Kitchen Tools Stand

Only a woodworker will call cooking utensils, "tools". I guess if one made the stand, one may invoke literary license and call it "tools".  Be that as it may, still in the middle of a pandemic  and always looking at the glass as half full, one appreciates the copious amount of time; hence, the tendency to be patient doing this project during the lockdown.  There is a better, quicker and simpler way to do this but time and patience allowed for the higher degree of difficulty.  

This and another drawer full of "tools" are why this project had to be done.

An easier and quicker way is to use wider boards. Ripping strips of two different wood species - mahogany and premium yellow pine - and laminating them alternately together is the hard way.

Card scrapers to smooth the jointed strips are not too commonly used as opposed to power sanders but they are quiet and there is something to be said about the hand/eye coordination of the chore and the sound of it.

Solid board of yellow pine for the top, trimmed with mahogany.

Nothing like a hand plane and the control of pulling (as opposed to pushing) a Japanese wooden one across the work piece.

Gluing up the mahogany trim around the yellow pine

Completed top before drilling four holes.

A horizontal drill makes for aligning the four holes to line up along the same plane by merely sliding the board for the drill bit to hit the marked spot.

Cutting the four posts

1/4 inch grooves (dado) for joinery were cut on the router table (not shown).  Two long sides, two short ones, the top and four posts  before assembly and glue up.

Glue up was a little tricky because all the pieces had to be clamped together in one operation.

Power sander did all the finishing

Tung oil

I have a lot of these water filter cartridges that were destined for recycling.

The threaded rim had to be cut off

Holding the cylindrical cartridge was going to be difficult, if not for the plywood that I used earlier to make a trial hole.  It really came in handy for holding the cartridge securely. A chisel to clean up the saw marks from the rim.

Rubber pads for the feet.

This little piece (below) is a handy little stand for pot/pan cover (lid) as shown in last photo.  Of course, it can be made of anything.  A small bowl or coffee mug, or anything to elevate the lid above the counter top surface will do the trick.  But I took the complicated route to make it.

 

4-Hour Knife Works

 Three days, on and off, but really just 3-4 hours of actual work time, were all it took to turn a bare blade to the knife below.  Many of the hours in between were waiting for glue  and two coats of finish to dry, and, of course, I had other things to do, like restoring old tools (preceding blog), places to go (swim at the gym, where lockers are socially distanced at only one in adjoining five is usable and strictly only one person per lane).  

Half of our kitchen knives were from bare blades that I purchased that required selecting and fashioning the handles or "scales" from whatever wood one chooses.  

I recently purchased locally the bare knife blade below.  I have from the scrap heap, left over from previous projects, a piece of African Wenge - a very dense hardwood that has unique swirling grain patterns.

I traced the outline of the blade's tang over the 1/4 inch thick board.

It was time to use my shop-made scroll saw, which was featured in an earlier blog.  A coping saw, alternatively, will work just as well.

I cut about 1/16 of an inch outside the marked outline.

A double-sided tape temporarily attaches the scale to the tang.  This makes possible the exact location of the two holes for the metal fasteners which, in this case, have Torx screw heads. Typically as in all my other knives the pins were smooth bore steel rods.  The third hole is for the optional strap to help secure the knife to one's hand.

After drilling the two holes on one of the scales, do the other side using the same process.

Optional: A flush trim router bit makes a clean trim of excess material on the scale.

Glue up using a two-part epoxy mix and clamp. 

Final pass at the router table.  I just happen to have this power tool.  Manual trimming with a rasp is a great option.  I used it a lot more actually in the shaping of the contours of the handle.

Rasp, file and sand paper did all the final shaping.  I enjoy this part because of the hand-eye exercise one derives from  it.  And it is simply rewarding to shape the wood to one's desired results.

 

First coat of Tung oil.  Let dry for 24 hours. Followed by a second coat.

Camera flash reveals the the swirling pattern of the Wenge's grain.  In ordinary light the finish is pretty much almost charcoal gray.

