Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Grumblebum]

Bob, you will like the Bacho files, I have some Nicholson ones also but would prefer to have gotten more Bacho ones instead. All my handsaws are Bacho, but I need to learn to sharpen them instead of just buying another one when one dulls.

Looks like they are owned now by a larger European company now also mixed up with snap-on, but any of their tools I've ever had have been pretty decent products.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahco

Cheers GB

 

[Terrick down Under]

Sharpening a hand saw is just like sharpening a drill bit. You can't wait to use it and watch it just effortlessly cut the material with no squeeling or blue smoke.
Enjoy!

 

[hewey]

Nice resto work on the saw.

 

[Bob Heine]

Just never use your saw file for anything except filing saws. And ten files will last you about 682 years, depending on how often you file your saw. So far the frequency is manageable.

Andy, the first file arrived today (along with a pair of silver ink Sharpies). It's amazing how sharp it is. I can feel the edges on the teeth and I'm pretty sure they'll remove my fingerprints in short order. I think I'm OK with this one and the slightly larger one scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Hopefully I can put a handle on the files and mark them "Saw Only" so I don't forget. Wonder what my kids or grandkids will think it's for when I'm gone.

Bob, you will like the Bacho files, I have some Nicholson ones also but would prefer to have gotten more Bacho ones instead. All my handsaws are Bacho, but I need to learn to sharpen them instead of just buying another one when one dulls.

Looks like they are owned now by a larger European company now also mixed up with snap-on, but any of their tools I've ever had have been pretty decent products.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahco

Cheers GB

Rod, thanks for stopping by and thanks for the information on Bahco. If I ever heard of the company before, it didn't make a memorable impression. I think I need to get out more often.

Sharpening a hand saw is just like sharpening a drill bit. You can't wait to use it and watch it just effortlessly cut the material with no squeeling or blue smoke.
Enjoy!

Terrick, thanks for that reminder. I have some scrap wood that needs to be thrown out but I have to cut it in pieces and bag it or the Sanitation Department won't take it. I'm going to enjoy using the hand saw. A few months ago I bought a Drill Doctor bit sharpener. Had a weird one years ago that you used a drill to operate. It was so ungainly and hard to use that I just gave up. There's a whole bin full of dull drill bits that may make it to my short to-do list (the long list was balled up and thrown away).

Nice resto work on the saw.

Hewey, thanks for that. I was over on your thread and was reminded of how old I am. When I lived in Australia (1989-91) those women you showed and mentioned were not household names and barely out of secondary school. My oldest grandchildren are now in their mid-20s and none of them were born when we lived down under. Old or not, I'm just lovin' it.

 

[Bob Heine]

My wife came out to the garage and asked to see The Saw. I was a bit surprised but she touched the teeth and said "Did you sharpen this?" and when I told her I had, she said I should hang it on the short wall above the garage workbench. I ran down to the workshop without saying anything and realized I was being very rude. I found what I wanted and quickly returned to thank her for the idea.

I grabbed a dowel from the wood scrap bucket that already had a small hole in it. I figured I could screw pieces of the dowel to the studs and that way the blade would be resting on wood rather than a metal screw. I have no idea what the dowel belonged to but drilled a 3/16" hole down the middle.

I wanted the dowel for the handle to be indented slightly and the dowel for the blade to have a slot in it. Cut off a 5" piece and chucked into the drill press. A half-round file made the groove and a back-saw made the cut marks and notch for the blade.

Countersunk the hole on the end of the dowel, cut the first piece off and countersunk the end of the second piece before cutting that off. Screwed the handle dowel into the wall, leveled the saw and screwed the blade dowel into the next stud (stud beyond that one would have been past the end of the saw.

I like the saw in it's new place of honor. I'll put another coat of Tung Oil on the handle and do the two dowels at the same time.

 

[ajohno]

Looks like it's in a great spot Bob. Looks great with the light on it.

 

[Joe-R]

Hi Bob,

Your wife is a sweetheart! Does she read this thread or did you just mention the saw resto to her? I love the new saw display and I think the history on it is very cool!!!

Joe

 

[oldironfarmer]

Great job on hanging up THE SAW!!

It is quite the famous artifact.

