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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Restoring Old Hand Tools

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Expert: - 11/9/2008


Question
Hi Greg!I love tools and like to collect old tools.Let me see if I'm in the "right expert" before I go into a lot detail.I want to restore all my old stuff.Most will deal with wood and rust.Examples are 6ft. two man crosscut saw,hammers,hatchets,assorted hand saws.I even found an old two hand pull plane.I want to restore with the wood handles that are on the tool,but replace if I have to.Also,there is the problem of a lot of rust.Can you possibily help me with the info that I need or point me in the right direction?Thank you so much for your time and help!   Gregg

Answer
Hey Gregg, I collect and restore hand tools as well. I have 20-30 planes, several axes, hatchets, chisels, carving and turning tools, and timber tools, and a few saws as well. I also make custom handles to rehandle tools. I usually sand rust off metal with 400, 600, and then 1200 grit wet/dry sandpaper lubricated with a really thin oil like air tool oil, (I like the Marvel Mystery oil for air tools), working in successive grits with the lubricant in a bowl that you can dip the paper into. I wipe off the slurry often as I go until left with a nice clean satin surface. I don't try to make the steel look new, but remove as much rust as possible and clean it really well,I love the look of the steel when it still shows it's age with subtle color variations, and light and dark areas. I then remove the oil residue with Turps or Low odor mineral spirits, and then I use a coat or two of Tung oil on the metal to seal it. I wet sand wooden handles and plane bodies with 600 grit and mineral spirits, and then use several coats of Tung oil or Watco on them as well, and I wet sand the finish into the wood as well... followed by a dark paste wax, usually. Hope that helps a little, post back if need be- regards- Greg

Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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