, and I do wonder if he's not at the big workbench in the sky, possibly still trying to sell that Rogers patent miter planer. Probably time to confess that I haven't hunted for a rusty tool in years, never mind bought one.

@Lurker - Hello there, I remember you too.

@DaveL - Ah, I remember that Axminster trip well. My mum often spoke of you actually, and wondered how you were.

@Rob - Heh, a drive-by gloat. Trust you. That was a most excellent "Mini Bash". Good times. Regarding your sig, so out of the loop am I that I didn't even know you had worked for them.

@Pete - Thank'ee.

@Mark - Thought my ears were burning. Glad you let me in despite your suspicions.

@Philly - Phil, old fruit! How's the plane business? Got one to fly yet? My prized Philly shoulder plane is in safe keeping, you'll be glad to know.

Well, folks, thank you very much for such a warm welcome. I am 'umbled. Not sure I'll have much to contribute, but we'll see how it goes.

 

[Woodbloke]

Yes, still use them. I've ruined the handle on one but they get a fair bit of use, especially the 1/4" one.

Vandal! :lol: I have a rather fetching little number (now surplus to requirements) in...



...Pink Ivory which you can have free and gratis as a replacement. Won't match the other ones though which could be a problem :lol: PM me your addy and I'll pop it in the post if you want it - Rob

Edit - fear not, I have it on my iPhone

 

[fiveeyes]

A welcome, from this side of the pond, too.

 

[Trevanion]

@Trevanion - Aww, shucks. I'm glad to hear that Chas is, at least, still about. Everywhere I look there seem to have been huge changes and I'm a bit reluctant to ask what's happened to some of the familiar faces I don't see in case of the answers.

When the other place was sold off to the Americans last year, they managed to peeve off a fair chunk of the dedicated community for various reasons, big changes, money-grabbing, advert-heavy site, banning members for having an opinion on it, etc... So that's why a few of us are here and not there, but considering the length of your hiatus and the average age of a forum user, I would imagine some haven't made it this far, unfortunately.

 

[SamQ aka Ah! Q!]

Alf, Alice, I have SO much missed your dulcet musings and fine turn of phrase! Welcome back to the heady smell of resin and deep patina'd colouration...and that's just Rob's armpits.

Will you be drafting your posts with a Parker - or better - before committing to digital ink?

Sam

 

[Alf]

@fiveeyes - Thank you.

@Trevanion - To be frank I'm amazed it took as long as it did for Charley to move on. Waaaaay back when I was still a mod over there I dabbled with the notion of pulling an April Fool along the lines of Axminster having bought it and everyone would have to place at least X £s of orders with them in order to post. However, I came to the conclusion it was too close to being believable.

@Sam - Wotcha! The pen block suggests the odds favour a Pelikan at the mo', but it's a worrying state of affairs that 45s by Parker are outnumbering 45s by Stanley these days.

 

[RogerS]

"Rogers patent miter planer ? "...you have the advantage, m'lady :eusa-think:

My warm welcome as well....

 

[Alf]

Hello Roger. Ah, 'tis a beast of a thing. Allow me to point you here http://www.sydnassloot.com/Rogers' Patent Mitre Planer.htm

 

[AJB Temple]

I see you like fountain pens.

Used to use one every day but every time I go back to them now they seem to clog too much and I get inky fingers.

 

[Chris101]

Welcome Alf.
It's nice to see you posting on here. Although I only took up woodworking (after a fashion) a fair time after you departed from Ukw, I have read a fair few choice bits of your advice while looking through the archives trying to find an answer to whatever problem was besetting me at the time, so it's nice to be able to say a belated thank you 'in person'. I hope you find it amenable to stick about for a bit and join in the chat whatever your level of workshop time these days.
Cheers
Chris

 

[RogerS]

Hello Roger. Ah, 'tis a beast of a thing. Allow me to point you here http://www.sydnassloot.com/Rogers' Patent Mitre Planer.htm

Thank you, Alf.

 

[houtslager]

Welcme back to the nuthouse Alf, good to see your still in the land of shavings and sawdust makers, t'was a rare done deal to see you wa,lk aweigh those many years ago, but yer back lassie so good to see and hopefully when this here C-19 crud is aught the weigh we can share a bottle or 3 of ones favourite shandy.
Karl aka houtslager

 

[Alf]

I see you like fountain pens.

Used to use one every day but every time I go back to them now they seem to clog too much and I get inky fingers.

Often they're just crying out for a flush through with water to clean them up. The biggest problem these days is the world expects the ballpoint and uses appalling paper in consequence. It's akin to taking an infill to MDF.

@Chris - Thank you, I'm glad I might have been helpful in absentia.

 

[Phil]

Alice-ALF, welcome 'back'!

Good to see you are still around.

 

[Vann]

Alf. It's really nice to hear from you. I've missed your writing. Your departure was one of several events that makes 2014 stand out as a year of sad happenings.

Welcome!

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Routermonster]

Hi Alf
Welcome! it’s nice to see you back on a woodworking forum. Your Cornish Workshop website was a great read, and a source of lots of useful information.
Les

 

[Alf]

Thank you, chaps.

 

[Stargazer]

Welcome to the WoodHaven Alf, good to see you hear.

Most of the time I am a quiet bystander, but years ago in another place it was your website that introduced me to the art of rebates and grooves without noisy machines, although I now have a couple of routers it is still the Record 043 and larger siblings that I pickup by choice.

Ian

 

[RogerM]

Welcome to civilisation Alf. I remember your musings on the dark side with pleasure and look forward to normal service being resumed.

 

[Alf]

Hello Ian and Roger, and thank you.

 

[heimlaga]

Welcome back Alice!
I remember your writing from 10 or 15 years ago.

The good thing with woodworking is that you can be away for 10 years and just clean some flash rust of the tools and throw out the old worm infested hide glue and buy a new bag of the same stuff and be ready to go.
In many other activities a 10 year absence would mean starting from zero.

 

[Alf]

Thank you, heimlaga, even if now I'm worrying about worms in the glue as well as the rust...! :lol:

 

[Gill]

Goodness gracious! This is a delightful surprise! Although my workshop activities are also now the exception rather than the rule, it's the presence of of people such as yourself on this forum that keeps me interested. How wonderful to see you here at last.

 

[Alf]

Hello Gill! Good to see you.