"Hopefully I can put a handle on the files and mark them "Saw Only" so I don't forget. Wonder what my kids or grandkids will think it's for when I'm gone."

If your grandkids are like a lot of kids today, "Saw Only" would mean "just to look at"

The best thing to do would be to give each of your grandkids a saw sharpening lesson. That would forever seal your fate as a crazy old man!! Maybe that would be unnecessary to prove the point, however.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Nice job Bob and a great memory. My grandmother was responsible for keeping me out of the chair so hears to grandmothers too. Attach a touch pad to the saw and tell your grandkids the one who can figure out how it works after you are gone gets to keep it. Don't let them touch it before.

 

[Bob Heine]

Looks like it's in a great spot Bob. Looks great with the light on it.

Thank you Aaron and thanks for visiting and commenting.

That is paradise!

Nadynn, thank you and I have to agree but I'm obviously biased.

Hi Bob,

Your wife is a sweetheart! Does she read this thread or did you just mention the saw resto to her? I love the new saw display and I think the history on it is very cool!!!

Joe

Joe, I was working on the saw in the garage and she asked what I was doing. She didn't remember the saw episode but when I mentioned the S&H green stamps a light went off. Her goal in life is to be the last human alive who hasn't cruised the internet or placed a call on a smart phone.

Great job on hanging up THE SAW!!

It is quite the famous artifact.

"Hopefully I can put a handle on the files and mark them "Saw Only" so I don't forget. Wonder what my kids or grandkids will think it's for when I'm gone."

If your grandkids are like a lot of kids today, "Saw Only" would mean "just to look at"

The best thing to do would be to give each of your grandkids a saw sharpening lesson. That would forever seal your fate as a crazy old man!! Maybe that would be unnecessary to prove the point, however.

Andy, thank you for that and your bit sharpening video gave me an idea. I have to check my supply of Hi8 Video Cassettes but maybe I can make a saw sharpening video for them. To be played at my memorial service (I'm not giving them any excuses to meet Nurse Ratched).

Nice job Bob and a great memory. My grandmother was responsible for keeping me out of the chair so hears to grandmothers too. Attach a touch pad to the saw and tell your grandkids the one who can figure out how it works after you are gone gets to keep it. Don't let them touch it before.

Bobby, we think an awful lot alike. You should be worried.

 

[don long]

hi Bob
I haven't checked in in a while (too far back to catch up)
I have discovered about 9 or 10 vintage hand saws and I've been thinking of what to do with them.
I'll track back to find where you started with yours and perhaps I can learn how to sharpen them and then clean them up and find a cool place to display them.

Thanks for the help.
It's nice to see a shot of your dream garage. Now show us what you have in mind for it.

 

[Bob Heine]

hi Bob
I haven't checked in in a while (too far back to catch up)
I have discovered about 9 or 10 vintage hand saws and I've been thinking of what to do with them.
I'll track back to find where you started with yours and perhaps I can learn how to sharpen them and then clean them up and find a cool place to display them.

Thanks for the help.
It's nice to see a shot of your dream garage. Now show us what you have in mind for it.

Hi Don, really nice of you to stop by especially considering how busy you've been with the garden and bantam porto power.

Rather than back track on my thread, I highly recommend spending a few minutes (or hours) watching Paul Sellers' YouTube videos on the subject. He spends a lot of time explaining what he's doing and at the end of the second or third one I had to go in the shop and try it myself.

The blades I have are not the cross-cut type I thought they were. The cutting edge on the teeth are simple 90-degree faces that don't require any fancy angle filing. Then again, he shows that even those aren't that hard to sharpen. It was the best payback I've gotten for a half-hour's effort in a long time.

At risk of losing you to your woodworking shop, here's Paul's videos on hand saws (try not to look further -- it's very dangerous).
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqyeNiM0BJuUxO2ljEAiFSNvT07FixkB2

 

[sawduststeve]

Evening Bob,
I read a lot but don't say much, however I have on my works van my late fathers Disston saw, I used it as his apprentice in the early 80's on site, he retired in 92ish and it's been on every works van i've had ever since. It's not been used for fifteen/twenty years as it's cheaper to buy a saw than it is to sharpen one, although I now intend to sharpen this one, thanks for the enthusiasm to do it.

