19th Century Woodworking tool display and demos

Leatherneck

New User
Tom
I have been enjoying woodworking for over a long period of years and have just about any power tool that one could want with all the many other tools and gadgets that that make up a woodshop (along with a large library on all things working with wood and a complete collection of the New Yankee Workshop videos (learned most of what I know from Norm). Over the years I have enjoyed many work projects from toys, bowls, and furniture to building my own large barn and 3 car garage (which my wife found out was never intended to hold cars, but you get the idea, lol).
I had often seen The Woodwright's Shop on TV, but it had never interested me that much. Then about 3 years ago I started watching it regularly and collecting those videos also. I had found a new interest and that was, and is, working solely with period hand tools of the 18th and 19th century. Since then I have been reading about, and learning the methods of working with period tools. Between E-bay, ESTY, and antique stores I have acquired what I feel is a pretty fair collection of wooden jack and joiner planes, augers, braces, chisels, knives, saws, and sundry other period tools.
Over the last year I have begun doing displays and demonstrations with these at some local museums and other historic sites. I love talking to the visitors and sharing knowledge about not only how the tools were used, but also other things like how barns, houses, fences, gates, etc. were built before the advent of modern power tools. Visitors seem to be genuinely interested and really go nuts over the shavings from a hand plane, lol.
My purpose in writing all this is that I would hope make contact with others who may do similar demos that I might join in with (if not too far away). Also, I would welcome someone who might have a similar interest who would want set up with me sometime in the coming months. I am in the Monroe, NC area.
 

bowman

Board of Directors, Webmaster
Neal
Staff member
Corporate Member
I moved this to the "Who We Are" forum. Welcome aboard Tom, and thanks for the introduction!
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
We have a member who does pole lathe turning at farm festivals and other events. His name is Steve Martin and I think he may live near you. I used to demonstrate at some farm festivals but got rather tired due to declining health. Would like to meet up sometime and see what you do.
 

Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
Welcome to the forum Tom, I do a lot of hand tool work, and I've demonstrated for NCWW at several events. I would look forward to getting together some time.
 

Steve Martin

New User
Steve Martin
Welcome to the Forum. I am the Steve Martin that Mike mentioned. I live in Rowan County, just west of Rockwell, about an hour north of Monroe. I have a spring pole lathe and shaving horse, both which I made. I have done demos at a variety of sites including Gold Hill, NC, Reed Gold Mine, Latta Plantation, Old Stone House, Dan Nicolas Park, Alamance Battle Ground, and Mendenhall Plantation and many schools and community fairs, etc. I have minimized my demos because of my wife's health but am willing to meet with you and have discussions here or by phone. You can PM me or I will send you my phone number so we can talk. BTW, Roy Underhill now lives Pittsboro, in Chatham County, where he grew up and has classes which you can schedule online at The Woodwright's Shop. A shop above his space specializes in hand tools but I don't remember the name of it. Look forward to further discussions. Have a good week-end.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
Welcome Tom.
There are a number of us interested in "Neander" woodworking.
As many here have said I hope to meet and talk, but even if we can't that is what NCWW is REALLY about!
 

woodworkingshop.com

Coleman
User
These guys have a meetup every year Near Raleigh - good luck.
 

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