Tool Making for Restoration Work

“Antique restoration can sometimes require a little ingenuity,” writes guest blogger David Merrill of Creative Wood Work.  Especially when you need to make the right tool for the job yourself.

When repairing the edge molding on an old dresser drawer, it became evident that the best course of action would be to fabricate a new piece. The photo below shows that an earlier repair attempt with a can of putty would not make the grade.

an earlier repair

After searching for the perfect router bit or combination of bits to duplicate the molding, I soon realized I would be better off making a scraper plane.  I had saved some steel strapping for such an occasion.  Mild steel is good for making simple tools like putty knives and scrapers.

making a scraper plane

After removing the old piece of molding, I cut off one end at ninety degrees in order to trace the profile on some cardboard for a pattern.  After transferring the pattern to the strap metal, I finished the bulk removal and shaping on a bench grinder with a small die grinder with diamond coated bits.

I made the body of the plane with some scrap poplar and a bolt with a wing nut.  It took a little adjusting and a shim before the scraper plane decided to work the way I had hoped.

some scrap poplar and a bolt with a wing nut

With a scrap of walnut clamped in the vice, shaping the profile didn’t take long.  Though it is not clear in the photo to the left, I ended up layering a smaller strip of walnut to the top edge to accomplish the profile with less scraping.

the result

I was pleased with the result and once again reminded of the fact that it takes a few tools to make a tool.

Browse CustomMade’s galleries to see examples of our artisans’ restoration work.