The epoxy glue is all that's needed.  The Torx screw fasteners are plainly ornamental after the fact.  However, they were very useful during the glue up.  They prevented the scales from sliding or getting them out of position.

Anyone with just a power drill can do this project using hand tools.  A coping saw to cut the pattern of the scale and the rest can be accomplished with rasp/file and sandpaper,

Old Tools, New Life

Let's take a break for a bit and just discuss tools.  Old tools and more specifically, hand tools. I am at a certain age where anything old and still useful has a particular meaning and significance - literally and figuratively.  And thank goodness, there are millions around the world who share the same sentiments.  The pandemic, among its many effects on the population, has caused countless folks to spend more time on their hobbies and in their workshops and garages. As actual flea markets have been for the most part deserted, the world's largest one is thriving - eBay.  I have for the very first time experienced the eBay phenomenon.  Before recently, I had reservations about the whole idea, largely from old information and impressions at the start.  Apparently, today, eBay had made it almost a science in vetting vendors and buyers which makes its market as reliable as Amazon and other e-sellers. With a few caveats, of course.

Now, readers of my blog know I use hand held power tools.  Festool drills are I think the best in the market, albeit quite pricey.  But as the adage says, you get what you pay for.  But I will have to admit, power tools, such as electric drills, have finite lifetime. Recently, in my first foray into the e-flea  market of eBay I purchased a vintage Stanley brace bit, shown below, for $25 and  free shipping. I bought it as is, obviously, sight seen, based purely on a website photo. This drill is at least fifty years old, if not older.  It still works as it was new, except, naturally, for cosmetic rusts and blemishes. But it will outlast all my Festool drills, for sure. It will still be around for another 100 years, if my grand kids will take care of it.  One would be lucky to get 25 years from a powered hand tool like a drill.

But why buy this old thing?  Or, for that matter, as you will see towards the end, why buy all those old tools?  First, most importantly, they all still work as originally intended, requiring no electricity. Second, they hardly create dust; third, they are quiet; fourth, although they require a bit more skill, there is something about true hand/eye coordination to work on something; fifth, these tools have witnessed local history as it unfolded. Who were its first users, what did they do with these tools.  What projects did they undertake?  Just that whole idea gives one pause about what life was like fifty, one hundred years ago.  I like to think about that to get my footing and place in the scheme of things and it gives me unprecedented perspective.  Keep in mind that at the time these tools first came out they were high tech tools compared to the earlier bow drills - as shown in the drawing below.

It came via  U. S. Post Office from some seller in Kansas.

I can tell this had been used a lot, even repaired. The head, as it is called (big circular piece) had two  extra holes drilled, perhaps to reposition it and I knew the screws were not original.  There was a tape inside that was probably used to correct a wobble or something.

 

A little sanding

And a polyurethane finish

Many restorers really put in the time and energy to make the restored tool as it was brand new; often, they even make it look better than when it was first purchased.  I was not going to do that because I know I will put this to good use.  Sparingly, perhaps, but it will be used. It will not be for collection and display only.  Now, I'm out looking for vintage auger bits.  This drill, like all vintage brace drills will only take old vintage bits. Well ..

Below is another hand drill for small bits for drilling small holes.  This was given to me a while back.  I gave it a little face lift.

Over a span of many years scouring flea markets wherever and whenever I got a chance when we used to travel, I have accumulated a small collection.  I have used all of them and will from time go to them when needed.

This one, a fillister plane  (below) which I purchased from a Dallas flea market is at least 75 years old, if not older, but it still works very well.

If you find any old tool - anything - from anywhere, a flea market, garage sale, etc. and you want to restore it, YouTube has all kinds of videos on how to practically do any repairs or restorations of almost anything.  From there you can go on with further research from other sources.  Actually, for most old tools, YouTube should have all kinds of videos to meet your needs.  Restoring old tools is quite a rewarding chore to do. And it could be fun too!