Great thread btw, thanks for posting.
Regards
Steve

 

[Bob Heine]

It's nice to see a shot of your dream garage. Now show us what you have in mind for it.

Don, when i bought the house in 1996 from the original owner, the garage was bare with a sink and one cabinet above. It never occurred to me anyone else cared about fixing up their garage so I didn't take any pictures. Started off by filling the back wall with kitchen cabinets and house overflow (no basement like most Florida homes).

My original plans got a little sidetracked in 2000 with structural repairs to the truss-bearing walls that subterranean termites found delicious. In a way it helped because the repairs meant R-13 in the walls, R-19 in the ceiling and new 5/8 drywall.

In September 2002 the local newspaper (Palm Beach Post) had a "Great Garage" contest and I decided to enter mine. Wrote a letter and was surprised a few weeks later when a photographer from the paper called to come and take pictures. Didn't win but was one of the 4 runner-ups. The reporter didn't come with the photographer because they used my letter for the story.

The prize for the runners-up was a $50 gift certificate to Griot's Garage. I spent my $50 on a rolling seat to floss the wheels while sitting down. After 13 years the casters began to disintegrate so I had to buy a set. It's very handy for saving my back.

 

[Bob Heine]

Evening Bob,
I read a lot but don't say much, however I have on my works van my late fathers Disston saw, I used it as his apprentice in the early 80's on site, he retired in 92ish and it's been on every works van i've had ever since. It's not been used for fifteen/twenty years as it's cheaper to buy a saw than it is to sharpen one, although I now intend to sharpen this one, thanks for the enthusiasm to do it.

Great thread btw, thanks for posting.
Regards
Steve

Steve, thank you so much for posting your story. Your Disston surely makes you smile every time you see it. The little things like that make the connection and help us remember. I bet it was tough working with your father at first but also made you who you are today. I sharpened the 'new' saw today and it will be my go-to saw in the shop but it won't be a reminder of my ancestry every time I go in the garage.

I noticed your location and for some reason it rang a bell. Back in 1998 we took a Scandanavia/Russia cruise that left from Harwich. Our flight landed in Heathrow and we drove to Needham Market to stay in the 16th century Limes hotel (our room had one of the reinforcing rods going from the front masonry to the rear masonry). I'm sure we drove right by Havering-atte-Bower on our way. It's the kind of name that sticks with you.

 

[Coolabah]

Wow Bob ! I read that article and your first party in the shed was September 9, 2000 ? I suppose not a creepy coincidence , but on that day I arrived in Orlando Florida , from Australia , with my family to do all the Disneyworld type stuff. I'll just get into the Tardis , dial back to then and join you for a beer

oh, apropos of nothing - I bet that 1962 car of yours never had a single cavity ??

 

[oldironfarmer]

Bob! I've got a new Betamax tape you can make your saw recording on. Win-win, it gives the heirs a valid reason not to watch.

I know why they didn't send a reporter out to your garage. They didn't have anybody on staff who could write as well as you. Very good and very entertaining.

But I think it was in poor taste to hire a male model to stand in for you for the picture. Beautiful wife, however.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Thank you Aaron and thanks for visiting and commenting.

Nadynn, thank you and I have to agree but I'm obviously biased.

Joe, I was working on the saw in the garage and she asked what I was doing. She didn't remember the saw episode but when I mentioned the S&H green stamps a light went off. Her goal in life is to be the last human alive who hasn't cruised the internet or placed a call on a smart phone.

Andy, thank you for that and your bit sharpening video gave me an idea. I have to check my supply of Hi8 Video Cassettes but maybe I can make a saw sharpening video for them. To be played at my memorial service (I'm not giving them any excuses to meet Nurse Ratched).

Bobby, we think an awful lot alike. You should be worried.

Bob my biggest fear is that our wives will get together and compare stories and go out on a three week binge together to drown their sorrows while trying to figure out what they did wrong?

 

[sawduststeve]

Evening Bob,

Thanks for the reply and the kind words.
Heathrow to Harwich, it's highly possible you passed through or close to the London borough of Havering, in which we are situated, possibly no more than 5 miles away.
It's a small world.

Regards
Steve.

