Van's Air Force
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Dad's Tools
- Thread starter Mike S
- Start date
LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
Yes, great piece.
I wrote once about cleaning out my dad's workshop when he died. I made sure to bring some tools home so that "he" had a part in building the RV-7A.
Also on their birthdays every year, I make sure I give one of my tools to my sons. This is why.
Our tools are the way we live forever.
I wrote once about cleaning out my dad's workshop when he died. I made sure to bring some tools home so that "he" had a part in building the RV-7A.
Also on their birthdays every year, I make sure I give one of my tools to my sons. This is why.
Our tools are the way we live forever.
rv8guy
Well Known Member
When I was 5 or 6, I declared I was going to build a plane, and a favorite uncle later sent me a couple of wooden wheels he made for my project. I did inherit some of his tools, and one was a hand made wooden mallet that I used to set every rivet in Miss Sue that used the C frame
Tools are special
Tools are special
wirejock
Well Known Member
Front page
Same here. Brought back a flood of childhood memories. Sadly Dad passed when I was 25 but I did get some of his tools. My favorite is his folding rule. It shows years of use.
Same here. Brought back a flood of childhood memories. Sadly Dad passed when I was 25 but I did get some of his tools. My favorite is his folding rule. It shows years of use.
As a kid I would go and spend the summers with my grandparents. My Great Uncle (my grandmother's brother) had been in the mining and road building business. He had since sold off everything and retired and for retirement he went prospecting. What better way for a kid to spend summers than tramping all over Nevada looking for gold, driving everything under the sun including loaders and full size dump trucks before you even have a driving license, and learning to use explosives. When he passed away I got some of his tools and I am still using them on the RV. My dad has more of the tools but I am in no hurry for the rest. 
Good job passing along both the tools and the mechanical knowledge.
Good job passing along both the tools and the mechanical knowledge.
rzbill
Well Known Member
My dad had an electrochemical etching set that he used to etch his initials into many of his tools. Very nice, however my wife constantly jokes that all my tools have his initials on them. Now my kids have some of them.
He wanted to build a Thorp ever since we went to OSH in '71. He collected "stuff" for 30 years but never pulled the trigger. The tools and parts were useful during my build (dad helped before passing).
The only tool that I have (from my wife's grandfather) that I find is irreplaceable is a plier style leather punch with the rotary head. Functionally like the cheap stamped steel ones you can get at Walmart et al but this antique is SOLID steel and works like a charm rather than bending like the cheap ones.
Oh yeah, nice tool box in the front page image. Gerstners are good stuff.
Now my kids have some of them. He wanted to build a Thorp ever since we went to OSH in '71. He collected "stuff" for 30 years but never pulled the trigger. The tools and parts were useful during my build (dad helped before passing).
The only tool that I have (from my wife's grandfather) that I find is irreplaceable is a plier style leather punch with the rotary head. Functionally like the cheap stamped steel ones you can get at Walmart et al but this antique is SOLID steel and works like a charm rather than bending like the cheap ones.
Oh yeah, nice tool box in the front page image. Gerstners are good stuff.
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rv7boy
Forum Peruser
Gerstner Machinist Tool Chest
My Dad moved to Detroit in WWII and became a machinist. He made more money in a week (with overtime) than he did in a month working as a bookeeper back home in Tennessee. He was very proud of his Gerstner machinist chest which he used every day. I have it now and keep it in our house. I do have some of his tools, but I really like the machinist chest. (DCH Update: And I just now noticed that in Doug's photo, the machinist chest label says "H. Gerstner & Sons." There must be thousands out there, as I notice they are still in production, as indicated by their active web page linked above.)
Mother and Daddy spent almost two years in Detroit, my brother was born there in May of 1943, and then in August of '43, Daddy got his draft notice. Oh, how I wish I could ask him a thousand questions now about those years.
Thanks to Mike, for starting this thread...and to Doug, for getting the ball started in the first place.
My Dad moved to Detroit in WWII and became a machinist. He made more money in a week (with overtime) than he did in a month working as a bookeeper back home in Tennessee. He was very proud of his Gerstner machinist chest which he used every day. I have it now and keep it in our house. I do have some of his tools, but I really like the machinist chest. (DCH Update: And I just now noticed that in Doug's photo, the machinist chest label says "H. Gerstner & Sons." There must be thousands out there, as I notice they are still in production, as indicated by their active web page linked above.)
