Mid-West Tool Collectors Association Inquiry

[Joe A Faulkner]

I am not a tool collector, or I guess more accurately said, I do not collect tools to trade and sell. I guess I'm more like a tool consumer. My addiction is relatively mild, and I only acquire tools that I plan to use.

While looking at a handsaw on e-bay, and reading the seller's profile, he noted that he is a member of the WMTCA. I went to the MWTCA web site and noted they are having a regional meeting in Indiana in March, at a state park that is less than a 2 hour drive. It is a two day meeting.

I'd be curious to hear from any of you who have attended any of the MWTCA regional meetings, especially the Indiana meeting. I was only a little disappointed to see that the organizer of the Indiana meeting is not a member of the creek. Any insights into these meetings would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Zach Dillinger]

Absolutely go. I'm going to try to make it down for the Area F meet you are talking about. I'm one of the Directors of MWTCA for Area C (Michigan, Ontario). You will not find a better, or more knowledgeable, bunch of guys anywhere. I'm not much of a collector either, but I always find something that I "need". Lots of great tools at sometimes ridiculously cheap prices.

Zach

[Dan Hintz]

Any chapters in the D.C./Baltimore area? Of course, that would not longer be "midwest", but I had to ask...

[Mark Dorman]

For Dan
Area P (DE, MD, NJ, PA, WV)
Jan 21, 2012, York, PA Don Stark, (717) 367-5207
Jun 30, 2012, Adamstown, PA Don Stark, (717) 367-5207
Aug 26, 2012, Adamstown, PA Don Stark, (717) 367-5207

[Jay Maiers]

Good to know. I was considering going to the meet in Madison Georgia (Area M), Feb 2-4. I have no idea what to expect, but it sounds like I ought to go.

[Bruce Haugen]

The MWTCA is a national organization. You need to join to attend the meetings and participate in the tool swaps, which you can do at the meeting. I live in MN, and for the one I go to the best time to get there is early in the morning on the first day. Everyone is eager to find what they need. However, don't go expecting bargain basement prices. These are the guys who have already scoured the garage sales and estate auctions. You will see fair prices, but more than anything else, you'll find a wider assortment of tools than you've ever seen before.

As to them participating in the Creek, some do, most don't. Many don't read the forums at all. Many are members of the Oldtools List, however.

[Mike Holbrook]

Cool, I am north of Atlanta not to far from Madison, how do I get more details?

[Jay Maiers]

Cool, I am north of Atlanta not to far from Madison, how do I get more details?

http://www.mwtca.org/tool-meets.html
A friend of mine told me that you have to be a member to get into the tool meets. Membership is $25, and he seems to think it's worth the cost. You can sign up online, or you might be able to pay at the door (I'd research that option though...).

If you decided to go, give me a shout. I'm thinking I might take off of work Friday the 3rd, but that remains to be seen.

[Dan Hintz]

A friend of mine told me that you have to be a member to get into the tool meets. Membership is $25, and he seems to think it's worth the cost.

Well that's a bummer... I love to look at Neander tools (especially the odd stuff), but since I don't really use them (and therefore won't be buying), there's little point in paying money to go stare.

[Mike Holbrook]

Jay, thanks for the link. I will see if the wife will give me that Friday off and get back to you. We could road trip in the Mini if you are close?

[Jay Maiers]

Well that's a bummer... I love to look at Neander tools (especially the odd stuff), but since I don't really use them (and therefore won't be buying), there's little point in paying money to go stare.

That's second hand information: I have not checked to make sure that it's fact.
I'll take a look at their website and see if I can confirm that statement.

[Zach Dillinger]

Well that's a bummer... I love to look at Neander tools (especially the odd stuff), but since I don't really use them (and therefore won't be buying), there's little point in paying money to go stare.

If you know a member of MWTCA who is going to the meet, you can go as his guest. You'll still have to pay the fee to get into the meeting (usually around $10 or so, covers the food for the meet, hall rental, etc.), but you don't necessarilly have to be a member to get in.

One of the best benefits of joining MWTCA is The Gristmill. It is a quarterly magazine that only goes to members. It has lots of pictures of cool old tools to look at, as well as great articles (written by members!) on the history and use of old tools. In addition to The Gristmill, you will get a very cool reprint of an old tool catalog, book, etc. each year. This year the reprint was a copy of The Cabinetmakers Handbook, a small format book from the 1830s that describes basically every type of old finish and finishing technique that was used then, as well as helpful sections on the geometry used in cabinetmaking. This alone is worth the $25. Even if you don't buy "Neander" tools, your average MWTCA meeting has more woodworking and tool knowledge packed into it than any other place of which I'm aware. Lots of good people to meet and learn from.

You will find incredible deals on user tools at a MWTCA meet. As was said above, most of these guys are collectors so they buy and keep the highest quality, rarest stuff for their own collections. Some guys only sell this type of stuff at the meets, but lots of other guys come through with the user tools that dont' fit in with their collections. I've bought wooden molding planes for $5. Stanley #5s for $10. A Sargent auto-set jack plane for $7. Chisels for $3 - $5 each. Parts and irons for every type of plane imagineable. Some guys are higher priced, others less so. You won't know until you go.

You can join online or sign up at the meeting. Any woodworker, even one with only the most minor curiousity in old tools, should join this group.

[Jay Maiers]

Jay, thanks for the link. I will see if the wife will give me that Friday off and get back to you. We could road trip in the Mini if you are close?

Lol, Yeah, I'm going to have to clear that with my boss and my employer

I live up in Buford, so the road trip's a possibility. I'll check in with bosses #1 & #2 and drop you a line early next week.

[matt braun]

I've been a member for a few years and would recommend joining.

The Gristmill magazine gives intense detail about tools I've never hear of, which can be very interesting or very dull, depending on your interests. Reading articles to my wife helps her sleep. The magazine includes tools of all trades and purposes, not just woodworking. There are probably more wood tool articles that any other category.

There is also a yearly publication of a cool vintage tool catalog or small book. Joel M (of Gramercy Tools fame) recently wrote a blog article about this years publication.

To answer your questions, the meets are worth attending in my opinion. I've been to two national meets and one regional meet (I think). The regional meets have quite a range of involvement I imagine. The one I attended in rural Kentucky only had about 10 tables and a few dozen people. The national meets have a few dozen vendors and many more attendees. As others have said, there are a variety of tools for sale at good to fair prices. I've picked up a good number of basic tools for fair prices and have always been glad I attended the event.

The people are friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining. I'll leave you with my two favorite quotes from shows which sum up the organization pretty humorously. From a gentleman rounding out middle age, "I joined about 30 years ago and was one of the youngest members. I'm still one of the youngest members." From the wife of a hammer collector (who will remain nameless) said with a smile, "These guys are sick, they sit around and wait for their friends to die and then go fight over their tools!"

[Jeff Bartley]

I'll second or third or fourth the recommendation to go to one of their meetings. And I don't believe you have to be a member but it may depend on the specific meeting. I have bought tools at our local meeting but for me the content of the presentations and meetings the fellow members is reason enough to attend! It's a great bunch of folks with more knowledge about tools than I can even imagine. Not all are tool users, or woodworkers, but you should see some of the tool collections! I'd recommend contacting the organizer for the closest tool meet and see what it would take for you to attend!