Refinished tools

This tool is labeled as a APEX Clutch head screwdriver

It needed some work

It polished up very nicely.

Here is the finished tool.

I really like these folding rulers.


This one cleaned up so that the numbers and markings were clearly visible.

One of my passions in life is restoring old tools to give them new life and bring the beauty out of them. Although today's tools maybe more accurate and more durable they just do not have the hand made beauty of older tools. It's very rewarding when I can take a well used, sometimes abused tool and bring the beauty back out.

Here are some wooden levels I've found recently, I want to share the process of the transformation.

Typical condition when I find them.

I only buy them if the level bubbles are intact.

First sanding.
Then I wax them, notice the brass on this one.


Here are several Torpedo levels that I found.

Sanded

Then finished

This was a heavy one with lots of brass.





This one is a Stanley brand.

Notice how nice it looks all done.


This one was really rough.

But cleaned up nicely.


Nothing special about this one...

Until the wax went on and look at how great it now is.


This one was stained blue.

I didn't sand all of the blue off.

Here it is finished with some of the blue still showing through.

This was the ugly duckling


Not ugly anymore.


Here is the finished lot.






Time to look for more candidates.

The tool fanatic that I am leads me to "tool up" those around me.

This week I bought Lauren a tool kit. Last week she obvserved that everyone else in her family had a tool kit! So I found a kit for her and gave it to her Friday. To my surprise it was the same one her mom has and Lauren was thrilled.

It all started when I showed her the tool kit I was collecting for her brother, Austin.

I found this incredible wooden kids tool set.

It was missing severval pieces. One trip to Canton replaced the missing ones and provided even more pieces for the kit. The wooden mallet, the planner and the blue screw driver came with the kit.

The wooden square was in the kit when I purchased it but everything else on this side was added. Notice the little level.

The kit has everything he will need. Emily had one of these kits when she was little and she spent many hours building things. But alas Austin is only one and many of these tools are still too dangerous for him to play with. We tried the other night and he was determined to hammer Grema's table.

The next day I found a pattern with wooden tools for kids.

We also found this neat tool box at McKinney Trade days.

Here are the tools in the holder.

Tool One: a hammer.

Of course you need a Chisel.

Here they are together.

It's important to have a planner to smooth out the wood.

Glue to join the wood.

A square is really important to get those cut at 90 degrees.

A saw is one of the most important tools. How else would you get the wood down to the right size?

Here they are all together. I used different woods and stains to create the look and feel of real tools.

This afternoon they will get a final coat of wax and then they will be ready for Mr Austin.

Stay tune he will be here this afternoon to claim them!