OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

209736 "Bruce Lambert" <blambertjr@v...> 2010‑11‑14 Updated Bio
My bio was a couple of years old and out-of-date.  I'm 45 and happily
married to my lovely wife for 23 years now.  We've got three daughters, 21,
19, and 4.  The last one keeps us busy.

We moved from Gaithersburg MD to Leominster MA in 2009.  I'm finishing up my
last active duty Air Force assignment at Hanscom AFB, MA.  The AF is over
its authorized manpower and is cutting back on personnel.  So I opted to
retire a little sooner than my original plans rather than face a retirement
board.  I'll be retired from active duty from effective 1 May 2011, but not
retired in the true sense - not with older kids in school, a younger still
years from college and house payments.  So I'm currently in the job hunting
mode.   After 10 moves in 23 years of service we're looking to stay put and
I am focusing in the Hanscom/Bedford - Boston area.  Needless to say the job
hunt and work around the house/yard have kept me from the shop lately.

Since my wife and I are originally from western MA (the Westfield area)
we're really happy to be back in New England.  We found a nice house built
around 1900 with a large basement with granite block walls and a close to
walk out access (3 steps up and a wide doorway).  So that's where the
workshop is and my wife has told me I can use as much space as I need or
want so long as I can make the items she'd like.  A previous owner built a
bench with back against one wall with an outlet and some hooks for tools.
It's working out well for general work and as a sharpening station.  The
sharpening skills are coming along and I really noticed it when I replaced a
metal storm door with a wooden screen door.  I used an old chisel to pare
out an area for the door catch and it was smooth action with a sharp blade.
So much better than my initial experiences with cheap chisels 10 years ago.

In my very first Galootaclaus, I was privileged to get a genuine pair of
Phil Koontz holdfasts for my non-existent bench.  Phil mentioned how Porch
members like to nudge folks down various slippery slopes.  So last winter I
built a simple bench for the new shop.  It's just a simple bench based on
one of the Popular Woodworking 24-hr bench designs, but it doesn't shake or
move like the workmate-wannabe I bought many years ago at the big box store.
The holdfasts work great (Thanks again Phil!).  I haven't put a vice on the
bench yet as I'm still figuring out what I want to build and working on my
skills.  I've also read enough to know woodworkers from times past (and some
current ones on the list) were able to build furniture without mounted
vices.  So I'm exploring the different options and I'm leaning toward
building a Nicholson type bench in the future without a vice and probably
make a twin screw vice I could secure to the top when I need it.

I'm still tuning up some of the tools from my G-G-Grandfather's tool chests.
And since moving to MA, I've gotten some hand drills and braces off of
Craig's list and the older gentleman across the street passed away recently
so I picked up some saws, files, axe/hatchet heads, and a drawknife during
the estate sale all for under $15  (I think I could get hooked on sales like
this).  I've also borrowed a couple items from my grandfather's shop on the
other side of the family (mom's side).  My grandmother let me use his
Disston No 4 saw vise since no one else in the family knows how to sharpen
saws.  I've been working on this skill as well and after a first try - it's
probably not perfect but the saw cuts better than it did before.  And it's
nice to think of my grandfather while using it.  I can recall my first
woodworking project as a child was a birdhouse he helped me build when I was
about 7.

I've also been expanding my woodworking reference library.  I've got a list
I've been working from as I find different recommendations.  The 2009
Galootaclaus helped with that when I got The Woodworker's Bible from Rick
Yochim along with a nice No 4 plane.  It sent a challenge to me in regards
to the book that I still need to answer and get out to the Porch.  And of
course I've got my own copy of Mark Wells' book for my youngest daughter to
get her started off right.

It's been wonderful getting to know the different folks around the Porch.
We even got a few of us together in the New England area this past spring at
Dwight Beebe's home shop.  

The Porch is a great place!

Bruce Lambert
Leominster, MA

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.  - New England proverb

Original bio from 2008

I've been lurking around the porch for a little while and decided I should
come on up and introduce myself.  I'm Bruce Lambert and I currently live
near Gaithersburg, MD.  I've been in the AF for over 20 yrs.  I started
woodworking about 5-6 yrs ago and like most newbies I got a number of power
tools.  But after reading Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine
articles for about 5 yrs, I started thinking more about hand tools.

I was considering the flea market and garage sale approach that I've read
about and I may get to that at some point.  But first I have my own bonanza
treasure to go through.  I was able to convince my Dad to let me rescue two
large tool chests from his basement.  My grandfather gave them to my dad
about 20 years ago.  Since then, they have suffered a couple floods in the
basement and two moves.

Most of the tools were put in some Rubbermaid tubs during the last move and
led to an interesting story in my discovery of the tools.  Anyway, it turns
out the tool chests originally belonged to my great-great-grandfather (circa
late 1800s - early 1900s).  I was like a kid in a candy shop.

So I have lots of old tools to restore.  I never realized how addictive it
could be and in so many ways.  I enjoy cleaning the rust off to find out
what's underneath (using the techniques I've found on the various Galoot
pages). Then there's the research to find out more about the tool or company
and timeframe the tool was made.  This last part helps to determine which of
my relatives was the user.  Lastly is the genealogy part since quite a lot
of the tools are marked with the first two initials and the last name.  And
not all the initials are the same, so there were many users.  And of course
I look forward to putting the tools to use.  I think my relatives would want
it that way since they must have been craftsmen.

So far, I've cleaned a couple marking gauges, some Underhill mortising
chisels, some J. Taylor & Co bevel chisels, a Backus No 20 brace, a Stanley
No 966-8in brace, quite a few augers and bits, a Hilger & Sons hand vise and
some other small tools.  I haven't gotten to the saws, a Millers Falls No 2
hand drill, wrenches, and a bunch of other tools.  I hope to get some help
from your expertise on some of the brands I've found as well as some tool
identification.  Because there are some tools I have to scratch my head at,
like the Armstrong Tool Holder.

I have taken some before and after pictures as I plan to inventory the
collection.  However, the pictures are a little too big for the Galoot
Central photo gallery.  Once I put them up on another site I'll send another
note.

Thanks for hosting this forum and the web site.  It's great to find so many
enthusiastic folks supporting each other and offering help to strangers.
I've learned a lot already from the emails and web sites.

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Recent Bios FAQ