OldTools Archive

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351 OneRat4U@a... 1996‑05‑31 New Member Bio
Greeting all,

My name is Mike Urness. I was referred to this group by several people who
have purchased old tools from me in the past year. The instructions that came
with joining the group said I should write a brief bio and post it, so here
it is. Just stop reading when you feel I've been brief enough. 
 
I am a 36-year-old student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis studying
journalism and psychology. Will graduate following the fall '96 semester.
Spent 14 years working on  river towboats (OneRat is taken from an old
nickname River Rat) before becoming interested in higher education. For the
time being, I'm single and have no children.

Because I do absolutely no woodworking, my postings to the group will be
limited to asking and answering questions about tool values, company
histories and identification. I've accumulated a significant number of books
and experience with antique tools in a year and a half of almost full time
experience.

Though both my grandfathers were carpenters, my interest in old tools came
entirely by accident. A year an a half ago, I went to only my second estate
sale and found two old planes that looked perfect. I bought them for my
friend John who's an avid collector/user. I called him when I got home and
said I had two like-new Stanley planes for him and would give them to him for
the $45 I had to pay to get them. He came over, looked at the planes and
started laughing. Said he wouldn't give $10 for the pair. (The #3 had a
hairline crack down one side, and it and the #4 had been poorly repainted and
the wood glued and re-stained.) With this, I became an instant collector.
Have since joined M-WTCA, EAIA and SWTCA and have had a ball meeting other
tool junkies and sharing in both the obsession and the fellowship. My
personal collection primarily consists of metallic planes under five inches
in length with a special emphasis on brass/bronze palm and thumb planes.

When the collection became too large, I began sending monthly lists of all my
"extra" tools to the folks at Electronic Neanderthal Woodworker and the
Exchange area of American Woodworker's online magazine and was immediately
surprised by the number of people who, as a result of those postings,
contacted me for tool needs .

When not busy beating the bushes for old tools and writing research papers
for school, I dabble in another hobby, antique motorcycles. Currently have a
1933 VLE w/sidecar, a 1960 FLH custom and a recently acquired motor for 1921
J model (anybody got a line on a frame?). Just recently joined the Antique
Motorcycle Club. 

I am the Arts and Entertainment Editor of the U of M school newspaper "The
Current," where I work primarily as a music critic. In addition to The
Current, I've had my reviews of new CDs, concerts and St. Louis area bars and
restaurants published in two other local papers. 

Since this coming semester will be my last in school, I've decided to treat
myself to the summer off. I'll be traveling to the Ohio River Valley next
week, Iowa in late June, the upper East Coast (tentative) in July and out to
the Denver/Ft. Collins area in August; mostly am going in search of new items
to add to my collection and my inventory but will also visit (and mooch off
of) friends along the way. Also plan to attend all the regional M-WTCA meets
and tool auctions within driving distance of St. Louis and both the M-WTCA
national meets this year. Hope to see lots of you OLDTOOLies at the meets.
Bring lots of $$$.

Mike 

 



Recent Bios FAQ