Mother and Daddy spent almost two years in Detroit, my brother was born there in May of 1943, and then in August of '43, Daddy got his draft notice. Oh, how I wish I could ask him a thousand questions now about those years.
Thanks to Mike, for starting this thread...and to Doug, for getting the ball started in the first place.
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Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Got one of those----------were my dads too.
Really neat thread. A few of the really old tools that I inherited from my Grandad - yes the inlay in the box is wood! Now I'd be lying if I said I used that flat head, but I love seeing his tools when I dig through certain drawers - constant reminder of a great man.
Michael White
Well Known Member
Borrowing and not returning is not "inheriting"...
I'd love to be using some of my dad's tools. but he's still got 'em.
As Sam said above...I'm in no hurry to get 'em.
My dad worked with hand tools his entire career. I'd often play with his tools when I was very young, and on too many occasions would forget to put them away.... When I was 14, my father gave me a shiny new little tool box stocked with a few used old tools from his toolbox for Christmas. Over the next few years more than a couple of his tools somehow found their way into my permanent collection, along with many more I purchased for whatever special project I was working on. I'm old now, but still have, love and regularly use these tools. And every, every time I do, I think of how my dad taught me to use and care for tools. Tools are special. Tools forever connect a son to his father!
I grew up handing my dad tools in the garage, he's alive and kicking pretty well so I'm going to refer to my grandpa. I am lucky enough to use his drill press in my garage. My dad has his machinist toolbox he made from scrap aluminum.
My Grandpa was a quality control specialist for various aircraft companies in the late 30's and after, I'm even luckier to find some personal notes/drawings in his old manuals. He never had his pilots liscence but aviation was in his blood, he loved to tell of the flying stories with friends much more than "quality control" stories. I was lucky enough to fly him to breakfast several times in a rental, I wish he was still here to go for a ride in the RV.
Just a few old books/notes, if he was anything like me he scribbled some of these down while daydreaming during an "important" meeting....
My Grandpa was a quality control specialist for various aircraft companies in the late 30's and after, I'm even luckier to find some personal notes/drawings in his old manuals. He never had his pilots liscence but aviation was in his blood, he loved to tell of the flying stories with friends much more than "quality control" stories. I was lucky enough to fly him to breakfast several times in a rental, I wish he was still here to go for a ride in the RV.
Just a few old books/notes, if he was anything like me he scribbled some of these down while daydreaming during an "important" meeting....
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Grumpy-Hodge
Member
Tools
My Dad always had pretty cheap tools and wasn't particularly mechanically minded - God rest his loving soul. But my grandfather was a self taught refrigeration engineer and was involved in building many of the ice plants in north Texas - deaf in old age from all the steam engine compressors. He taught me how to use a drill press, lathe and tap & die. I have a pair of his Klein Lineman Pliers along with some other tools. Well worn but you can still just make out the lineman on the pole graphic on the pliers.
Passed the tap knowledge to my son to fix an engine mount hole on his VW GTI. He has since rebuilt his Honda 250 engine using the same. What a great experience to pass it along.
My Dad always had pretty cheap tools and wasn't particularly mechanically minded - God rest his loving soul. But my grandfather was a self taught refrigeration engineer and was involved in building many of the ice plants in north Texas - deaf in old age from all the steam engine compressors. He taught me how to use a drill press, lathe and tap & die. I have a pair of his Klein Lineman Pliers along with some other tools. Well worn but you can still just make out the lineman on the pole graphic on the pliers.
Passed the tap knowledge to my son to fix an engine mount hole on his VW GTI. He has since rebuilt his Honda 250 engine using the same. What a great experience to pass it along.
Mike, I have to ask. How does the tool on the right work?
My Grandfather was a whiz with wood and had all manner of these kinds of hand tools but I have never seen one like that. Growing up he hand made wagon wheels (for real use, not decoration) and it's kind of amazing to think in his lifespan we went from hand tools and horse drawn wagons to moon rockets.
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Sam, it works just like the other brace-----you twist the handle around and around. Long side of the frame is between the studs, inline with the bit, crank is off at angle during use.
It was used to bore holes in studs for plumbing or wiring a house------there is no way you could do that with a standard brace, although some of them had a ratchet like ability to work the handle back and forth.
The normal looking one above is a ratchet type.
Now, can anybody out there tell me what this tool is (was) used for???
