vintage tools

Old crusty tools, spraypainted gold and suspended in the glow of bulbs was the result of a weekend office window makeover, after brainstorming with old college pal partner in crime Randy Kaufman in from Boston.  He came up with clever but simple ideas to amp up the windows that had gotten dusty in the past months.  This involved urban foraging for supplies at the local junk shops and thrift stores – I’m easy when it comes to dropping everything to go pickin. We dug through to find a good selection of things, made a mess and got yelled at by the proprietor (just like old times!?) and took off with our finds.  Although the tools each had a unique, time-worn patina, we opted to lightly color them into uniformity. The toolboxes were a little harder to find and not as cheap as I expected for plywood junk, but I grabbed them and coated them gold. We spent the day racing around town for supplies, then dividing the items per window, hanging them with fishing line and building the central piece to each window: Edison bulb light fixtures made simply of dual-socket-adapters, which we expanded to (6) bulbs each. There’s really no limit – you could grow this thing to a really beautiful, asymmetrical fixture over your dining room table! We were happy with the results, minimal, sculptural, warm. The lights are on timers so they click on just at dusk and off before midnight. I’m enjoying collaborating to make these window displays something interesting – a fun diversion from the daily grind.  I’m sure it’s confusing to passersby as to what we have to offer but there’s only one way to find out!

a man i never met (grandparents, part 1)

 

My grandfather was a carpenter, and many of his now-vintage tools are still stocked away in my parents’ garage.  I dug through them last winter and photographed some – see them here.  The man passed away in 1973, and although I didn’t meet him I have to wonder what traits were passed down – general interest in design / carpentry / furniture? Gardener, witty and a had a sweet tooth? He made his living doing odd-jobs of cabinetry, furniture, some larger framed projects over the years.  His name was as big as the figure he appears to be in the photo – Theodore Roosevelt McElroy – born just after the president left office. These old family tools of the trade deserve a spotlight in a time when there is a renewed interest in makers, things handhewn, made in America. I find them inspiring and a reminder to continue to DO stuff with my hands. (I’m using my hands to blog, right now)  Among the items are a number of hand-made wooden toolboxes, many of them long to accommodate longer saws. Now one of them has a horseshoe in it… I can imagine these time-worn antiques being snatched up by homemakers and designers, hung on walls and stuffed with succulents or tchotchkes. I just gave myself a good idea! (we recently installed old tools / toolboxes in the office windows – post coming soon)He even made the boxes that the drill bits and chisels would be stored in.  I wonder if he had to use the bits to … store the bits? I’ve seen some of these things pop up in clothing store displays such as the wood folding ruler.  Because if you buy that flannel shirt you’ll feel capable of swinging an axe : ) Nice carved saw handles…I photographed everything on the concrete floor of my parents’ garage in December…freezing.One of his projects was to convert a former barn into this cozy home for his own family of 6. (Dad tells us how he had to help excavate the basement, with shovels – or was it spoons?) The garage and a bedroom were added later.  We spent many holidays here over the years. It really was an ode to Americana. Note the M on the chimney. Ok not everything here was used for carpentry but it’s some cool stuff. Here are some old photos of him again below, looking both casual and dapper. He’s standing in front of a fieldstone barbecue he built. I like to think there’s some of that woodworking/make/do/stuff of him in me, even if it’s currently manifested as architecture with occasional weekend forays into dead furniture revivals…and yes, I have a few sweet tooths.