 

[xtremek]

Bob my biggest fear is that our wives will get together and compare stories and go out on a three week binge together to drown their sorrows while trying to figure out what they did wrong?

Preach that. Do you keep your wife under the influence? Either that, or I'm guessing she married you for your wit. Seriously, you two make a good looking couple.

 

[Bob Heine]

Wow Bob ! I read that article and your first party in the shed was September 9, 2000 ? I suppose not a creepy coincidence , but on that day I arrived in Orlando Florida , from Australia , with my family to do all the Disneyworld type stuff. I'll just get into the Tardis , dial back to then and join you for a beer

oh, apropos of nothing - I bet that 1962 car of yours never had a single cavity ??

Coolabah, we may have crossed paths before that. In November 1990 my mother came to visit us in Australia. I drove the three of us down the Hume Highway to Melbourne, took the ferry to Tasmania and returned to Sydney via the Prince's Highway. We didn't stop in Moruya but we did drive through. We stopped for the night in Eden and I wrote about the stay in The Manly Misfits Monthly (newsletter for our family and friends back in the states):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...The Motel of Eden
At about the halfway point [Melbourne-Sydney] ]the trio stopped in Eden. This had been a whaling station until the 1950s. At one time it had even been a contender for the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra won out). Once again the Flag Motel chain came through. The motel was clean and had two bedrooms and a full bath. The owners were extremely friendly and had just taken over the place about four months before. They had two locally-written histories of the town documented with photographs. One of the books described a pod of Killer Whales that used to help the local whalers. The Killers would harass a baleen, gray or humpback whale and force it into the harbor at Eden. Once in the harbor, the whalers would row out to the whale and harpoon it. The whale would sink to the bottom of this very deep harbor and the Killers would feast on its lips and tongue. A day or so later the corpse would float to the surface and the whalers would tow it ashore and strip it. The last member of the pod of Killer Whales died in 1962.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The car we had in 1962 was a 1955 Plymouth Belvedere. I thought Belvedere sounded a bit French so I painted its name "Le Cochon" on the front fender (names on fenders back then were like tattoos are today -- everyone had them). Means "The Pig", in French. Aside from the bent valves, it had a bad case of blow-by (broken rings) and used more oil than gas. Also had cancer but I brushed a coat of black enamel over the Aqua/Rust part of the 2-tone paint. Converted the 2-speed auto to a 3-speed manual with a very weird floor shift (wife was pregnant so the stick shift all-thread rod was 3-feet tall). But you are right, it didn't have cavities.

Bob! I've got a new Betamax tape you can make your saw recording on. Win-win, it gives the heirs a valid reason not to watch.

I know why they didn't send a reporter out to your garage. They didn't have anybody on staff who could write as well as you. Very good and very entertaining.

But I think it was in poor taste to hire a male model to stand in for you for the picture. Beautiful wife, however.

Andy, the Betamax is probably the only road less taken that I missed.

You are too kind -- my writing is a cover for my disorganized mind. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I pull that cardboard cutout out of the closet whenever a camera shows up. The beautiful redhead that took pity on me deserves nothing less.

Bob my biggest fear is that our wives will get together and compare stories and go out on a three week binge together to drown their sorrows while trying to figure out what they did wrong?

Bobby, I tell my wife everyone else on the GJ is single. Please do the same for all our sake.

Evening Bob,

Thanks for the reply and the kind words.
Heathrow to Harwich, it's highly possible you passed through or close to the London borough of Havering, in which we are situated, possibly no more than 5 miles away.
It's a small world.

Regards
Steve.

Steve, my reply to Coolabah certainly confirms that.

Preach that. Do you keep your wife under the influence? Either that, or I'm guessing she married you for your wit. Seriously, you two make a good looking couple.

Kirk, she's on a fair bit of medication these days and as I recall she was laughing so hard at something stupid I did or said I just assumed it meant yes. When the priest said .."Death do your part"... she stopped laughing.

When she dresses me up, it's not so bad.

 

[hewey]

Saw looks great on the wall, nice job.

 

[Lyndon]

Bob

Gee I'm glad I mentioned a Disston saw - started 2 pages of following on your thread

But you did do a great job of it, and the mounting was superb! Gee I wish I had 6 Saturdays a week (and a vacant spot like that to mount it)....


