This will be closer look at some of the signs in and around the shop.
This is of course is the original yard sign that was outside the shop. On the very top of the post there used to be a small single cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine. As a kid I always thought that was really cool to have an actual engine sitting on that sign.
It had a large hand saw as the top sign, complete with wood handle which has now disappeared. The top sign says "SAWS FILED", below that "CHAIN SAWS SHARPENED" and "LAWNMOWER". Then on the bottom panel, now rusted away, it use to say "radiators repaired, plow shares rebuilt"
It's still in it's original spot. I won't restore it because I don't want people stopping by to get work done. Haven't really decided what will become of it. It will stay in some form, with the hand saw on top at least. I'm trying to find a family photo of it when it was still readable and had the engine on it, from the 50's or 60's. I'm confident I can find one and will post it.
I found this buried amongst everything, in the office I think?
The lettering was never finished and the sign never mounted. I'd never seen it before. I will hang it as is, somewhere in the shop.
As mentioned in an earlier post, one of the son's did radio repair on the property, "out back" in a trailer. He repaired mostly car radio's but not always. This is the sign pointing the way to his repair facility in the back. I don't know how it got broken, this is "as found".
You have seen this one enough times in old and new pictures. It's been hanging guard over the lift now for close to a half century. Signs similar to this must have been seen in shops all across the country.
It turns out I found a second identical sign to this one. It went to one of the sons. All these signs on the property BTW were hand painted, a now lost art.
Another one found buried. This one was painted on wood like the radio repair sign, the others were metal.
On the bottom of these you can seen "Johnson Welding & Repair Service". The phone number is only 4 numbers long.
Envelopes on the right and post cards on the left. On the bottom right, turned over, the post cards are advertising radiator repair in the shop and the new key machine Mr Johnson had just purchased, urging a second set of keys be made for all locks. All were pre stamped with 2 cent stamp postage and addressed to blank R.R.# ( Rural Route #'s). That meant they were going to address and mail them to farmers since they were the only one's with R.R. mailing addresses.
In the back, middle, near the top you can see the yellow board that held key blanks and the yellow sign that says "KEYS MADE". This is the key machine and display that was mentioned in the post card, 50 years previously. I was going to keep it, but a son decided he wanted it and came back later for it.
They even had pencils with the shop name and address on them. Phone number by then was OV-4-4725. The pencils also had "Briggs Stratton & Clinton Engines" written on them.
I've gotten a few, better pictures of early in the tool shed and will get them posted shortly..........
Thomas
This is of course is the original yard sign that was outside the shop. On the very top of the post there used to be a small single cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine. As a kid I always thought that was really cool to have an actual engine sitting on that sign.
It had a large hand saw as the top sign, complete with wood handle which has now disappeared. The top sign says "SAWS FILED", below that "CHAIN SAWS SHARPENED" and "LAWNMOWER". Then on the bottom panel, now rusted away, it use to say "radiators repaired, plow shares rebuilt"
It's still in it's original spot. I won't restore it because I don't want people stopping by to get work done. Haven't really decided what will become of it. It will stay in some form, with the hand saw on top at least. I'm trying to find a family photo of it when it was still readable and had the engine on it, from the 50's or 60's. I'm confident I can find one and will post it.
I found this buried amongst everything, in the office I think?
The lettering was never finished and the sign never mounted. I'd never seen it before. I will hang it as is, somewhere in the shop.
As mentioned in an earlier post, one of the son's did radio repair on the property, "out back" in a trailer. He repaired mostly car radio's but not always. This is the sign pointing the way to his repair facility in the back. I don't know how it got broken, this is "as found".
You have seen this one enough times in old and new pictures. It's been hanging guard over the lift now for close to a half century. Signs similar to this must have been seen in shops all across the country.
It turns out I found a second identical sign to this one. It went to one of the sons. All these signs on the property BTW were hand painted, a now lost art.
Another one found buried. This one was painted on wood like the radio repair sign, the others were metal.
On the bottom of these you can seen "Johnson Welding & Repair Service". The phone number is only 4 numbers long.
Envelopes on the right and post cards on the left. On the bottom right, turned over, the post cards are advertising radiator repair in the shop and the new key machine Mr Johnson had just purchased, urging a second set of keys be made for all locks. All were pre stamped with 2 cent stamp postage and addressed to blank R.R.# ( Rural Route #'s). That meant they were going to address and mail them to farmers since they were the only one's with R.R. mailing addresses.
In the back, middle, near the top you can see the yellow board that held key blanks and the yellow sign that says "KEYS MADE". This is the key machine and display that was mentioned in the post card, 50 years previously. I was going to keep it, but a son decided he wanted it and came back later for it.
They even had pencils with the shop name and address on them. Phone number by then was OV-4-4725. The pencils also had "Briggs Stratton & Clinton Engines" written on them.
I've gotten a few, better pictures of early in the tool shed and will get them posted shortly..........
Thomas
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After all it's the journey, not the destination. You'll find this thread seems to move around a little from topic to topic, but never a dull moment here unless I'm gone flying! 
today. Congratulations on that and many thanks for your contribution and being a part of the group here on this thread. In your honor, because you have reached such a lofty age I will now post.............
, life isn't worth a hoot!
