In this video, career fine furniture maker Tom McLaughlin, talks about a few hand tools in his hanging tool cabinet...and the sometimes surprising and meaningful stories behind them
Tom, I am in the process of building your tool cabinet after catching your show on PBS, and obtaining the plans from Fine Woodworking. I found the story about your grandfather especially rewarding. I am a retired police officer and have two friends I worked with on the wall, and have been to the memorial several times. I was lucky enough over the years to inherit several planes, a vise, screwdrivers and other tools from relatives. All the tools were well used, and several planes and chisels will make into the cabinet once it is finished. Thanks Tom!
Thanks for sharing that story Jim, there are so many great people behind the badge, and who participated in building that memorial… like you. So glad you are enjoying the videos and plans! Tom
Thanks Tom! Your show and plans are great. I did catch your video where you describe the tools in your cabinet. In that video, you mentioned that cabinet was dovetailed. Hummm, maybe I should build another one.
Jim Collins Yes Jim, mine is dovetailed. For the cabinet episode on PBS we decided to show a fast and simpler method for joining the corners since we only had 25 minutes:) and we had already covered dovetails in other episodes. Personally I prefer the corners dovetailed. I actually made full-sized drawings of that same tool cabinet, along with an in-depth video series of the build, in which I show both the dovetailed and the rabbet corner options. If you have any interest in checking those out, or other projects from that season, you can find them on our website epicwoodworking.com. Thanks again, Tom
Tom, I just discovered your channel. My special tool is also a number 7 Stanley that belonged to my brother's father-in-law. He also was a great craftsman and a cherished family friend. He was also a minister and did my mother's funeral. The No. 7 is from the early 30s and is still in great shape. My maternal grandfather made picture frames entirely with hand tools from osage orange. I don't have any of his tools. I wish I did. He died just a couple months before my 8th birthday. Good job on your video.
Thank you Harold! Your name looks familiar to me but my guess is it’s u likely we’ve crossed paths before now. Great to hear about your experiences with your relatives too. I don’t use my no. 7 very often but I think if my grandfather every time I do. Thanks for connecting and watching! 👍😎
Today my Son in Law was leveling a spot in the back yard and having a time of it. I handed him a high quality string level, metal not plastic that was given to me by my Dad 60 years ago. It is older than me by several years but when I was 10 years old it meant a lot to me, I still have it in the original container with the tape my Dad put on it to keep it together. It is in a special place in my tool box. I am 70 now, it will go to which ever son or son in law that will cherish it as much as I do. I really am pleased to find your chanel, I watched you on Rough cut and liked what you did there. Keep up the Great work, Please.
Richard Madsen Thank you for taking the time to tell me that story Richard. There is something special about those objects that connect us to special relationships...that really matter. It means a lot to hear you enjoy what I'm doing, Thank you, hope to cross paths some time! Tom
Great story, and legacy. I believe I'm the first in my paternal family line that did woodwork. I hope my tools will be in my children's children's stories. I do have epic tools from unknown makers, and I can almost feel their spirt as I use their tools. I love tool stories, even when I have to imagine them.
What a great story Tom. I happen to own a HydroElectric power plant located on the site of a former tannery mill on Lawrence Street in Lowell. My son (who now owns and operates the plant) is proud of noting that his maternal great grandfather worked in the mill and walked across the granite threshold that is all that remains. Could be the same mill? I own my maternal grandfathers work bench kept in a position of honor.
Jerry Olson That could be the same mill, although I never got much in the way of details about that dark day for my mothers family. It was never really talked about, and I only learned more detail from visiting the Lowell city library some thirty five years ago and going through the Lowell Sun newspapers after my uncle mentioned the date and I realized I might be able to learn more about it going through the microfiche...old school! A coincidence you ask, because just two days ago I mentioned to my wife I had discovered the Lowell sun is now archived on line and I could go back and read about it again...he was killed on April 24, 1957, so the story was front page on the 25th and following days. I think that's where I picked up it happened in a Lawrence st tannery. I know someone now who has connections to the Lowell Police Dept and could get me in there to see the files...but I haven't been able to bring myself to do that yet. I guess that means I would rather focus on how he lived. I'm glad I have his plane to remind me. Thanks for getting in touch. If I discover that might be the site, I may make a point to come by sometime. My Best, Tom
Hi Tom, I didn't realise that the video on the other channel was pirated until after I subscribe to that channel, then I googled you to find your channel and subscribe to the Real Tom. 😄📐🔨 Gary
Gary Thomson Joinery Yes, that was pretty weird to see one of my videos on someone else's channel, first time for that! It's hard for me to understand how someone can pretend to be someone else...not counting Hollywood types of course:) Thanks for tracking me down, glad you enjoyed the video! Tom
Hey Tom, I’m just getting into woodworking and my dad recently gave me his grandfathers Sargent 409. I never knew my great grandfather and am realizing I know very little about him. I’ll have to ask my dad more questions about the previous owner of this great smoothing plane. Thanks for sharing, I’m really enjoying your content. Greg
Thanks Greg! Yes, I found it funny how I never hear too much more from my family than I shared about my grandfather’s plane. But I love the connection to the past and heritage of things passed down. Thanks for watching 👍. Tom
Like your grandfather, I never really knew my father. Long story short, I turned into the same personality type as him. I don't want to talk about this much but he left his four children shortly after I was born. I was the last and final chapter. Now I'm an orphan standing here with my tools and trying to get my hobby up and going again. Sort of lost since March 2019 when our Mom passed on and now this pandemic is just another setback. One day I will get back to creating useful things but I just don't have the energy right now. Sorry for being a Debbie Downer.