. . . . . And a wife who didn't get scared if I was out of her sight for more than 30 minutes at a time. The number of times she has snuck up behind me, and into my poor deaf ear gone "Watcha Doin'?", resulting in me jumping about 5 feet in the air and 6 feet sideways, dropping whatever I was doing onto the floor - well I'd be retired and rich if I had $5 for every time .

Your little train adventure was a long time ago, but my misadventure with the big C was only recent, and she just doesn't trust me by myself (I suspect).

So keep up the good work. And I'll be blown over if I can find Saw Files anywhere down here - looks like Amazon it is.....

Lyndon
Didn't think I was looking did ya?

 

[dchance]

Bob
I am enjoying the thread and information. Thanks for the link to saw sharpening.

Dwight

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob

Gee I'm glad I mentioned a Disston saw - started 2 pages of following on your thread

But you did do a great job of it, and the mounting was superb! Gee I wish I had 6 Saturdays a week (and a vacant spot like that to mount it)....


. . . . . And a wife who didn't get scared if I was out of her sight for more than 30 minutes at a time. The number of times she has snuck up behind me, and into my poor deaf ear gone "Watcha Doin'?", resulting in me jumping about 5 feet in the air and 6 feet sideways, dropping whatever I was doing onto the floor - well I'd be retired and rich if I had $5 for every time .

Your little train adventure was a long time ago, but my misadventure with the big C was only recent, and she just doesn't trust me by myself (I suspect).

So keep up the good work. And I'll be blown over if I can find Saw Files anywhere down here - looks like Amazon it is.....

Lyndon
Didn't think I was looking did ya?

Lyndon, beyond the saw, I believe you were one of the instigators of this thread. You have yourself to blame for this continuing silliness. I'm happy with the way the saw turned out. It's functional but shows a lot of use. I'm glad you like it and you're right about the extra Saturdays -- it helps a lot.

It has been more than 50 years and she still worries. Since 1985, every time I kiss her goodbye to go out of the house she says "You be careful out there among them English," which is a line from Witness.

The saw file is just a small triangle file as far as I can tell. I ended up buying a 4" and a 6". Now I need some recovery time -- I have several slices in my index finger, proof that the saws are sharp and that I'm not a quick learner.

Saw looks great on the wall, nice job.

Thank you Hewey.

Bob
I am enjoying the thread and information. Thanks for the link to saw sharpening.

Dwight

Dwight, thank you for following along and posting. It helps to know I'm not alone.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Always interesting to get cut by something you are sharpening. You just can't say "I didn't know it was sharp".

I need to take a look at the saw sharpening videos.

 

[Bob Heine]

Always interesting to get cut by something you are sharpening. You just can't say "I didn't know it was sharp".

I need to take a look at the saw sharpening videos.

Andy, I got sucked into sharpening the other three hand saws. As I reached for the hacksaw, I knew I had a problem. The Portaband, on the other hand....

 

[NedNorton]

Bob,

I just got caught up and, as always, the continuing story never ceases to bring a laugh and a smile. Great job on the saw restoration!

Cheers,
Chris

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy, I got sucked into sharpening the other three hand saws. As I reached for the hacksaw, I knew I had a problem. The Portaband, on the other hand....

Oh my! You only now have recognized you have a problem?

You may need a smaller file for your hack saws. And a different saw set. I have several worn ones I'll send to you

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob,

I just got caught up and, as always, the continuing story never ceases to bring a laugh and a smile. Great job on the saw restoration!

Cheers,
Chris

Chris, thanks again for following along, it's always great to hear from you. I saw on your thread that you seem to be testing your limits lately, with the man-eating bell housing and a Mad Max imitator trying to take out your Norton.

To save space, I normally throw out the plastic cases tools come in. Opening a drawer and seeing a tool reminds me I have it (the plastic cases look alike). The exceptions are the cases that organize multi-part tools, like the Pertronix crimper I forgot I had. I did a horrible job of crimping some solder terminals that would have been no problem with the Pertronix. I tend to squeeze as much as possible into a drawer and this is my electrical crimp connector drawer. The Pertronix lives under the (free) HF multi-meter.

