THING(S) of the PAST

[Bob La Londe]

I keep seeing this recurring theme here of various tools being a thing of the past. They aren't. Geez.

For mass production a lot of those tools may be things of the past or little used, but for most one off jobs there just isn't anything faster than the tool that was made for the job. I even cut off a 2x4 the other day with my old Diston hand saw. It was the absolute best and fastest tool for the job at that moment in that situation.

I've got 5 CNC mills and a CNC router, but I still use my drill press almost every day. My tablesaw, bandsaw, and miter saws atleast a couple times a month. I still use a manual lathe several times a week, and one of them actually gets used for a single operation production part at the rate of about 2 parts per minute when I get in the groove. (Pun intended.)

Seriously, there aren't many tools that are still in workable condition that have no use. I bet even an old manually cranked cotton gin would be handy to the right person.

[Keith Nuttle]

I agree with the above. Some times the simplest tool is the best for the job.

It is simpler to grab a simple old screw drive, than find the electric screw drive. etc.

This is true even for yard tools. Some times it is quickest to grab a pair of grass shears to cut around the flowers; than to go out to the shed, check the oil on the weed eater, start it up and trim around the flowers.

[krw]

For those who have grass shears, perhaps. I don't believe I've even seen a pair since I was a kid.

[dpb]

On 07/02/2017 4:06 PM, Bob La Londe wrote: ...

Disston, it was/is... :)

[Keith Nuttle]

You made me check. I don't know when we bought ours but they are still available form places like Sears.

There is also the matter of precision of the shears when trimming around flowers. You know the wrath of wife. ;-)

[krw]

I didn't mean that they weren't available, just that *I* don't believe

*I* have seen a pair in forty years. I've never owned them, though my mother did. OTOH, she didn't have a 4-cycle gas string trimmer. ;-)

Flowers belong in the flower bed, not in the lawn. ;-}

We're having concrete curbing put in around the beds, next week. The curbs will make trimming even easier.