Wow, thanks for sharing that. My heart goes out to you. There’s something unexplainable about the feeling of loss, a kind of grief connected with broken dreams. But thankfully the sun rises again on a new day eventually. It took me a good while to move ahead after losing some special people in my life in the last nine years, my parents, my brother, and a best friend. But the brighter light always comes on when I meditate and repeat to myself the people and things I’m thankful for. And there is something about the simple creativity in the shop, making something beautiful out of a rough piece of wood, that brings me hope and joy as well. It’s a gift to be able to make and give something of ourselves that someone else will find joy in. I hope you can get connected with a creative community, or the one we have here on our Epic Woodworking live-streams. I know just through your sharing this you have a lot to offer. Thanks again, Tom
Great story. I also have many of my fathers tools. They are treasures to me mostly because I think of him each and every time I use them. Mainly because I remember the many projects he made with them. I feel inspired and strive to be a better Craftsman when I use them. They help keep his memories alive and the tradition going
Wow. Didn’t expect such a story!! Thank you so very much. I’m now organizing and building out my new tiny studio-workshop-bedroom in an urban apartment. I’ve several of my dad’s tools and knives that will be in my soon to be built cabinet by me and my 12 yr old son.
Love your videos Tom. My Grandfather was a machinist and an talented woodworker. I have quite a collection of his old tools but probably the coolest are an old Disston backsaw and a Barber and Genn dovetail saw (Plus an old Apex saw set pliers). Both date from the early to mid 1800's and could not cut nicer. I did not get the saws until after his death so not sure if they have been in our family since they were made but I like to think that I may be the 5th or 6th generation to have their hands on these saws. BTW. I live in Weare NH so it is nice to see some local talent producing great videos. Thanks.
Brendon Beaulieu Those sound like awesome tools Brendon, I love those old dovetail saws too...and how much better for you they have stayed in the family so long! So glad you enjoy the videos, I'll keep making them! Come on by the shop if you're ever in the area. Thank you! Tom
I have tools from my Dad that I treasure. I have given most of them to my little brother because he is his only biological son. I spent a lot of time with my Step Father who was a contractor. I learned how to build all sorts of things as I worked along side of him. I appreciate you chanel. I am a retired Automotive Service Manager and am doing my best to learn how to make furniture. I learn from people like you most of the things I need to grow in my hobby. Thanks Tom.
Richard Madsen Thanks Richard! I'm glad to hear you are enjoying it, hope I can help you out with your hobby this year as I ramp up making a lot more video. Funny, recently I have a new hobby of doing some of my own auto repair...complete brake jobs, plugs and wires on my Astro van. I learn from videos on that stuff...you could probably teach me a lot! That's great that you enjoyed and passed along your step fathers tools!
Yeah, I agree...it’s nice to have personal family history related objects about the shop, as well as a few old traditional hand tools here and there. Thank you! 👍😎
my father was cleaning out his basement a few years back when I first started Woodworking and he found a 4 pc set of chisels that have the name T.H. Weatherby and come to find out they were his father's. grand father's 2 of them dating back to 1892 .and the other 2 1902 theyre in good condition for being that old and keep an edge for a very long time. 1/4",3/8" 1"&1.25" have a good one and thats too bad ur grandfathers life was robbed from him so soon.
Epic Woodworking definitely is..i look at some of the furniture that was built back then and think "how "..lol im really into shaker style furniture.something about it. Its looks so simple but some of the techniques are pretty complex..