I seem to have collected more crimping tools than I really need but they help make repairs look and work better (I think).

Oh my! You only now have recognized you have a problem?

You may need a smaller file for your hack saws. And a different saw set. I have several worn ones I'll send to you

Andy, I recognize many of my problems but at my age you would think I'd know how to avoid adding new ones.

Please feel free to send me your worn hack saw blades. I have a collection of toothless blades in a drawer and it would be nice to have some that are just 'worn'.

 

[bj383ss]

Bob you keep toothless hacksaw blades. That is funny ^&%$ right there. Ha

The next time I get ready to toss one I will think now Bob would save this.

Bret

 

[oldironfarmer]

I'm thinking Bob should get all our old hacksaw blades.

He could have quite a collection

 

[taumac]

Bob, that's awesome

 

[oldironfarmer]

"Bobby, I tell my wife everyone else on the GJ is single. Please do the same for all our sake."

I mentioned to my wife that everyone else on GJ is single, and she observed that they weren't single when they started spending every waking moment glued to their computer...

 

[Grumblebum]

"Bobby, I tell my wife everyone else on the GJ is single. Please do the same for all our sake."

I mentioned to my wife that everyone else on GJ is single, and she observed that they weren't single when they started spending every waking moment glued to their computer...

We know that can't be true, if we all did that then none of us would be doing anything for others to be glued about.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob you keep toothless hacksaw blades. That is funny ^&%$ right there. Ha

The next time I get ready to toss one I will think now Bob would save this.

Bret

Bret, it's worse. I keep saw blades that don't fit my new jigsaw as well as rusty and nasty reciprocating saw blades.

I'm thinking Bob should get all our old hacksaw blades.

He could have quite a collection

Andy, "collection" is such a kind term for a hoard. I just checked my hoard and took a picture...

That chainsaw file on the left has never been used but I'm getting a little twitchy to check out some YouTube videos. Next to the file is my collection of coping saw blades (some of them are a bit rusty but have not been used -- I snap them before they get dull). Then there's my new frameless hacksaw with my last new blade. A collection of jigsaw blades that don't fit the new jigsaw I bought a few years ago. I even have a bubble card full of that style new blades (maybe I should buy an old-style jigsaw so they don't go to waste). The hacksaw blade collection includes a piece of blade too small for anything (I'm thinking of throwing it out). My reciprocating saw blade collection is embarrassing. I broke my last new blade on a project a few decades ago and vowed "Never Again" so it's gotten a little out of hand. The stack of blades on the right are well-used and rusty. I keep them for those tree stump projects where I'm cutting in the dirt, including metal-cutting blades for sprinkler repairs (like Ric was doing recently).

GirlnAgarage introduced me to the small Ridgid Fuego one-hand reciprocating saw. I wore it out and replaced it with the Lowe's version last year. I have a really old Makita reciprocating saw but it's big and bulky and only slightly more powerful than the little one.

Bob, that's awesome

Gerard, thank you but it's just a sad photo if my wife wasn't in it.

"Bobby, I tell my wife everyone else on the GJ is single. Please do the same for all our sake."

I mentioned to my wife that everyone else on GJ is single, and she observed that they weren't single when they started spending every waking moment glued to their computer...

Andy, this is a very sad but true state of affairs. I spend so much time on here it's possible my wife has left me and I just haven't noticed.

We know that can't be true, if we all did that then none of us would be doing anything for others to be glued about.

Rod, I'm assuming you've made sure your wife is still with you....

 

[bj383ss]

Great pic Bob. I might have to go take a picture of what I have hoarded to compare, but I would end up having to go to the Hardware store to buy more to get close to yours. Although I do have about 50 Nicolson hacksaw blades that are brand new that my father in law gave me.

Bret

 

[shortykorte]

What's a hacksaw?

Must be one of those life hack things I've seen lately.

Used blades make great roll paper cutter.

 

[oldironfarmer]

GJ member: why is it so quiet in here?

Bob: did your wife leave you?

GJ member: you had me scared, it was just my hearing aid battery.

 

[oldironfarmer]

You've got some sharpening to do! Those are all reusable. Reciprocating saw blades make great knives.