Suggested Links

Axes

Yesteryears Tools — Tom Lamond's site concentrates on ax markings and labels

Bit braces

A Collection of Bit Braces — a site on the development of the the metallic bit brace maintained by Sandy Moss

Boring tools

Boring Tools — a guide to to some of the more interesting bevel-geared and Archimedean drills by the late Chuck Zitur

Chisels

• Buck Brothers — a history of Buck Brothers, the Massachusetts firm supplying quality chisels to generations of Americans, by Brian Welch
• T. H. Witherby — a history of Massachusetts-based edge tool maker T. H. Witherby by Brian Welch

Directories

• Galoot Central — far more than a directory, contains one the best sets of old tool links on the web
• Jim's Hand-tool Woodworking Links — Jim Boyett's excellent and easy-to-use directory for both collectors and woodworkers
• Tools Resources — Gourt.com directory of web-based antique tool resources

Discussion groups

• The Wood Central Message Boards — includes a message board focused on hand tools and traditional woodworking
• Old Tools FAQ — includes sign-up instructions for the oldtools list, a moderated e-mail discussion group of die-hard old tool enthusiasts

General

• The Davistown Museum Center for the Study of Early Tools — information and links to information on Maine and New England toolmakers
• Museum of Woodworking Tools — virtual exhibits include: American levels, English shoulder planes (1860-1938), iron side rabbet planes (1860-1938), Stanley combination planes, the planes of Cesar Chelor
• Museum of Our Industrial Heritage — a group dedicated to preserving the the artifacts and archival resources of the manufacturing industries of Franklin County, Massachusetts, home of the Millers Falls company, Goodell-Pratt, the Greenfield Tool Company, etc.

Geographic emphasis

Rhode Island Toolmakers — the title pretty much says it all, a nice site, with much info on early plane makers

Hand drills

George's Basement — features include type studies of the Millers Falls Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 5 hand drills.

Hand planes

• Auburn Metallic Plane Company — a link off Tom Price's Planes Patent Page
• Home of the Miller's Patent — Don Bosse's guide to the plow planes developed by Charles Miller for the Stanley Rule and Level Company
• Metal Router Type Study page — by Lars Larson, a study of manufacturing variations on hand-powered routing tools
• Millers Falls Type 1 Bench Planes — a study of Millers Falls' earliest bench planes by Tom Price
• Patrick's Blood & Gore — a comprehensive guide to Stanley planes
• Stanley Bed Rock Plane Type Study — Bob Kaune's classic study of manufacturing variations in Stanley Bed Rock planes

Measuring tools

Phil Cannon's measures.htm — a resource for the study of rules and measuring devices

Organizations

• M-WTCA: Mid-West Tool Collectors Association — dedicated to the study, preservation and collecting of old tools, it has grown into a nation-wide organization
• EAIA: Early American Industries Association — dedicated to the study of early tools and trades, more scholarly than the M-WTCA, with a nation-wide reach
• HandTool Preservation Society of Australia — dedicated to the preservation, study, documentation and understanding of handtools for collectors from "down under"
• CRAFTS (Collectors of Rare and Familiar Tools Society) of New Jersey — a knowledgeable and active group of old tool buffs
• PAST: Preserving Arts and Skills of the Trades — a West Coast organization for tool enthusiasts, founded in California
• Richmond Antique Tool Society— or RATS, a regional organization for the Richmond, Virginia, area
• Rocky Mountain Tool Collectors — a regional organization headquartered in Colorado
• Potomac Antique Tools and Industries Association — also known as PATINA, a regional organization based in the Washington, D.C. area
• ToolSwap USA — not really an organization, but tool information for southern California

Publishing

• Astragal Press -- now patnering with the Chester Book Company, Astragal Press is major source for of books on early tools and trades
• Old Tools Shop Internet Magazine — Wiktor Kuc has put together one of the best old tool sites on the web
• Toolemera Press — scans of old tool ephemera from Gary Roberts

Saws

• Disstonian Institute — an online reference to Disston saws
• The Life and Influence of Henry Disston — a "Profile in Tacony History" published by the Historical Society of Tacony, Pennsylvania
• The Hand Saws of Harvey Peace — Joshua Clark's site on the handsaws of Harvey Peace and the Vulcan Tool Works
• Simonds Homepage and History — the history and saws of the Simonds Saw Company of Fitchburg, Massachusetts by Brian Welch

Screwdrivers

Spiral Screwdriver Patents — Cliff Fales' listing of spiral screwdriver patents from 1868 through 1931 includes digitized versions of his periodical articles.

Wikis

WikiCatalog — has the potential to become the web's illustrated encyclopedia of old tools. No log in to search the images and descriptions

Woodworking machinery

Old Wood-Working Machines — information on old woodworking machines, hand-powered and electronic

Galoot pages

• Joe's Bucket-O-Rust— a web site full of user tools and a blog written by Joe Meyer
• Mark van Roojen's Woodworking Page — includes reprinted Ohio Tool Company catalogs and breast drill pages from a ca. 1926 Goodell-Pratt catalog
• Mortise and Tenon — Paul Morin's hobbyist page and woodworking blog
• My Creative Side — John Black's old tool and woodworking site. John started working wood in 9th grade
• The Norwegian Woodworker — woodworking from the perspective of the Norwegian-born, Joern Larson is handy with a wood lathe
• Peter McBride Antique and Old Tools — a jewelry maker and collector of old tools displays hand-crafted planes and collectible tools
• Pearce Woodworking — Dave Pearce's hobbyist page and woodworking blog. Dave's list of galoot sites is indexed by owner.
• The Workshop Pages — woodworker and stained glass craftsman Steve Longley's project and shop pages

This educational, non-profit site is not affiliated with the Millers Falls Company. All logos, names and trademarks are property of the owner. Copyright ©1996-2009 by Randy Roeder. All rights reserved.