Mr. Engels. Your tone of voice is deep, yet soft and gentle. Your physical manner seems hard working but with deliberate finesse. And your vocabulary seems earnest and humble. In short, never having met you, I would judge you to be a friendly, kind, and honest man. But I'd bet you could rip the arms off a gorilla!
Awesome series. Thank you for doing the how-to series. Makes me appreciate the artistry and craftsman of what it took to make these wagons. You are a treasure.
The major reason people like watching you is your dedication to a craft. It's unheard of today. Much needed craftsmanship is the soul of a trade. During WWlI, what made the Merlin engine in the spitfire fighter superior was the craftsmanship in assembly. The engineering specs were no better than any other on its time. The engine ran poorly until mechanics building the engine made it perform. We still laugh at the triumph of craftsmanship over engineering. Thank you for showing the new generation what that is.
That old drill press is a beautiful piece of kit could watch it running all day ! a drop of oil on it here and there and I bet will run for ever ,what a quality bit of engineering that is !!.
I love the way you film not just the business end of machines, but also the other parts of them running, belts turning, etc. It gives such a more complete view of what’s going on. The next best thing to being there! Great work, such a pleasure to watch!
I have enjoyed watching these videos enormously, I binged watched for several weeks to catch up and now have to wait for each week's update. Well worth it.
Once again , over too soon ! Can't get enough of your skill , presentation and your gentle voice !! Thank you for giving me something to look forward to !!
A person seeing the wagon somewhere would never believe the amount of hard work that you put into each one. I for one am amazed at what you do. Great job and keep the videos coming.
No doubt about it. My wife shakes her head when I bring home another tool, but she quite complaining a long time ago because every time I fixed or built something, I'd show her the tool I had to have to do it. "Hey, if I didn't have this tool, that wouldn't have happened!" So I keep bringing tools and she doesn't fuss. But where does the tool-bringing end? I can't see that far down the road.......
I have always been amazed for many years about how early pioneers traveled west with the heavy Conestoga Wagons. What I always wondered was, WHO fixes those things out west in the middle of nowhere when they break? I understand a "Smitty" could do some things, but a Wheelwright is a whole different game! I just found this channel yesterday (021820), and am spellbound by this craftsmanship !! I like the 8x sped up chipmunk actions. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing, That drill press has some real history in the many years of use. Same with your power hammer. All amazing tooling. A C.N.C. machine couldn't do a better job. It's always a pleasure to see your work. Thank you for your video..
Gradually working through all your videos. Wondering when and how you came to possess the camel-back drill press. The stories behind how and when your shop came together and evolved would be interesting. Maybe I'll find some of them as I dig through all your videos. I look forward to your weekly updates. Thanks for the effort to put these together. Appears a good number of hours goes into producing and editing each one.
When I saw that Little Giant automatic hammer (or whatever it's called) I thought "well, that's pretty neat piece of machinery" - and then I saw tha camel-back drill press... Great video - interesting content, great skills, good editing - a pure pleasure to watch (and learn). Good job, guys!
I'm a woodworker and a mechanic and everytime I watch you work I marvel at many things. How many hours go into each part, How much talent it takes to do it. You have to measure accurately to make it look right but then you have to have the eye it takes to do things like the twisted chamfer to make it right. Not just look right but be right. You have to heat and hammer the steel until it is right. The right shape and the right size. There all kinds of short cuts you could take and get away with it. Few could ever call you on it. But I can tell you don't. You do the extra. You know why. Because it would embarrass you to ever be questioned. You have to do it right. Or as right as you are able. That's why I like watching.
Thanks again, Dave, It’s the combination of carpentry and blacksmith that draws me to your channel - I’m 63, and when I was at school in the uk we had separate classes for each, with lathes and forges which I’m sure today are not allowed for what ever reason. I leaned a lot the that stood me in great stead in the years that followed as first a mechanic and now as a woodworker. Thanks for your ever instructive videos!
I like Dave's mix of old and new techniques too. Do it the old fashioned way when it matters and use those Makitas to keep the labor expenses down for the customer when it fits the job.
Can I wholeheartedly agree with you Paul on you comment. I too am from the UK and in the same age group before health and safety. I loved woodwork and metalwork at school, if only we'd had the internet back then to see the work real craftsmen were producing. P.S. no excuse offered for saying 'craftsmen', it's me age.
love the old camelback drill press, i have a tiny version of it. as a fellow old machinery collector/user, i know what goes into getting these old machines usable again. All of my stuff is much smaller, sized for the typical homeshop or small commercial shop and most of it is from the 1930's and 1940's
Yet again the skills and knowledge imparted by the video demonstrates a real craftsman at work. Wish I lived in the USA as I could then perhaps visit the shop. Keep up the great work. Stay safe and well. Thanks
You need an apprentice to help you and be taught the old ways of your trade - to be carried on so as we don't loose this craftsmanship. It is once again a pleasure to see and watch you work at your trade. Well done and will be waiting till next week for the Next installment of this build. Thank You for bringing us along.
Thanks again for a well produced look at genuine craftsmanship. I am drawn to youtubers that are actually making their living in production work with great and expedient (not slipshod but efficient) skill and care. I like High Falls Furniture For the same reason. Keep up the good work sir.
That drill press is a nice piece of equipment. I agree with your guess that it was once driven by a water wheel or steam engine. Thanks again, Dave, for another excellent video.
Enjoyed the video. It's really taking shape now. That old drillpress is nice. Thanks for taking the time to produce the videos. Y'all take care and God bless.
Ha. The 11/16" drill shavings looked a bit like a whirling deverish in full dance. The complex chamfer is quite intriguing indeed. Well done sir and thanks to you once again.
That old drill press is a dandy. I am familiar with Aurora Indiana, you would never guess looking at it today that they once made machinery like that there. Thanks for sharing
As always great to watch a craftsman at work. Any chance you can remind us in the next installment of what the final wagon will look like. And maybe where you are using your interpretation on finishing and construction.
Fascinating that your drill press and Keith Fenner's Sibley drill are almost twins. Differences in details, but near enough that they could have been assembled in the same place. Must have been almost a standardized design in that era.
Hi from the UK - I really enjoyed watching your skills at work, its a pity there is no apprentice to continue these skills. If you used some cutting oil on those large holes your drill will stay sharper longer. Excellent to see you using ear plugs but no dust protection. I do wood turning so I know about dust. Looking forward to the next video.
I liked the comment at the end. I must admit as I' was watching you do all the work with the power hammer and that wonderfully complex drill press, that I was thinking there had to be a simpler way to do this. But I guess not.
Thank you ECS. The old camel back drill may be slow but i bet the torque is really high and the table looks well builded and very adjustable. When people say old tools are no good they have never used them. You sir have a great set of old tools and i am sure we have not seen all of them yet. GOD Bless and stay safe.
We couldn't have such a drill at the school I work at due to the uncovered belts. Having said that the boys have managed to break 3 of the column gear racks for adjusting the height of the work table in the space of 1 year due to not understanding how to use them properly and failing to lock and unlock the column clamp at the right time.
I have to be honest I hate waiting a week for the next video! I would show up at your shop to see it for real but after a few thousand Questions you most likely would kindly ask me to go home. lol
Really enjoyed this episode watching your skill in using the various tools to produce ornate hand finishing of the various parts. If you ever want to sell the camel-back can I have first refusal. Absolutely fascinating and pure joy to watch. Many thanks.