It was used to bore holes in studs for plumbing or wiring a house------there is no way you could do that with a standard brace, although some of them had a ratchet like ability to work the handle back and forth.
The normal looking one above is a ratchet type.
Now, can anybody out there tell me what this tool is (was) used for???
Doug,
You'll be the envy of the neighborhood with your new (old) riding mower. I still have my old Montgomery Ward (Monkey Ward) battery charger and it works great! I have also kept a non-working saber saw because my Father had signed his name on the back of it with a vibrating marker tool. Just can't throw it away.
Regards,
Jim
You'll be the envy of the neighborhood with your new (old) riding mower. I still have my old Montgomery Ward (Monkey Ward) battery charger and it works great! I have also kept a non-working saber saw because my Father had signed his name on the back of it with a vibrating marker tool. Just can't throw it away.
Regards,
Jim
carolsyracuse
Well Known Member
dad's leather punch
We are sprucing up the interior of our 10. I got the side panel ready and Vic sprayed the adhesive. We attach the panel with screws and Vic tried using his ice pick punch to make the screw hole in the leather. It didn't work very well so he pulled out my dad's leather hole punch. My dad had an old shoemaker sewing machine and did some shoe repair. That hole punch brought back a lot of memories and I told Vic "dad is helping with the airplane"
We are sprucing up the interior of our 10. I got the side panel ready and Vic sprayed the adhesive. We attach the panel with screws and Vic tried using his ice pick punch to make the screw hole in the leather. It didn't work very well so he pulled out my dad's leather hole punch. My dad had an old shoemaker sewing machine and did some shoe repair. That hole punch brought back a lot of memories and I told Vic "dad is helping with the airplane"
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I think this is probably my favorite VAF thread that I've read so far in my couple of years of lurking.
My dad bought me my first tool box too, when I was 16. I knew I wanted to have a cool set of tools like his when I was on my own, so I started collecting tools in middle school, first using one of his old carry boxes. Once I outgrew that, he came home on Christmas Eve one year and said, "Looks like you need a new toolbox, let's go pick one out for Christmas."
Growing up with a dad who was an airplane mechanic, I always wished he was more of a sports guy. He never coached me (not much of a baseball background), but he showed up to all of my games. Now, I look at all the knowledge I'm gaining when I go home and help him restore his Stearman, and I can't help but think about how some things just work out.
My dad bought me my first tool box too, when I was 16. I knew I wanted to have a cool set of tools like his when I was on my own, so I started collecting tools in middle school, first using one of his old carry boxes. Once I outgrew that, he came home on Christmas Eve one year and said, "Looks like you need a new toolbox, let's go pick one out for Christmas."
Growing up with a dad who was an airplane mechanic, I always wished he was more of a sports guy. He never coached me (not much of a baseball background), but he showed up to all of my games. Now, I look at all the knowledge I'm gaining when I go home and help him restore his Stearman, and I can't help but think about how some things just work out.
My Dad's tools
I have only two of my Dad's tools. None of his home tools - nothing of note there, and few of them still exist. His work tools,
on the other hand, were unique; he carried one of these almost every day at work, and a backup on days off.
He and I didn't do much together - while we slept he worked graveyards for the slight pay increase, and when we
were awake he slept as well as he could with six noisy sons.
I did go with him once when he had to requalify, and he won a small bonus for shooting exceptionally well that day.
I'm sure it was an offhand comment for him, but when he said I brought him luck, I was beaming.
The seal on the frame and grip is an ancient symbol of loyalty: a horse defending it's fallen knight by breaking a lance,
one half over it's legs and the other in it's mouth. My Dad served his Nation as a Marine, then as a Policeman
until just before his death.
I have only two of my Dad's tools. None of his home tools - nothing of note there, and few of them still exist. His work tools,
on the other hand, were unique; he carried one of these almost every day at work, and a backup on days off.
He and I didn't do much together - while we slept he worked graveyards for the slight pay increase, and when we
were awake he slept as well as he could with six noisy sons.
I did go with him once when he had to requalify, and he won a small bonus for shooting exceptionally well that day.
I'm sure it was an offhand comment for him, but when he said I brought him luck, I was beaming.
The seal on the frame and grip is an ancient symbol of loyalty: a horse defending it's fallen knight by breaking a lance,
one half over it's legs and the other in it's mouth. My Dad served his Nation as a Marine, then as a Policeman
until just before his death.
